ENGLISH 344 : Writing Creative Prose

Arts

2020 Semester Two (1205) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A creative writing course that uses a range of processes, theories and techniques to explore developments in the short story and other shorter prose genres.

Course Overview

This is an art and craft class for students committed to refining skills in writing fiction and creative non-fiction. We study a range of local and international models, write and revise weekly exercises, workshop and revise longer pieces, and develop the close-reading ability as a writer rather than as a critic.

Our three-hour weekly class begins with a seminar and concludes with workshops. In the seminar we focus on key aspects of technique, including narrative structure, point of view, character, setting and use of dialogue. We’ll discuss work by a range of contemporary practitioners (available in set texts and a course reader) to explore the demands and possibilities of creative prose. Each week’s class will include in-depth close reading of published work, and students are expected to come prepared, having read all published work several times – and carefully – in advance.

In the workshops, students will submit drafts of a 3000-word short story and a 2500-word personal essay for discussion and written comments by the rest of the group. In both seminar and workshops, students must be active participants and committed readers.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: 60 points passed and Programme Coordinator approval Restriction: ENGLISH 328

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement
Capability 5: Independence and Integrity
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Arts

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Develop imaginative and technical skills as writers. (Capability 1.2, 3.2 and 4.2)
  2. Understand a range of forms, styles and issues relating to contemporary creative nonfiction and short fiction. (Capability 1.3 and 2.1)
  3. Develop skills in close textual analysis of published work. (Capability 1.2, 2.3 and 4.2)
  4. Develop and demonstrate skills in the verbal and written evaluations of peer manuscripts. (Capability 1.2, 2.3 and 4.2)
  5. Apply enhanced technical skills to a piece of creative work. (Capability 1.2, 3.2 and 5.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Workshops 15% Individual Coursework
Quizzes 15% Individual Coursework
Portfolio 30% Individual Coursework
Portfolio 10% Individual Coursework
Portfolio 30% Individual Coursework

Next offered

Semester II, 2020

Learning Resources

Reading Like a Writer by Francine Prose
Draft No. 4 by John McKee
Course book

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15-point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect three hours of class (combining seminar and workshop),  three hours of reading and thinking about the content and four hours of work on assignments.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Laptops and phones are not permitted in class. Recordings are not permitted.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website at http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Well-being always comes first
We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - for more information, look at this Canvas page (https://canvas.auckland.ac.nz/courses/33894), which has links to various support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page: https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter (https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html).

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 22/01/2020 10:00 a.m.