Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Seminar | 10 x 2 Hour Seminars |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Short Story (3500 words) | 60% |
| Semester Assessment | Learning Journal (1500 words) | 40% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Short Story (3500 words) Resubmit missed or failed 3500 word short story | 60% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Learning Journal Resubmit missed or failed 1500 word learning journal | 40% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate in both creative and evaluative writing, an understanding of the genre as an aspect of fiction.
2. Demonstrate, in critical prose, an understanding of their own writing processes.
3. Improve their work in response to constructive criticism.
Aims
Students will be offered a more challenging and engaging study of genre as it manifests in contemporary fiction. It will build upon both the semester 1 fiction module and elements literary criticism which students will have been introduced to on teh 'Research Methods' module.
Brief description
This module offers fiction writers the opportunity to assess and practice a range of genres, with appropriate reference to the work of a contemporary novelist, in this case The Bone Clocks (2014) by David Mitchell which is constructed from a series of novellas in different genres. Members of the group will be expected to pursue a programme of reading from the recommended text and to present, for comment and constructive criticism by the group, work carried out in response to the preceding week. The module will consist of ten 2-hour seminar/workshop combination sessions
Content
This session will examine strategies associated with Coming of Age stories through the first section of The Bone Clocks.
Session 2: Workshopping Coming of Age stories from the group.
Session 3: “Myrrh Is Mine, Its Bitter Perfume”
This session will look at crime stories via the character of amoral University student Hugo Lamb.
Session 4: Workshopping crime stories from the group.
Session 5: “The Wedding Bash”
This session will look at the use of contemporary war stories in the third part of The Bone Clocks.
Session 6: Workshopping war stories from the group.
Session 7: “An Horologist’s Labyrinth”
This session will examine approach to fantasy fiction in Mitchell’s work
Session 8: Workshopping pieces of fantasy writing from the group.
Session 9: “Sheep’s Head”
This session will focus on the post-apocalyptic final section of The Bones Clocks.
Session 10: Workshopping pieces of post-apocalyptic fiction from the group
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | N/A |
| Communication | Written communication skills are key to the work students will do on this module. Moreover, oral interaction in group discussion will be essential to the seminars and workshops. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will be expected to improve their understanding of literature in response to discussion with the tutor and other students, as well as to develop their own approaches to the writing and criticism. |
| Information Technology | Student will be required to make full use of library facilities and master online/digital research. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | This will be discussed during the course and is implicitly embedded in the assessed work and in the feedback of course tutor and peers. |
| Problem solving | Employing the skills of critical engagement, assessment of writing technique, and analysis of structure and genre will arise and be dealt with during seminars, in workshops, and in assessment. The effectiveness by which the student has solved problems is evident in the planning of and quality of the finished work. |
| Research skills | The assessment on this module will reflect the student’s ability to read widely and to engage with literature with a critical eye as well as construct effective narratives of their own. They will have to apply this knowledge to make informed decisions about their own approaches to fiction. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Practical proficiency in the specific skills of writing science fiction, as well as literary analysis and criticism, which will prepare students for their dissertations and doctoral work. |
| Team work | Students will have the opportunity to work in small group discussions during workshops and seminars. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7