First Steps In Creative Writing: Start Your Story

About this course

The course introduces short-story structure and offers a framework for developing an imaginative piece of writing. Lessons combine writing exercises, prompts and presentations on creative writing, with classwork and homework used to practise the process. Participants explore gathering, shaping and finishing ideas, while setting individual learning targets at the beginning and reviewing progress through their written work. The course also addresses the writer’s broader purpose or mission and encourages learners to begin or complete a piece.

What you'll learn

• Explain the main stages of gathering, shaping and finishing a piece of writing
• Use writing exercises and prompts to develop ideas for imaginative work
• Apply principles of short-story structure to a piece of writing
• Practise a writing process through classwork and homework
• Start or complete a piece of creative writing

Is this course right for you?

The course is intended for people aged 19 or over who want to develop a story and can make time for writing between classes. Its all-levels label indicates that it is not presented as being limited to a particular stage of prior study, while the course includes guidance and individual learning targets.

• Learners are expected to make time for writing outside class
• Homework forms part of the course
• Support is available for learners with learning difficulties or disabilities
• Literacy support and ESOL provision are available through related programmes

Before you go

• Bring preferred writing tools, such as a notepad and pen or an iPad or laptop.
• Additional support may be available for learning difficulties or disabilities; literacy and numeracy help and ESOL support are also available through the stated programmes.