Course Catalogue

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This course enables students to build on their previous experience of creative writing through further exploration of poetry, short story, novel and non-fiction form. Examples of these literary forms will be examined to identify further techniques and structures that can be applied to our own writing such as more in-depth approaches to narrative focus and characterisation, or the rhythmic and compositional patterns of specific poetic modes. Writing exercises will allow us to practise these further techniques and share them for peer feedback. We will also reflect on our writing practice, creative decision-making and engagement with these literary forms. 

Block 1 and 2, Weeks 1-10

2 hours per week for 20 weeks

Tuesday, 19:00-21:00

While there are no prerequisite courses that need to be taken in advance, some prior experience of creative writing (familiarity with at least two of the following: short story, poetry, novel and non-fiction) and sharing work for peer-review feedback would be beneficial.

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Practical Feedback sample: submission of editorial feedback on a fellow student's creative work (up to 40 lines of poetry / 2,000 words / equivalent 4 pages), including minor annotations and a short constructive commentary of up to 300 words tailored to the literary form (10%).

Portfolio one: submission (50 lines of poetry / 3,000 words / equivalent 6 pages in total) of poetry and/or short story in the form of several shorter pieces, extract(s) from a longer work or one singular complete piece (40%).

Portfolio two: One submission (3,000 words) of novel and/or non-fiction in the form of several shorter pieces, extract(s) from a longer work or one singular complete piece (40%).

Self-reflective essay: submission of a short self-reflective essay (1,000 words) identifying the literary forms and techniques chosen by the student for their portfolio and their personal creative process during composition and redrafting (10%).

This course aims to

■ Provide students with the opportunity to study in greater depth the literary characteristics and conventions of short story, poetry, novel and non-fiction forms through textual analysis of notable examples.

■ Encourage students to further develop individual, creative approaches to a range of forms through practical writing exercises that enable them to apply key techniques to their own writing

■ Further develop students' confidence in submitting their creative writing for peer and tutor feedback, including building their editorial skills through written peer feedback.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Identify in-depth key literary characteristics and conventions at work in specific poetry, short story, novel and non-fiction literary forms such as narrative focus or the rhythmic or compositional patterns of specific poetic modes.

■ Compose persuasive, artistically coherent and technically proficient written work that demonstrates in-depth key techniques from at least two of the following forms: poetry, short story, novel and non-fiction.

■ Appraise and reflect upon their own creative process and that of others including offering written editorial feedback to other students.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.