Developing your creative writing

About this course

The workshop explores creative writing craft through tutor presentations, writing prompts, exercises and games, alongside discussion of short extracts from published texts. Topics include narrative tension, structure, point of view, character, dialogue, voice, genre, poetic form, language and imagery. Participants develop a piece of writing, share work with the group and consider feedback from peers and the tutor. The course also covers evaluating, revising and editing drafts, with short homework assignments supporting work between sessions.

What you'll learn

• Identify key technical features of creative writing across different forms
• Apply techniques relating to structure, narrative tension, character, dialogue, voice and language
• Assess written work and respond to it with sensitivity
• Evaluate, revise and edit their own writing

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for writers developing beyond introductory creative writing and is labelled Beginner, although the source specifies that learners should have some experience. Participation involves writing in class, sharing work and responding to constructive feedback from peers and the tutor.

• Reading and writing fluency in English is required
• Learners should have a work in progress or ideas for a piece to develop
• Short homework assignments are set between classes

Before you go

• There are no additional costs.
• Learners should be prepared to complete in-class writing exercises and short homework assignments.
• Learners are encouraged to alert the tutor and classmates in advance if shared writing contains potentially sensitive material.