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EL40PB: CREATIVE WRITING: THE ESSENTIAL SKILLS (2021-2022)

Last modified: 31 May 2022 13:05


Course Overview

This course will focus on the practical techniques of writing short stories, extended fiction and some poetry. It will encourage students to consider assembling a block of skills which they will require to repeatedly construct functioning narratives. The course will examine the practical skills of creating subtle fictional depictions – or high drama – and consider how we establish what is at stake for the readers of our fiction. By the completion of the course, students will have assembled a skill set to tackle creative work in a variety of modes, and present and structure it to a professional level.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 4
Session First Sub Session Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Alan Warner

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • English (EL)
  • One of Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4 or Programme Level 5
  • Any Undergraduate Programme

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • EL45PB Creative Writing: the Essential Skills (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course will focus on the practical techniques of writing short stories, extended fiction and some poetry. It will encourage students to consider assembling a block of skills which they will require to repeatedly construct functioning narratives. The course will examine the practical skills of creating subtle fictional depictions – or high drama – and consider how we establish what is at stake for the readers of our fiction. By the completion of the course, students will have assembled a skill set to tackle creative work in a variety of modes, and present and structure it to a professional level.

Week 1. Seeing Scenes: Imagining Or Not?

Week 2. Genres. Characters & Dialogue: Unity or Conflict?

Week 3. Aspects of Character. Journey and Change.

Week 4. Workshop Week.

Week 5. Scenes or Narratives? Plots.

Week 6. Voice and Identity.

Week 7. Voice. Poems and ‘Expressing.’

Week 8. Imagery, Metaphors and Similes.

Week 9. Learning from Non-fiction. Revising.

Week 10. Writing Week.

Week 11. Using Your Skills.

Week 12. Submission    


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Alternative Assessment

Creative extract of approximately 1500 words for an individual feedback session in Week 7 (20%)

Folio of 4000 words, together with an introductory essay of 1,500 words to be submitted in week 12. (80%)

Alternative Resit Assessment

1 x 4,000 word folio (100%)

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralEvaluateTo enhance students’ understanding and appreciation of literature through practical engagement with the demands of formal control, coherence and aesthetic impact.
ReflectionApplyTo provide students with techniques for developing or extending their own creativity.
ProceduralUnderstandTo provide an understanding of the processes of creativity and of the development of an original idea into a completed literary artefact.

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