Creative Writing

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• a variety of writing styles and conventions and their effectiveness.
• a variety of creative and professional genres used in the creative industries, such as, journalistic material, fiction, memoir, scripts, and press releases;

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• review and analyse your work in a professional and constructive manner.
• critically examine and execute the research planning that precedes your final texts;

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• demonstrate clear effective and persuasive written communication skills for a defined context and audience;
• organise time and manage deadlines;
• utlise problem-solving skills informed by different perspectives.

This module will introduce you to a range of different, non-academic writing styles, from journalism to more ‘creative’ forms such as prose fiction, memoir, poetry and scriptwriting.

You will be encouraged to engage and experiment with a range of styles and forms, developing skills in handling writing voice and in understanding the process required to work in different writing modes. You will be expected to work within given structures to produce work which is appropriate for differing situations, and is original, imaginative, technically skilled and professionally executed.

The course will examine examples of good practice and will provide you with a set of skills that can be applied to a variety of situations and applications, both in your studies and beyond. It will also focus on process, demonstrating how to move from an idea, through drafting and editing, to a final, polished piece. As such there will also be some focus on proof-reading and the correct use of grammar and punctuation.

Overall, task and audience specific writing styles, proof-reading techniques, and editing skills will be central to the practical nature of the module. You will develop your knowledge, skills and awareness of the writing process, through a range of exercises covering a selection of diverse forms. You will be encouraged to develop areas of particular interest for your final assignment.

Indicative module content will normally include:

• finding inspiration;
• types of writing;
• crafting ideas for writing;
• starting the writing;
• structure;
• using voice;
• characterisation;
• grammar, punctuation and vocabulary;
• endings/conclusions;
• editing and proofreading.

This is a workshop based course in which students will receive instruction and context through short lecture-style presentations, followed by both in-class writing exercises and independent study. These will be accompanied by small group sessions in which students can share their work with their peers from across the various programmes for continuous feedback.

Teaching methods include:

• workshops that combine tutor-input with practical writing exercises;
• partial-session lectures to introduce key issues and topics;
• tutorials.

Learning activities include:

• generating material and ideas for a specific piece of writing;
• peer review and feedback;
• editing and revising pieces of writing;
• Self-directed research.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Portfolio

• Assessment Type: Formative
• Feedback: 1-1tutorials on draft assignments Regular workshop activities on work produced with feedback from peers and from the module leader.
• Final Assessment: No
• Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.