Taylor Swift 101

An in-depth exploration of the craft, storytelling, and cultural impact of one of the most influential artists of our time.

Cover image for Taylor Swift 101: Understanding Taylor Swift's lyrics, writing, and universe. A chalkboard reads "Taylor Swift 101". On a desk in front of the chalkboard sits a stack of books, each labeled with an album title (Fearless, Speak Now, etc) and color-coded. A chalk-drawn graduation cap sits atop the book stack, indicating the page is about learning about the Taylor Swift universe.

Welcome to Taylor Swift 101!

Whether you’ve been listening to Taylor since the Tim McGraw days or you’re just starting to wonder why her lyrics hit so hard, this free course is for you.

I designed Taylor Swift 101 to be approachable, engaging, and thought-provoking, whether you’re a lifelong Swiftie, or just beginning to explore why her work resonates so deeply. In each lesson, we’ll break down the building blocks of Taylor’s writing, and uncover how her stories reflect the human experience.

This course is an introduction to the storytelling, symbolism, and songwriting that define her work. You’ll learn how Taylor builds characters, chooses points of view, uses imagery and metaphor, and creates eras that reflect not only her life, but ours too.

🍎 Meet Your Instructor! 🍎

How to Take This Course

Each lesson in Taylor Swift 101 builds sequentially, but there are no rules, and there is no judgment in this space. You don’t need to be an English major, a lit enthusiast, or a writer to enjoy this course; you just have to be curious about Taylor Swift’s craft.

You can move through each unit in order, or hop around to any topic that interests you.

Within each lesson, I’ve included checkpoint reflections, where you can begin to think critically about the topics we’re covering.

Above all, I hope you enjoy learning more about the universe Taylor has created, and how she’s created it.

🎓 Taylor Swift 101: Foundations of Storytelling and Songwriting

🎬⭐️ I am currently filming video content for each lesson, so check back soon for new ways to learn and engage! ⭐️ 🎬

Unit 1: An Introduction to Taylor Swift

Lesson 1: Why Does Taylor Swift Matter?

Lesson 2: A Quick Timeline of Taylor Swift’s Career: The Basics You Need to Know

Lesson 3: Genres and Eras: Taylor Swift’s Artistic Evolution 

Unit 2: The Art of Storytelling

Lesson 4: How Taylor Swift Uses Storytelling to Make Us Feel Everything

Lesson 5: Taylor’s Signature Songwriting Style & What Makes it Effective

Lesson 6: Why Taylor Swift’s Songs Hit Harder: The Power of Narrative Structure

Unit 3: Unlocking Taylor’s Lyrics: Literary Devices and Deep Themes 

Lesson 7: Imagery, Metaphors & Symbolism: How Taylor Builds Worlds 

Lesson 8: Taylor’s Character-Driven Storytelling & Point of View  

Lesson 9: Common Themes & Motifs: Recurring Ideas Across Albums

⬇️ Want More? ⬇️

⭐️ Taylor Swift 201: Advanced Analysis, Writing Craft, and Cultural Critique COMING SOON ⭐️

Supplementary Reading