Creative Writing

On this module you will begin to develop essential skills for writing creative prose (semester one) and poetry (semester two). Seminars introduce you to the idea of writing and storytelling with a focus on point of view, characterisation, setting, pace, themes, structure, dialogue, research, planning, revising and editing.

You will explore some of the key issues in the drafting of poetry including its oral, aural and visual performative aspects. You will engage with selected short stories and novels (along with authors and their processes) and develop techniques and tips to use throughout your degree. The module encourages experimentation and innovation, develops an understanding of a range of writing craft techniques and introduces the complex idea of the 'writer's voice.'

On this module you will explore all aspects of nonfiction writing. The first semester focuses on persuasive writing, including the use of rhetoric. This involves reflecting on and experimenting with the ways in which writing can be used to influence an audience. It also focuses on the importance of short form writing for digital publishing, for example, social media and blogs, with a close look at how online platforms allow writers to publish work, establish a presence and appeal to different audiences.

In the second semester you will focus on creative nonfiction and what this means, while exploring a variety of creative/literary devices to engage a range of audiences. The emphasis in both semesters will be on clarity of expression, accurate presentation, and the use of story and description and other narrative and rhetorical techniques to create stylish, compelling prose.

What does it mean to be a writer? In this module you will engage with ideas and theories of criticality and creativity. You will develop an understanding of contemporary culture and society and examine how this can be applied to creative work. This involves writing processes and how they are informed and influenced by theories such as modernism and post-modernism, by belief, by experience, by ideas about sex and gender, by cultural impact and notions of originality. How do we read texts, as writers? What are our influences? Classes will be team-taught by practising writers and will offer you the opportunity to consider your creative self in relation to the theories, ideologies, cultures, and inspirations discussed.

On this module you will develop an understanding of writing techniques linked to creating scripts for screen, stage and spoken word. You will be introduced to the conventions, forms and techniques of scriptwriting, along with the particular demands associated with writing for the stage. As you develop skills with script, particular attention will be paid to the language of script narrative, story development, and analysis of story in relation to authorial and cultural contexts.

On this module you will develop a more sophisticated understanding of key craft aspects and techniques, including the further exploration and development of the writer's voice and what this can mean. You will explore a challenging variety of genres and literary forms, including but not limited to, contemporary literary fiction, metafiction, Post Colonial writing, and interactive and experimental writing across all the main forms of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry and script. The module content will reflect the specialisms of the teaching team.

This module develops a sophisticated understanding of different forms of creative nonfiction and media writing. In semester one the focus is on developing your media writing skills including copywriting within the wider context and constraints of media forms. You will explore ‘long read’ features, shorter ‘filler pieces’ and press releases and learn what it means to write to a professional standard.

In semester two you will develop your creative nonfiction skills by focusing on turning lived experience into narrative. This includes travel writing, biography, family history or memoir, along with the opportunity to write about contemporary issues such as migration, the environment, and other aspects of sustainability. Classes will address various ethical issues, including the blurring of lines between factual and fictional writing. You will delve into research methods, learn how to use sources both private and public, and examine the many challenges involved in writing compelling true stories.

What is ‘Strange Fiction'? The term is deliberately broad and encompasses fiction that moves beyond realism and what we ‘know’ about our world. You will learn to identify and utilise key structures, symbols and archetypes within genres such as horror, fantasy, science fiction, myth, fairy stories, ghost stories and speculative fiction. Also, you will understand how such stories have shaped and inspired us, and how their ideas and patterns continue to be reimagined and reappropriated through time.

During semester one you can choose between the following options: 

Writing for Young People
This module encourages you to develop an understanding of the writing techniques required when creating either fiction or creative nonfiction for young people. You will learn to examine the main modes of nonfictional writing, both narrative and non-narrative. As well as develop an awareness of the current contemporary children’s fiction market. You will utilise this awareness when considering where (and why) your own age-appropriate work ‘fits’ within the spectrum of children’s fiction or creative nonfiction. 

OR

Writing for Comics and Graphic Novels
This module will enable you to demonstrate a creative and critical understanding of the techniques required when creating either a comic or a graphic a novel. You will be introduced to a wide range of comic book and graphic novel forms and genres. Studying examples of early super-hero comics, and of the underground comix and punk-zine movements which rebelled against them. You will also look at newer forms of traditional comics aimed at the growing female audience – such as fantasy/romance and comics with female central characters.

During semester two you can choose between the following options: 

Writing Historical Fiction
Thinking of Bridgerton to Wolf Hall and Goodnight Mister Tom. What is historical fiction? What genres can it encompass? On this module you will be encouraged to engage creatively and critically with historical fiction and the debates surrounding it. You will get to master the basic techniques involved in producing an historical narrative. You will be introduced to a range of relevant historical novels, with the main emphasis on the modern and evolving form. There will be the opportunity to experiment while producing fiction that uses history as its subject matter, after first considering the various challenges facing authors working in this area – including the deliberation around historical accuracy versus entertainment.

OR

Composing Song Lyrics
On this module you will have the opportunity to engage creatively and critically with a range of song lyrics including interpretation and fundamental techniques. The module will introduce you to the basics of song lyric composition, focusing in particular upon the nature of the relationship between form, voice and rhythm. You will be introduced to a broad history of the song lyric, from early oral forms up to and including pop lyrics and more recent developments in such writing as rap and hip hop. As well as offering you an opportunity to master the basics of songwriting in its various forms, you will be involved in discussing the changing nature of the content of this traditional form as it has developed over time.

In this module you will have the opportunity to plan and produce a substantial creative piece which could take the form of prose, poetry, creative nonfiction or a script or potentially a combination. It will consist of an 8,000 word creative element supported by a 2,000 word contextualising rationale. This is an independent study. You will be supported by an allocated supervisor who you can meet with to discuss your project and progress.

‘If you want the truth read fiction!’ This has been asserted by both Ali Smith and Neil Gaiman in the past. Storytelling can make a difference and empower. In this module you will consider the fiction, films, poetry and creative nonfiction that have made people think and potentially have changed the world (most recently Mr Bates v Post Office to as far back as Harriet Beecher-Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin). It will enable you to demonstrate a practical understanding of social ideas and 'ideas in action' through the creation of your own creative piece. The module will encourage experimentation and innovation as you continue to hone your craft while using your ‘writer’s voice’ potentially for good.

Creative Industries - 30 credits
On this module you will be encouraged to explore and understand the importance of the creative industries. This module has two threads, the first thread focuses on publishing and includes all aspects of publishing from traditional to digital and self-publishing, as well as alternative ways of disseminating your work such as publication in literary magazines. The second thread enables you to explore entrepreneurship and consultancy while reflecting upon how you can use writing to make a living. In the second semester you can choose to have a placement, set up your own business or to continue to focus on the publishing industry.

Life on Earth - 30 credits
On this module you will consider the key environmental and social challenges of the time and how these can be represented through language. The world is changing and many people are asking what our lives will be like in 2050 and beyond. This module tackles that question head-on. It asks you to engage with some of the most challenging and thought-provoking issues of our time (such as new technologies, body image, conspiracy theories, ecology, climate change) and imagine what our future might look like.

This module is not just about the future, it is also about the here and now, taking in our current environment. During the module you will have the opportunity to study and respond to the environment around us. Reading examples of all the major forms of contemporary environmental writing: poetry, fiction and non-fiction. But you won’t simply sit in the classroom and write – you will have a chance to actively engage with your environment, from fields and forests to shopping centres. Be prepared to go outside!

Writing for Games - 15 credits
On this module you will be encouraged to develop an understanding of the opportunities and constraints when writing for games. The module focuses on the appreciation and construction of narratives for video/computer games, beginning with an exploration of the concerns involved in writing for a range of common game genres. You will study and practise constructing the overall narrative for a video game, taking into account the need to make efficient use of costly art assets, voice work and animation. You will also consider the individual items that would get this story and world across to the player such as cinematic scripts, interactive dialogue and spreadsheets of “barks” or item descriptions. Finally, you will create a portfolio of game writing, representing the sort of material that a writer might be expected to produce for a commercial video game.

Creative Teaching for Creative Writing - 15 credits
On this module you will consider how creative writing can be taught in different ways. This module prepares you for teaching and creative practice beyond the confines of university/academia. It explores teaching techniques through practical sessions and discussion and suggests a range of approaches that you can adopt and adapt as they evolve creatively stimulating lessons that are also mindful of inclusive approaches that connect to gender, equality and good-practice in teaching.

Write Yourself Well: Creative Writing as Therapy - 15 credits
On this module you will be able to develop an awareness of how creative writing can be used as a therapy. The benefits of writing for health and wellbeing have long been recognised. In an age where wellbeing is causing major concerns both nationally and internationally, writing is a free resource accessible by anyone. The module explores how to apply it professionally and use it to guide and support others in most need.

This module has its focus on the value of engagement with the process in a variety of forms and you will explore a range of activities that link writing with beneficial outcomes. Additionally, you will reflect on your own writing practices and the ways you yourself benefit from, and through, writing. You will explore specific groups within the community that have been seen to benefit from reflective writing as therapy.

Writing Crime Fiction: Dial M for Murder - 15 credits
On this module you will engage creatively and critically with crime fiction and the debates surrounding it. Crime fiction, murder mystery, cosy crime, detective story and police novels continue to be popular as do ‘true crime’ TV programmes. This module explores the history and great practitioners of the form up to and including contemporary texts. Also, you will understand how such stories have shaped and inspired us, how their ideas and patterns continue to be reimagined and reappropriated. Studying text, film and TV shows, you will learn to identify and utilise key structures, symbols, tropes and archetypes within the genres enabling you to create your own piece of crime or detective fiction, whether prose or script.