Overview

The course will offer you the opportunity to develop an idea, carry out the necessary research, select an appropriate genre, form and style and construct a piece of writing suitable for its intended audience. You will learn how to critically reflect on your own work and on the work of others and the ways in which it is an expression of a particular culture and society. You will also be exposed to advanced fiction writing techniques, focusing on how character, plot, setting, tone and style contribute to compelling narrative, and on how conventions of genre may be challenged. By the end of the module you will have written and edited a piece or a collection of pieces of creative prose and have an understanding of its literary and social context.

The module will offer you the opportunity to develop an idea, carry out the necessary research, select an appropriate genre, form and style and construct a piece of writing suitable for its intended audience. You will learn how to reflect critically on your own work and on the work of others, and consider the ways in which it is an expression of a particular culture and society. You will also be exposed to advanced fiction writing techniques, focusing on how character, plot, setting, tone and style contribute to compelling narrative, and on how conventions of genre may be challenged. By the end of the module you will have written and edited a piece or a collection of pieces of creative prose and have an understanding of its literary and social context.

Assessment Strategy

Students will submit 5,000 words of creative prose and a 1,000 word commentary which should demonstrate engagement with the course materials and should fulfill the following learning outcomes of the course:

1. To demonstrate development in students’ abilities in creative writing in prose.

2. To demonstrate the development of the knowledge and skills necessary to structure creative writing.

3. To demonstrate awareness of audience when making choices of style, tone or structure.

4. To demonstrate an understanding of how to think creatively and how this may support creative and non-creative writing.

5. To demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which society and culture relate to processes of writing and reading.

Assessment criteria:

70% and above

Typically, the work of a candidate reaching Distinction will show many of the following qualities:

Excellent levels of originality, vision and depth; striking and thorough engagement with ideas. Excellent understanding and control of form and technique. Impressive linguistic control and/or innovation. Sophisticated critical understanding of the creative process and confident ability to conceptualise approaches to writing. Dynamic work.

60-69%

A candidate’s work reaching Merit will show many of the following qualities:

Demonstration of vitality and originality; sustained engagement with ideas. Very good understanding of generic conventions; sound use of structures, forms and technique. Resourceful and imaginative use of language. Clear critical understanding of the creative process and ability to think conceptually about decisions made in writing. Very good work.

50-59%

A Pass candidate’s work will show many of the following qualities:

Original and interesting work with an attempt at serious exploration of ideas. Clear link between themes and form. Technically proficient and well-focused use of language. Sound critical understanding of the creative process and of decisions made in writing. Generally good work.

40-49%

The candidate’s work will show many of the following features:

Some originality and engagement with ideas. Some sense of formal conventions and structures. Occasionally inconsistent with regard to linguistic technicalities. Some awareness of the creative process and of decisions made in writing. Sound work, but its strengths need to be more fully sustained.