Advanced Creative Writing Skills

Module code: EN2080

Module co-ordinator: Dr. Harry Whitehead

Aims

This module combines creative writing workshops, performance workshops, lectures on research for writers, advanced practical critical reflection, and writing literary reviews for publication. These different strands feed into each other at all points through the semester. Students will keep a writing journal that will feed an assessed critical essay. The module will also involve lectures, workshops, and autonomous small-group work on developing personal performance techniques for your own work. Note that performance does not always involve dramatic expression: there are many writers who speak quietly and undemonstratively yet effectively. This module will help you find your own best way to express your work in performance.

Learning

The module will be delivered in ten weekly lectures and ten weekly workshops. Lectures may include discussions of creative craft issues, techniques, forms, and genres, as well as research methods, reflection on one’s own work, and writing literary reviews for publication; talks by established writers in the School of English discussing their own writing practice; a lecture on performing creative work in public; and readings and discussions by visiting writers. Workshops may consist of peer review sessions, creative writing exercises, performance workshops, mini-lectures, and group discussions.

After completing this module, students will be able to: 

• Apply established research methods in creative writing studies to their own practice
• Evaluate existing writing to produce critical reviews in literary journal and newspaper styles
• Construct creative work in different forms and genres with a sound understanding of craft elements that may be used
• Apply craft skills learned on previous modules and this one in the construction of creative work
• Perform their creative work in public with confidence
• Identify key issues in improving the performance of their creative work
• Analyse and provide constructive feedback about their own and others' creative work
• Write in different forms, genres, and contexts

Assessment

There are three elements to the assessment.

• Creative writing: 2,000 words (or equivalent) in any creative writing form, such as poetry, prose, narrative nonfiction, script, or drama (45%)

• Critical work: a 1,500-word essay on any issue or issues related to creative writing research and reflection, using information from your writing journal AND a 500-word literary review of any book or performance by a guest author appearing in the past year at the university. Please note: your writing journal will be submitted as an appendix to your essay, although not assessed in itself (45%)

• Oral presentation: a five-minute performance of your own work in a group environment (10%)