drama in creative writing

ENG 125 & 126 - Creative Writing: Drama

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Drama Defined

Definition:  A prose or verse composition, especially one telling a serious story, that is intended for representation by actors impersonating the characters and performing the dialogue and action.

Elements:  

• Structure -- This deals with how to setup the beginning, middle and end of a play and is even more crucial in drama than any other genre of writing.
• Characters -- People will act out the story on stage. Characters should be well-developed and not appear as stereotypes.
• Dialogue -- This is crucial in plays because everything happens through the spoken word.
• Theme -- Plays often deal with universal themes which encourage discussion of ideas. 
• Production -- Costumes, props and lighting are some of the necessary items for putting on a play.

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Featured Drama

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• Last Updated: Apr 12, 2024 2:50 PM
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• Literary Terms

When & How to Write Drama

• Definition & Examples
• When & How to Write Drama

How to Write Drama

• Start with characters . The best dramas are usually character- driven. They have a cast of main characters (usually fewer than 10), plus a handful of supporting characters. These characters should all be very distinct from one another, and the main characters should be authentic and life-like. This way, the audience can relate to them and cares what happens to them.
• Introduce conflict. All stories revolve around conflict, and this is especially true in drama. The conflict could be anything – the simplest example is political conflict or war, but you might also have competing love interests, clashes in personality, or simply a struggle against misfortune.
• Don’t forget about comic relief. Unless you’re writing a tragedy (see section 6), there should be at least some amount of humor in your drama. Otherwise, the negative emotions will get overwhelming and the experience will be too unpleasant for the reader. Give a few funny lines to your characters, or add an amusing situation somewhere to cut the tension – just make sure that this comic relief arises naturally from the story and it doesn’t feel like you’re cramming it in.

When to Use Drama

Drama is great for a creative writing project. It offers opportunities to work on character development, story structure, and a whole other set of writing skills. Every once in a while, you may also find a place for drama in formal essays , but you have to be careful.

For example, history essays are often more enjoyable to read if you craft them with a “dramatic” eye – focusing on a small set of main characters, contrasting these characters and their various desires, and fully describing the conflict at the center of the story. These techniques, in combination with good research and persuasive logic, can turn a good essay into a great one. However, you do have to be careful – too much drama in a formal essay can start to seem distracting, and you don’t want to give the impression that you’re more committed to the entertainment value than to the research and analysis.

List of Terms

• Alliteration
• Amplification
• Anachronism
• Anthropomorphism
• Antonomasia
• APA Citation
• Aposiopesis
• Autobiography
• Bildungsroman
• Characterization
• Circumlocution
• Cliffhanger
• Comic Relief
• Connotation
• Deus ex machina
• Deuteragonist
• Doppelganger
• Double Entendre
• Dramatic irony
• Equivocation
• Extended Metaphor
• Figures of Speech
• Flash-forward
• Foreshadowing
• Intertextuality
• Juxtaposition
• Literary Device
• Malapropism
• Onomatopoeia
• Parallelism
• Pathetic Fallacy
• Personification
• Point of View
• Polysyndeton
• Protagonist
• Red Herring
• Rhetorical Device
• Rhetorical Question
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• Turning Point
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The Creative Penn

Writing, self-publishing, book marketing, making a living with your writing

Writing Tips: 7 Ways To Turbo-Charge Your Writing With Dramatic Techniques

posted on November 9, 2018

I've been listening to a lot of full-cast audio dramas recently, as well as recording some of my own fiction in audio format, and it's clear how much more active the writing needs to be when it's performed. 

How can you make your fiction bolder, clearer, more memorable ? Try using dramatic techniques!

When I first got into playwriting and screenwriting, I was amazed at all the powerful techniques I found. Even though I’d written fiction and devoured writing books for breakfast, many were new to me.

And you really, really grow as a writer when you go see your first play, and the person next to you falls sound asleep. This still makes me laugh (thank you, Isle of Skye!). It also punctured any remnants of writer ego and made me roll up my sleeves and learn as much technique as possible.

What’s so special about dramatic techniques?

Everything that happens in a script has to be visual, physical and dynamic. It has to have in-built tension, like a sprung spring, to give it forward momentum. It also has to work in front of an audience. And script scenes are mostly linear, without the interior mind-meandering that’s possible in fiction.

So, scriptwriters learn a whole toolbox of techniques to create tension, avoid exposition and keep the action alive and present. Sounds useful for fiction? You bet!

I often use dramatic techniques in feeding back to students as a fiction ‘doctor’ (teaching Open University). Here are six of the most powerful ones.

1. Get physical – writing with objects

In drama, objects create a focus and point of negotiation between characters. They can help externalize status and power play, too. Shakespeare has some great examples – poor Richard II handing over his crown, the ass’s head and magic potions in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

How to use this: Brainstorm objects and things within your scene. Then brainstorm ways they can be used. Think verbs! Hide, destroy, mend, transfer, transform… What can your characters do with this object? Especially when they’re on opposite sides.

Pick the object with most resonance and interest, give the characters opposite objectives , and build a scene around it.

2. Turn monologue into dialogue

If you have too many reflective, interior scenes, your story can grind to a halt. Often, editing down a characters’ memories, musings and exposition can help. But it’s bolder to take a structural approach and give your character someone to talk to.

Wilson the volleyball in Cast Away is a brilliant example of monologue turned to dialogue. But it’s a non-speaking part! Shakespeare example: lovestruck Juliet could sigh and swoon all on her own. But much livelier to give her the fabulous Nurse to talk to!

How to use this: Find a scene driven by your character’s memory, musing or exposition. Brainstorm ways to haul it outside their heads. Maybe an interlocuter? But not just an inert sounding board.

Give your character a dramatic reason to reflect , dream or explain. Something involving the other character. Again, active verbs are your friend: plead, persuade, shame. Brainstorm! Put the interlocutor in conflict with your main character. This will give your scene tension and energy .

3. Punch up exposition – use as ammunition

Exposition – info-dumps of backstory – is often seen as a sin in dramatic writing. It slows the pace and distances the audience. Often, it’s simply left out, allowing the audience to piece things together.

If you carefully control imaginative gaps like this, it’s more engaging for the audience. But when you need to get information across, one useful exposition technique is ‘exposition as ammunition’.

They’re so blood-boilingly angry, anguished or twisted that they can’t help dropping backstory: ‘That’s the fifth time this year! Two million by September – ha! You’re a doctor/plumber/lumberjack, for god’s sake – do something! She’s your ex, Simon. And exes don’t turn up at the door after ten years in heels and a little lycra number!’

This is a good way to disguise information , but limit its use to key facts. If your characters blurt a lot, then it’s a rant. And rants can also be info-dumps.

4. The power of secrets #1 – dramatic irony

Dramatic irony means the audience knows something the characters don’t. Structurally, it puts powerful tension on a scene, because the audience is primed for the delicious moment when the character finds out.

Shakespeare example: Ophelia dies. The audience knows, but Hamlet doesn’t. He arrives back home after years away, to find a grave being dug. Whose grave is it? Does he get an answer? Not till the end of the scene. Cunning Shakespeare keeps us on the edges of our seats. It’s the most famous scene in dramatic history (the one with the skull), and it’s powered by dramatic irony.

How to use this: Power up a scene by building in dramatic irony. Plant something that the audience knows, but the characters don’t. Or some characters know it, but a key character doesn’t. This will create a gap of tension.

Don’t let the character find out early in the scene. Make it late – a turning point . Now, create pressure. Brainstorm reasons why the characters have to keep the secret. Force it out of them with an escalating series of events. Use a scene timeline (beats) to map this shape.

5. The power of secrets #2 – creating character conflict

But it’s often forgotten that irony is also a kind of weapon . Characters can use it to control, divide and play each other, whether in benign or innocent ways, or with malicious intent. This makes secrets perfect for tension and conflict, which is the motor of story.

Chinatown and A Streetcar Named Desire are oozing with slow-burn secrets between characters.

How to use this: Get to grips with the structural power of secrets. When writing a scene, build in tension by putting at least one character outside the information loop. Brainstorm verbs to articulate the reasons why your characters might conceal or reveal secrets : positives such as reveal, surprise, delight, withhold, protect?

Or scheming manipulate, gaslight, mock, collude, exclude? Use this to structure the arc and beats (stages) of your scene. Arrange the beats for maximum impact and escalation.

6. Dramatic action – the engine of story

Dramatic action isn’t about leaping around or being physical. It’s a technical term which means the underlying drive of the scene . Think of an invisible engine pushing your characters into collision.

How to use this: If you have a sagging scene, examine its dramatic structure. Does each character have a clear ‘want’ to drive the scene? And are those wants in clear conflict?

For example: Clara wants to leave Brad, but he’s desperate for her to stay. The dramatic action of the scene is around leaving, and the dramatic question is: will Clara leave Brad?

Put the moment of ‘leaving’ at the end of the scene, and work backwards. Brainstorm tactics (also verbs) which each side might use to achieve their goal. Sometimes these tactics are called ‘beats’ (as in ‘beat sheet’). Play with their order – try to escalate in impact and intensity. Note: this will leave you with a straight structure.

Next, build in:

7. Reversals – dramatic U-turns

A reversal is a turning point. In Greek drama, it’s called peripeteia , and means ‘a change of fortune’. In a wider sense, it means a kind of pivot, when your characters are heading in one direction, and suddenly veer in another. Luke Skywalker’s Darth Vader ‘Father’ moment is a great example.

But reversals don’t need to be high stakes or high octane. They also happen at small moments within scenes. They could be as simple as Clara suddenly wanting Brad after all, or accepting a cake after three refusals. Reversals are crucial to the flow and interest of story-telling. They help to keep the audience on their toes.

How to use this: With your scene arc mapped out, character wants and conflict clear, tactics brainstormed, try building in a reversal. Look for a moment near the end of the scene, when things come to a head between the characters. Who prevails?

Once this happens, can you pull the rug out from under them in some way? Brainstorm unexpected actions by the characters. What feels powerful and pivots their relationship? Write this into your scene.

Script ‘notes’ – examples

Scriptwriters have to be robust! It’s a collaborative process, so they need professional shorthand to cut to the chase. Here are some examples of ‘notes’ used by script and acting professionals when working on scripts. The concepts can help fiction writers to write and edit more robustly, too.

Dramatically inert It needs a key dramatic action or scene arc to give it momentum.

Conversation, not dialogue Again, this is about underlying dramatic tension.

Doesn’t ‘land’ Lines where the main impact is lost because it’s muddily written. This is usually about rhythm and beginnings and ends of lines.

Too much telling Telling on stage can bring pace to a complete halt. So you really feel it.

Marching on the spot Dialogue without dramatic momentum.

On the nose Lines that state the obvious.

No clear throughline The scene doesn’t have an underlying dramatic shape.

There are many more dramatic techniques and concepts that fiction writers can draw on to give their writing more impact. If you’d like to know more, see Dramatic Techniques for Creative Writers by Jules Horne, Book 2 in the Method Writing series.

Do you apply some of these dramatic techniques when writing your novels? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.

She’s also a passionate indie author who lives in rural Scotland with her partner, bike and hens. Learn more at method-writing.com and JulesHorne.com

[Writing image courtesy Cathryn Lavery and Unsplash. Sword photo courtesy Ricardo Cruz and Unsplash. Two women whispering photo courtesy Ben White and Unsplash. Tug of war image courtesy rawpixel and Unsplash.]

Reader Interactions

November 14, 2018 at 8:30 pm

Great tips! Sharing…

November 27, 2018 at 10:45 pm

Awesome tips. Learned a ton. If I ever review my NaNo novel I will assess with these tips in mind.

[…] 7 Ways to Turbo-Charge Your Writing with Dramatic Techniques on The Creative […]

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Here's what you need in order to apply:

• Royal Holloway's institution code: R72

Make a note of the UCAS code for the course you want to apply for:

• Drama and Creative Writing BA - WW48
• Click on the link below to apply via the UCAS website:

Key information

Duration: 3 years full time

UCAS code: WW48

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

Drama and Creative Writing (BA)

By combining the study of Creative Writing with Drama, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how theatre performance and creative writing interact - whether you specialise as a playwright, or choose to take the poetry or fiction options in creative writing.

Choosing to study Drama at Royal Holloway will put you at the centre of one of the largest and most influential Drama and Theatre departments in the world. You'll create performances, analyse texts, and bring a range of critical ideas to bear on both. On this course the text and the body, thinking and doing, work together. There's no barrier between theory and practice: theory helps you understand and make the most of practice, while practice sheds light on theory.  By moving between the two, you'll find your place as an informed theatre-maker, and by studying a variety of practices, by yourself and with others, you'll get knowledge of the industry as a whole, and learn how your interests could fit into the bigger picture.

We are top-rated for teaching and research, with a campus community recognised for its creativity. Our staff cover a huge range of theatre and performance studies, but we're particularly strong in contemporary British theatre, international and intercultural performance, theatre history, dance and physical theatre, and contemporary performance practices.

Studying Creative Writing at one of the UK's most dynamic English departments will challenge you to develop your own critical faculties. Learning to write creatively, you'll develop your own writing practice.

Course units are taught by nationally and internationally known scholars, authors, playwrights and poets who are specialists in their fields who write ground-breaking books, talk or write in the national media and appear at literary festivals around the world.

• Complementary disciplines for the aspiring playwright.
• Explore creative skills including dance or puppetry.
• Assessment through performance and coursework.
• Specialise in different literary forms: poetry, playwriting or fiction.
• Build a portfolio, creating, critiquing and shaping your own artistic work.

From time to time, we make changes to our courses to improve the student and learning experience. If we make a significant change to your chosen course, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Course structure

Core modules.

You will take the following modules in Drama:

• Theatre and Performance Making 1
• Theatre and Text 1

You will take the following modules in Creative Writing:

In this module you will develop an understanding of a range of literary and cultural writing forms through reading, discussion and practice. You will look at poetry, drama and prose fiction alongside stand-up comedy, adaptation, translation, songwriting, and other forms of creative expression and articulation. You will learn how to offer clear, constructive, sensitive critical appraisals, and how to accept and appropriately value criticism of your own work.

In this module you will develop an understanding of a range historical perspectives on the function, forms, and value of creative writing. You will look at the genesis of particular genres, such as the short story, the novel and the manifesto, and consider relationships between historical genres and the contemporary writer. You will interrogate your own assumptions about creative writing and critically examine the relationship between creative writing and society.

 You will take two from the following modules in Creative Writing:

• Playwriting

You will choose one of the following modules. Each of these modules consists of a year-long independent project, working closely with a staff supervisor from the appropriate field.

• Playwriting 2

 You will take the following module in Creative Writing:

This module concentrates on a particular mode of writing, genre, theme, issue or idea. You will be encouraged to make creative work in relation to the focus, and develop your writing practice in relation to wider contexts relevant to the contemporary writer.

Creative Writing Special Focus courses are open to both creative writing and non-creative writing students.

Optional Modules

There are a number of optional course modules available during your degree studies. The following is a selection of optional course modules that are likely to be available. Please note that although the College will keep changes to a minimum, new modules may be offered or existing modules may be withdrawn, for example, in response to a change in staff. Applicants will be informed if any significant changes need to be made.

• All modules are core

Optional modules in Drama may include:

In this module you will develop an understanding of non-traditional approaches to performance making that constitute the broader term ‘devised’ practice. You will look at methods of engaging with contemporary life, focussing on a number of key areas of devised practice, including their contexts, forms, and modes of documentation. You will consider the generative roles played by autobiography, the body, political activism and everyday life and use theoretical and practical research to develop your own performance pieces.

In this module you will develop an understanding of the methods of theatre directing. You will look at the role of the director from preparing a play text to staging a successful production, considering the collaborations between actors, designers, playwrights and producers. You will exmaine a variety of approaches to classic texts and new writing, and hone your skills by directing your peers in short scenes from a play of your choice.

In this module you will develop an understanding of the difference between stage acting and acting for camera. You will learn techniques for 'translating' your stage acting skills to mediated performance. You will collaborate through the year with directing students in the Department of Media Arts on an internal monologue film, a silent film, and a short scene, and these can later be used as part of an audition reel.

In this module you will develop an understanding of a range of theatre forms that integrate dance and drama. You will look at the variety of ways that practitioners have chosen to bring text and movement into creative dialogue, using scores, play texts, choreography and movement processes. You will examine the values and principles that drive such experimentation and reflect on the historical, political and cultural contexts within which these practitioners worked. You will consider the work of practitioners such as Pina Bausch, DV8, Frantic Assembly, Complicite, Caryl Churchill and Martin Crimp, and develop a small group performance devised in response to selected texts and styles of movement/dance.

In this module you will develop an understanding of the role of spatial design in a performance context. You will look at how designers respond to and make space for theatre to happen, and through the study of visual composition and visual langauge, will explore the role of spatial design in a performance context. You will consider the the work of a variety of practitioners and will test out your design ideas in a series of practical and performance workshops focusing on textual analysis, space and place, object, performer and the spectator.

In this module you will develop an understanding of how theatre practitioners have frequently sought to represent social reality in order to critique it. You will look at the naturalist stage of the late nineteenth century through to contemporary verbatim performance, and explore the methods and implications of theatre’s 'reality-effects'. You will consider why so many theatre companies and practitioners in the twenty-first century have turned to documentary, tribunal, verbatim and other forms of reality-based performance, and examine a range of contemporary plays and performance texts from around the world, building an awareness of the politics, possibilities and limitations of 'staging the real'.

In this module you will look at the work of debbie tucker green, one of the most exciting black playwrights of the early twenty first century, who's critical acclaim has recognised her original experimental linguistic virtuosity. You will explore the the performance possibilities of her playtexts, considering writing form alongside the topical social and political human rights issues she portrays, such as genocide, urban teenage violence, sex tourism and mental health. You will consider tucker green’s impact as a black British woman playwright by situating her plays in relation to trends in plays by other contemporary black British women playwrights, and examine her work within the context of 21st Century black British new writing.

In this module you will develop an understanding of the wide-ranging discussions of ecology and environmentalism in Shakespeare's plays. You will look at the relations between humans and the natural world, and consider contemporary environmental debates and theatre practices. Guest speakers, such as David Haygarth, Head of Energy and Sustainability at Royal Holloway, will address scientific and commercial topics such as the UN 15 sustainable development goals, and the Caryl Churchill Theatre’s green credentials. You will explore a range of plays by Shakespeare which stage the natural world, including A Midsummer Night’s Dream, As You Like It, King Lear, and The Merry Wives of Windsor. You will also examine how environmentalism can impact both theatre and Shakespeare in performance.

In this module you will develop an understanding of children's theatre and the current success of theatre for young audiences. You will look at the innovative performance styles of theatre companies such as Oily Cart and Theatre-rites, and consider how their work has been pushing the boundaries of contemporary theatre. You will examine the Unicorn theatre, the first purpose-built theatre for children in London; playwrights such as Charles Way, Philip Ridley, Neil Duffield, Mark Ravenhill and David Greig; and the work of theatremakers such as Mark Storor and Sue Buckmaster, who bring a blend of visual art, puppetry and live art to performances for children. You will critically analyse how performance installations can excite children’s imaginations, focusing on the visual, tactile and aural elements of theatre and performance.

In this module you will develop an understanding of the diverse art forms that investigate memory in dynamic conversation and the nature of art, history, and humanity. You will look at the disruption to the purpose, value, and nature of art in the aftermath of the cataclysmic events of the Holocaust, and move through the twentieth century to consider different cultures of memory, memorialisation, trauma, and witnessing. You will examine a wide range of cultural textual and performative genres, including first-hand testimony, plays, films, graphic novels, museums, and public monuments.

In this module you will develop an embodied understanding of culture. You will look at different cultural contexts for dance production, considering the context of where, when and how you dance. You will examine the cultural production and consumption of dance, exploring theories grounded in cultural studies and their implications on dance and dancing bodies, such as Marxism, post-modernism, feminism, post-structuralism, post-colonialism, gender and sexuality, and psychoanalysis. You will focus on popular dance, global popular culture, and dance on screen, and investigate the relationship between dance practices and the social, political and economic context in which they emerge. You will be encouraged to devise performances which creatively engage with cultural studies.

• Theatre and Ideas: Ideas of Gender and Sexuality
• Theatre and Ideas: The Idea of Tragedy
• Theatre and Ideas: The Idea of Adaptation
• Theatre and Ideas: The Idea of the Musical
• Theatre and Ideas: The Idea of Acting
• Theatre and Ideas: The Idea of Money
• Theatre and Ideas: The Idea of Casting
• Love, Gender and Sexuality
• Race Relations in Theatre, Film and Television
• Shakespeare
• Naturalist Theatre in Context
• Creative Learning and Theatre
• Physical Theatre
• Shakespeare on Camera
• The Actor's Voice
• Actor Training in a Globalised World
• Group Project
• Final Year Project - Special Study
• Final Year Project - Dissertation
• Taught Dissertation

Teaching & assessment

Each year, you'll take two modules in each subject. Drama explores a whole range of dramatic and theatrical forms, conventions, periods, traditions and activities. You'll learn how to get intellectual ideas across in presentations and through performance. You'll also learn to work well in teams. In your first year, a foundation course, you'll get a grounding in contemporary theatremaking and critical theories. In your second and final years, you'll study alongside single honours students, taking half of your modules in Drama.

In your first year of Creative Writing, you'll take two introductory modules, before going on in your second year to specialise in two literary forms. In your final year, you'll wrap up by taking one of those forms to honours level.

The course has a flexible structure: students take twelve course units, four per year. Some are compulsory, and others you can choose. In your second and third years, you'll make up the marks that count for your final degree award. You'll also take a study skills course during your first year, to equip you with writing skills to make your degree count. This course won't count towards your final degree, but you'll need to take it to pass on to second year.

You'll be assessed through examinations, essays, seminar presentations, practical assignments and creative portfolios. In Drama modules, you'll often be assessed as part of a group.

Entry requirements

A levels: aaa-aab.

Required subjects:

• A in an essay-based Arts and Humanities subject at A-Level
• At least five GCSEs at grade A*-C or 9-4 including Maths and English.

Where an applicant is taking the EPQ alongside A-levels, the EPQ will be taken into consideration and result in lower A-level grades being required. For students who are from backgrounds or personal circumstances that mean they are generally less likely to go to university, you may be eligible for an alternative lower offer. Follow the link to learn more about our  contextual offers.

We accept T-levels for admission to our undergraduate courses, with the following grades regarded as equivalent to our standard A-level requirements:

• AAA* – Distinction (A* on the core and distinction in the occupational specialism)
• AAA – Distinction
• BBB – Merit
• CCC – Pass (C or above on the core)
• DDD – Pass (D or E on the core)

Where a course specifies subject-specific requirements at A-level, T-level applicants are likely to be asked to offer this A-level alongside their T-level studies.

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway (apart from some language courses) is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start of your course.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 7.0 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 69 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE IV.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please visit here .

Undergraduate preparation programme

For international students who do not meet the direct entry requirements, for this undergraduate degree, the Royal Holloway International Study Centre offers an International Foundation Year programme designed to develop your academic and English language skills.

Upon successful completion, you can progress to this degree at Royal Holloway, University of London.

There are plenty of performance opportunities to get stuck into while you're here, and they'll stand you in good stead when you graduate. You'll be familiar and confident in performance situations (skills which are vital for leading meetings and make you viable for visible leadership roles). You'll come off as credible and composed. You'll also walk away with considerable experience of technical, intellectual, imaginative, and practical skills, valued by most employers. Aside from these performance skills, you'll also get skills in research and project management from the academic side of the course. 

Our industry links mean you'll be able to pursue work experience with theatres and creative arts agencies. Recent graduates in the Department of Drama & Theatre have gone into careers in acting, writing, broadcasting (including at the BBC), literary agency, arts management, sound design, marketing/PR, teaching and community theatre work, as well as postgraduate study in different fields. Lots of our graduates also start their own performing arts companies. Find out more about what our graduates are doing now.

Fees, funding & scholarships

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £9,250

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £23,800

Other essential costs***: There are no single associated costs with studying this course greater than £50 per item. It is a requirement to purchase a pair of safety boots in the first year, for which a range of cost options are available. Ticket costs for mandatory theatre trips are capped at £10.

How do I pay for it? Find out more about  funding options , including  loans , scholarships and bursaries . UK students who have already taken out a tuition fee loan for undergraduate study should  check their eligibility  for additional funding directly with the relevant awards body.

**The tuition fee for UK undergraduates is controlled by Government regulations. The fee for the academic year 2024/25 is £9,250 and is provided here as a guide. The fee for UK undergraduates starting in 2025/26 has not yet been set, but will be advertised here once confirmed.

**This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25, and is included as a guide only. The fee for EU and international students starting a degree in 2025/26 has not yet been set, but will be advertised here once confirmed.

Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for overseas fee-paying students. Please be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree. The upper limit of any such annual rise has not yet been set for courses starting in 2025/26 but will be advertised here once confirmed.  For further information see  fees and funding  and the  terms and conditions .

***These estimated costs relate to studying this specific degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year, and are included as a guide. General costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing etc., have not been included.

Drama, Theatre and Dance Undergraduate Admissions

Admissions office: +44 (0)1784 414944

Source: QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023 (Drama, Theatre and Dance)

Source: Complete University Guide, 2024 (Drama, Theatre and Dance)

Source: Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, 2024

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8.1: What is Drama?

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• Heather Ringo & Athena Kashyap
• City College of San Francisco via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

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What is Drama?

Sarah Bernhardt performs as Hamlet, holding poor Yorick's skull (1899) - public domain

Drama as a Genre

Like fiction, drama —sometimes referred to as a play —features characters caught up in a plot , or series of events in a storyline. Just like in fiction, the plot is the trajectory of the story. Plays and novels are actually very similar in this way. In fact, some plays have been based on novels, and novels on plays. Yet, whereas the narrator of a novel can spend pages painting a picture of the story's circumstances for the reader, a play is restricted to the space of the stage and the time frame of a couple of hours. This adds unique considerations for a playwright —or author who writes plays—to consider. What strategies are available to the playwright to ensure that the play successfully conveys its intended effects and themes? And how can we most clearly settle upon one definition of drama, considering it manifests in different permutations across cultures? African drama scholar Ruth Finnegan stressed that, when defining drama across cultures, "[m]ost important is the idea of enactment, of representation through actors who imitate persons and events" (486). In addition to this definition, plot, setting, dialogue, and action are probably the most clearly defining characteristics of drama as genre. These elements will be covered in greater detail in the Elements of Drama section.

A Brief History of Drama

Most historians agree Western drama originated in Greece as an evolution of religious ritual, probably around the 5th century BCE as an evolution of poetry and song (qtd. Miller 126-7). While more controversial, many scholars believe the first plays probably began when singers in a festival celebrating the Greek God Dionysus/Bacchus began acting out characters in worship songs (Miller 127). Eventually, this developed into increasingly elaborate productions, growing from one actor to several, incorporating props and costumes. By the 4th century BCE, drama had become a valued cultural practice in Greece and was in fact considered a civic duty that would help Greek society remain rational through the purgation of negative emotion, which Aristotle called catharsis (Scodel 40). By seeing actors acting out intense emotions and brutal acts, it meant Athenian citizens could vicariously experience those emotions, emptying themselves of such emotions so they could focus on their civic duties like voting. Eventually, Athenian citizens would gather every year to watch playwrights akin to celebrities compete against one another (Scodel 40). Many critics argue Greek drama was one of the heaviest influences on William Shakespeare's works, and most poets of the Western world.

Some scholars contend drama did not begin in Greece, as popularly assumed, but in India. Or perhaps that drama was not necessarily a spreading phenomena, but a simultaneous evolution in both India and Greece. Regardless, around the same time of the origins of Greek drama arose the Sanskrit Indian prakarana (Walker 7). Prakarana is a play in five acts. This prakarana theatre is widely regarded to have begun the spread of drama in the East in the same way Greek drama spread through the West.

Common Genres of Drama

• Comedy : probably the first drama subgenre, comedy traditionally features lower-class characters, emphasizes silly or bawdy themes, and often ends in marriage.
• Tragedy : what Aristotle considered the artistic height of drama, Tragedy depicts a protagonist's downfall due to his or her own tragic flaw, or hamartia . Readers can usually recognize a tragedy by its noble characters, elevated language (iambic pentameter), and scenes of suffering and death. They almost always feature death or many deaths and/or a funeral.
• History : recreates a historically significant event. May include elements of comedy, tragedy, or romance
• Romance : usually focuses on love between characters

Distinguishing Features of Drama

• Meant to be performed rather than read
• Emphasis on dialogue, character, and stage direction
• May include elements of music, dance, art, poetry, and prose
• Usually fictional, though may include nonfiction or be inspired by true stories or historical events

Supplemental Videos

Contributors and Attributions

Parts of this chapter adapted from Writing and Literature: Composition as Inquiry, Learning, Thinking, and Communication by Dr. Tanya Long Bennett of the University of North Georgia.

Works Cited

Finnegan, Ruth. "Drama." Oral Literature in Africa . 1st ed., vol. 1, Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK, 2012, pp. 485–502. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt5vjsmr. Accessed 11 October 2019.

Miller, N. P. “The Origins of Greek Drama. A Summary of the Evidence and a Comparison with Early English Drama.” Greece & Rome , vol. 8, no. 2, 1961, pp. 126–137. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/641643 .

Scodel, Ruth. An Introduction to Greek Tragedy . Cambridge University Press, 2010. EBSCOhost , search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,cpid,uid&custid=s4302453&db=nlebk&AN=331330&site=eds-live.

Walker, Steven F. “The Invention of Theater: Recontextualizing the Vexing Question.” Comparative Literature , vol. 56, no. 1, 2004, pp. 1–22. JSTOR , www.jstor.org/stable/4122284.

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Drama with Creative Writing

• WW44 — BA (Hons)
• WW45 — BA (Hons) with Year Abroad
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About the school.

Study Drama and Creative Writing in this boundary-breaking course

Our BA in Drama with Creative Writing will give you a sound knowledge base in Drama along with the skills and tools needed to develop into a writer. In the Drama part of the course, you will gain a deeper understanding of theatre and performance in a variety of cultures and historical periods, and across a wide range of forms - from plays to experimental perfromance to applied theatre, and more. 

The Creative Writing section of the course is designed to develop practical writing skills and techniques, and to give you an insight into the process of writing. You will have the opportunity to grow and flourish as a writer, whether in prose fiction, poetry, drama, film or creative non-fiction. You will be taught by some of the world's leading academics and artists, who will help you develop into informed critics, performance makers and writers.     

Register your interest

The programme capitalises on London’s outstanding theatre and performance resources and, particularly, Drama's links with a variety of theatre and other cultural organisations including Artangel, Barbican, Live Art Development Agency, National Theatre, People’s Palace Projects, Project Phakama, Shakespeare’s Globe, and more.  It also draws on London's rich writing, publishing and media cultures.  These links often bring artists, writers, administrators, managers and other professionals into the programme as guest speakers, workshop leaders and performers. They also facilitate students' participation in the wider cultural sector, and will form the basis for the further development of work-specific learning opportunities.

Year 1 provides an introduction to the study of drama, performance and creative writing. which combines both practical and theoretical approaches. Modules in Year 1 have a strong emphasis on the acquisition of practical (including writing) and research skills that you will use throughout your  programme. You will also have the opportunity in Year 1 to explore key practical and theoretical issues around the making of performance. You will take the following modules (all compulsory)

• Power Plays (15 credits)
• Making Theatre and Performance (30 credits)
• Introduction to Creative Writing (30 credits)
• Beyond Acting (30 credits)
• Spectatorship: Time, Place, Performance  (15 credits)

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

You will take the following three compulsory modules :

• Group Practical Project (30 credits)
• Creative Writing Prose (15 credits)
• Creative Writing Playwriting (15 credits)

You then choose two seminar-based modules and one practice-based module from a range of Drama options that change each year. Modules may include:

• Action Design
• Art and the Climate Crisis
• Culture, Power and Performance
• London Performance Now
• Making Contemporary Theatre
• Performance and Visual Culture in South Asia
• Race and Racism in Performance
• Theatre, Experiment and Revolution
• Voice, Gender, Performance

You will choose one from

• DRA329 Written Research Project (30 credits)
• ESH6199 Creative Writing Dissertation (30 credits)

You then choose a further 30 credits of Creative Writing modules from a range of options that change each year. Modules may include:

• Creative Writing and Performance
• Creative Writing Nonfiction: Illness and Experience
• Writing About the Arts
• Creative Writing Advanced Poetry: the Poetics of Translation

You then choose two  seminar-based modules and one practice-based module from a range of Drama options that change each year. Modules may include:

• Culture, Performance and Globalisation
• Drama and Education
• Live Art: Then and Now
• Madness and Theatricality
• Making Site-Specific Performance
• Offstage London
• Performance and Celebrity
• Performance Composition
• Showbusiness: Theatre and Capitalism
• Staging Selfies: Performance and Social Media
• Theatre and the Supernatural
• Verbatim, Testimonial and Tribunal
• Writing about the Arts

I have really enjoyed learning about the more theoretical aspects of drama, as a practice and as a 'theory'. My favourite module so far was London, Culture, Performance. Understanding the impact of performances, theatres and wider impact that they have was incredibly interesting and insightful and left me with a lot to consider. Emma Howes - BA Film Studies and Drama 2021

Teaching and learning

You’ll usually attend at least eight hours of classes weekly, mainly in the form of seminars, creative writing workshops and studio-based workshops. Practice-based modules include additional scheduled studio time weekly for student-led practice. Some modules also include tutorials and field trips.

For every hour spent in class, you'll complete approximately three to four further hours of independent study preparing for classes and assignments.

Assessment typically includes a combination of written and practical assignments, such as essays, performances, presentations, portfolios, scripts, programme notes, reviews, feature articles, artist websites, podcasts and dissertations. Some assessment is based around group work, especially for performance projects and presentations.

Resources and facilities

The School offers on-campus resources to support your studies, including:

• BLOC - Film & Drama Practice research facility at QMUL 
• three rehearsal spaces
• the Pinter Studio
• motion capture equipment, allowing students to explore innovative practices with new technology and film
• opportunities to meet visiting experts including artists, directors, producers, playwrights and activists
• access to the Film and Drama Studio
• opportunities to act, direct and stage manage through the Queen Mary Theatre Company
• proximity to specialist archives and collections such as the National Theatre Archive, Live Art Development Agency Study Room, Women’s Library, Black Cultural Archives
• access to Senate House Library and the British Library

Lecturer Dr Isabel Waidner gives a Keynote

Drama with Creative Writing - BA (Hons)

Drama with Creative Writing with Year Abroad - BA (Hons)

Non-UK students

We accept a wide range of European and international qualifications in addition to A-levels, the International Baccalaureate and BTEC qualifications. Please visit International Admissions for full details.

If your qualifications are not accepted for direct entry onto this degree, consider applying for a foundation programme.

English language

Find out more about our English language entry requirements, including the types of test we accept and the scores needed for entry to the programme.

You may also be able to meet the English language requirement for your programme by joining a summer pre-sessional programme before starting your degree.

Further information

See our general undergraduate entry requirements .

Loans and grants

UK students accepted onto this course are eligible to apply for tuition fee and maintenance loans from Student Finance England or other government bodies.

Scholarships and bursaries

Queen Mary offers a generous package of scholarships and bursaries, which currently benefits around 50 per cent of our undergraduates.

Scholarships are available for home, EU and international students. Specific funding is also available for students from the local area. International students may be eligible for a fee reduction. We offer means-tested funding, as well as subject-specific funding for many degrees.

Find out what scholarships and bursaries are available to you.

Support from Queen Mary

We offer specialist support on all financial and welfare issues through our Advice and Counselling Service , which you can access as soon as you have applied for a place at Queen Mary.

Take a look at our Student Advice Guides which cover ways to finance your degree, including:

• additional sources of funding
• planning your budget and cutting costs
• part-time and vacation work
• money for lone parents.

Theatre and related arts organisations, publishing, digital media, communications, print journalism, and the broadcast media are all popular choices for Drama and Creative Writing students who want to use their communication skills. Others use their ability to think and write critically and persuasively to go into public relations, marketing, and advertising, including in the charity sector. Our graduates are highly experienced in working collaboratively, which makes them especially suited to diverse work environments that depend on collaboration and project delivery.  In addition, many of our graduates embark upon professional careers in education, the third sector, law and teaching, whilst every year the Department sees a number of students progress to take higher degrees, both at Queen Mary and elsewhere.

This course gives graduates some particularly sought-after qualities in the workplace.  Graduates of the Drama with Creative Writing degree might find employment in areas such as theatre and performance, cultural industries, publishing, business, journalism and the media, education, museums and archives, government or public relations. The BA Drama with Creative Writing programme  provides training for those who wish to publish their writing in fictional and non-fictional contexts. The School has developed links with the cultural industries and offers students opportunities to engage with industry professionals and practices through individual modules and careers workshops. Staff teaching on the programme are performance makers and published authors; the establishment and management of links with potential employers, key arts organisations and agents will be an integrated part of the academic content they deliver, particularly in the final year of the degree.

Career support

You’ll have access to bespoke careers support during your degree, including access to experts in Drama and Creative Writing through specific modules (e.g. Applied Performance, Drama and Education, Writing about the Arts); School and Department-run careers and professional development workshops; extra-curricular experience with arts organisations; and advice about postgraduate study.

Our Queen Mary careers team can also offer:

• specialist advice on choosing a career path
• support with finding work experience, internships and graduate jobs
• feedback on CVs, cover letters and application forms
• interview coaching.

Learn more about   career support and development at Queen Mary.

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The School of English and Drama provides a first-class learning environment -- the Departments of Drama and English are in the top 40 in the world (QS World Rankings by Subject 2019). And you’ll learn from leading experts: Drama is ranked first and English fifth in the UK for research quality (Research Excellence Framework 2014). We are a large school, with a lot of specialist staff, enabling us to offer a wide range of topics and approaches. You’ll have tailored support, including individual feedback on your work, and there are opportunities to contribute to student performances and publications. We regularly host prominent writers and performers and collaborate with leading organisations such as the V&A, the Barbican, the Live Art Development Agency and Shakespeare’s Globe. Our course makes full use of London’s exceptional theatre and performance resources (e.g. theatres, galleries, museums, libraries, archives, site-specific performance, festivals). The School runs several innovative research centres, including the Centre for Poetry; the Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies; the Centre for Religion and Literature in English; and the Sexual Cultures Research Group.

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Ironic dialogues: Developing students’ creative writing in drama

2020, New ways in teaching with creative writing

Irony is present in numerous forms of creative writing, drama included. It can be verbal, when the listener or reader perceives there is something odd with the word(s) and tries another interpretation. In this case, the character may make remarks the audience can interpret in different ways. In drama, as in real life, irony can also depend on a situation (see Montgomery, Durant, Fabb, Furniss & Mills, 1992). As a dramatist, Shakespeare relies on different kinds of irony for a variety of purposes, but especially to increase tension, add to playfulness, or create grotesque situations (Blake, 1983). The teaching suggestion detailed in this activity introduces students to an example of dramatic irony in Hamlet before they practice their writing skills in creating an ironic dialogue.

Related Papers

The history of irony is intertwined with the history of theatre and performance. It has also often been suggested that the nature of irony and the nature of theatre are especially well fitted to one another. This paper asks whether these affiliations between theatre and the diverse phenomena that have been called ‘irony’ are primarily an accident of historical contingency—or are there shared cognitive underpinnings that might help to illuminate and confirm this intuitively evident affinity? A very common approach to irony in psychology, linguistics and computer science is to treat it as a sort of operation on an underlying sentiment or proposition, often with the goal of exploring how and when sarcasm can be ‘decoded’ to reveal its underlying intended meaning. But irony, broadly considered, is better described as a way of construing an expressed proposition or an observed scene. The viewpoint theory of irony (Tobin & Israel, 2012) suggests that when people construe a situation or remark as ironic, they are taking a particular complex ‘view of a viewpoint’ that creates the special feeling of ironic distance. This way of looking at irony clarifies important features of the cognitive foundations of situational and dramatic ironies as well as verbal irony, and the theatrical qualities they all share.

SHS Web of Conferences

Nalya Ovshieva

The concept of structural irony is traditionally associated with an implication of alternate or reversed meaning that pervades a work. A major technique for sustaining structural irony is the use of a naïve protagonist or unreliable narrator who continually interprets events and intentions in ways that the author signals are mistaken [1, 45].This paper sets out to investigate structural irony as the organizational principle in English literary discourse. After a survey of different views of structural irony, an attempt is made to verify that the pragmalinguistic techniques, viz. the play on double meaning, echoic mentioning of the word or phrase, the use of emphatic structures in free indirect speech, and repetition of patterns of behavior, are employed in constructing structural irony. The results of the analysis conducted on the material of short stories and novels of English-speaking authors will be presented in order to demonstrate that structural irony can be constructed by com...

Khalil Abdulhameed

Dr. Raed Obayes

Stanca Mada

Argumentation

timo airaksinen

Socratic irony can be understood independently of the immortal heroics of Plato’s Socrates. We need a systematic account and criticism of it both as a debate-winning strategy of argumentation and teaching method. The Speaker introduces an issue pretending to be at a lower intellectual level than her co-debaters, or Participants. An Audience looks over and evaluates the results. How is it possible that the Speaker like Socrates is, consistently, in the winning position? The situation is ironic because the Participants fight from a losing position but realize it too late. Socratic irony compares with divine irony: divine irony is a subtype of Socratic irony since you lose when you challenge gods. Socratic irony is also, prima facie, a subtype of dramatic irony when the Audience knows more than the Participants on the stage.We must distinguish between the ideal and realistic elements of Socratic Irony. The very idea of Socratic irony looks idealized, or it is an ideal case, which expla...

Christian Burgers

Wel done, mate!" If somebody has actually performed well, this utterance can be interpreted literally. If the utterance is a comment on a complete disaster, however, it is an example of verbal irony. An ironic utterance is often misunderstood, which can lead to communication problems between sender and addressee. In this PhD dissertation, Christian Burgers investigates the use and effects of verbal irony in written discourse. He firstly found that - in contrast to what irony theorists presuppose - it is difficult to identity a typical ironic utterance. In most written genres, irony is used in different ways. In addition, Burgers found that it is possible to use textual features of an ironic utterance to predict its complexity and appreciation: language users can use these features to simplify their ironic utterances - or not.

R B Rutherford

Shlomy Mualem

This essay explores Socratic irony as reflected in the famous passages of Alcibiades' speech in Plato's Symposium, focusing on the relationship between ironic utterance and the philosophic guidance process. Reviewing the diverse meanings of the term eironeia in Greek comedy and philosophy, it examines the way in which Plato employs irony in fashioning Socrates' figure and depicting the ideal of philosophic guidance as the "art of midwifery." It then analyzes Kierkegaard's most positive perception of Socratic irony as a necessary methodical element in the Socratic maieutic process of "deceiving into the truth." Contrasting Kierkegaard with Alcibiades' scathing critique, it reads the latter in a combined dramatic-philosophical perspective, as presenting irony as an anti-philosophic phenomenon, leading to cognitive puzzlement and Dionysian irrationality. Alcibiades' negative stance will be manifested via analyzing his use of four literary rhetorical devices: comparing Socrates with the Silenoi, drawing an analogy between ironic speech and Marysas' satyric flute playing, symbolizing philosophy as snake venom, and presenting the scene of Socrates' seduction as dramatic irony. The discussion shows, then, that there are two distinct manifestations of Socratic irony drawn from Plato's writings, destructive and constructive, derived from the character of his philosophic pupils. (FORTHCOMING, April 2023, Topicos 67)

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Drama and Creative Writing is a dynamic research group dedicated to the production and study of performance and creative practice.

The group covers a wide range of research and creative activity. These creative and critical interests feed directly into our doctoral, postgraduate and undergraduate teaching and supervision.

The research group combines two distinct, yet interlinked, discipline areas: Drama and Performance , and Creative Writing .

Drama and Performance

Drama and Performance covers a rich span of performance types and historical periods. We also have a strong track record of collaboration with regional creative and cultural industry partners. Our particular expertise includes the following:

• Shakespeare and early modern drama with a focus on historical and contemporary performance histories
• Nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first century British and Irish theatre, including modernism and the avant-garde
• Audience and reception studies
• Theatrical place and space
• Theatre history and historiography
• Playwriting and digital performance
• Collaborative research with creative economy partners.

Creative Writing

Creative Writing at Nottingham covers a wide range of skills and techniques, including scriptwriting, poetry and fiction (including short stories, novels and digital texts). We are all published writers and practitioners.

There is an emphasis on the practicalities of getting published in our teaching activities, from the initial writing, through to editing and publication or performance.

Guest and honorary lecturers provide additional context and work-based experience. Our writer-in-residence is the award-winning novelist and short-story writer Professor Jon McGregor . Students have the opportunity to work alongside Jon McGregor on The Letters Page , the School of English’s literary journal.

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Drama and Creative Writing

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UCD School of English Drama Film Scoil an Bhéarla, na Drámaíochta agus na Scannánaíochta UCD

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‌ MA in Creative Writing 

*applications for 2024/25 have now closed. applications for 2025/26 will open on 1st october 2024*.

Creative writing in the UCD School of English, Drama and Film draws on the long literary heritage of Dublin as a place that has produced many world-famous authors. It takes full advantage of the range of vibrant and dynamic literary activities in a country and a city where writers and writing are celebrated. The University has played a major role in the development of literary cultures both in Ireland and internationally and has long been associated with some of Ireland's greatest writers, including James Joyce, Flann O' Brien, Mary Lavin, Patrick Kavanagh, Maeve Binchy, Thomas Kinsella, Eilis Ni Dhuibne and Marina Carr. It is committed to supporting writers in all fields, including fiction, poetry and performance writing, as well as a diverse range of creative non-fiction. 

UCD offers three graduate courses in creative writing, an MA, an MFA and a PhD programme.  The MA programme includes lectures, seminars, workshops and supervision meetings, providing committed students with the support they need to produce a major piece of writing by the end of the course.  A weekly visiting writer programme brings all graduate students into contact with some of Ireland’s finest writers as well as literary agents and publishers. Every year a writer in residence, appointed with the Arts Council of Ireland, provides a credit-based workshop and individual direction to students. 

Writers currently involved with the MA and MFA programmes in creative writing include the playwright, novelist and poet Frank McGuiness, poet Ian Davidson, novelist and poet Paul Perry, novelist Anne Enright, short story writer and novelist Katy Hayes, novelist Declan Hughes, and an Arts Council Writer in Residence. Participants in the MA also get the opportunity to attend the very many cultural and literary events that take place in UCD, and recent visitors include Margaret Atwood, Kevin Barry, Eiléan Ní Chuilleanain, Paula Meehan and Paul Muldoon.

The School of English, Drama and Film has always included in its programme of extra-curricular activities a rich array of readings, writing workshops, writers’ groups, and special seminars offered by writers-in-residence. In 2006 a structured programme of courses and supervision, the now well-established MA in Creative Writing, was introduced to enable committed writers to develop their potential within a supportive framework. It is a one-year course of lectures, seminars, workshops and supervision meetings which aims to provide committed writers with taught classes on theories and practices of writing, presentation and editing techniques, reading of selected texts as writers and supervision of a major writing project.

There are first-rate libraries in UCD and the Dublin area. Several have renowned archives as well as expertly resourced electronic collections. Over many years, the School has established a worldwide reputation for excellence in fostering postgraduate research and in teaching. Designated as a UNESCO City of Literature in 2009, Dublin has an immense amount to offer aspiring writers.

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As a participant on the MA programme you will be part of a large world class School of English, Drama, Film and Creative Writing and will:

• be taught by experienced published writers with international reputations;
• experience and develop knowledge of the best contemporary writing;
• learn how to produce and develop new ideas for your own writing;
• gain skills in editing and revising;
• take part in workshops, seminars and one to one tutorials;
• explore the archives of some of the world’s leading writers in the Special Collections held in UCD;
• develop a portfolio of work in your own chosen genre. 

 For the academic year 2022/23, the following core and optional modules are offered. 

(Please note that these may be subject to change from year to year.)

Semester one, core modules.

• Craft and Composition [10 Credits]
• Writing Poetry [10 Credits]
• Writing Places [10 Credits]
• Peer Reviewing/Visiting Writers Workshop

Semester Two

• Creative Reading [10 Credits]
• Writing Project Preparation [10 Credits]

 Optional modules

• Chapter 1: Beginning a Novel [10 Credits]

           or

• Sound and Visual Poetry [10 Credits]

Writing Project –c.15,000 words  (30 Credits)

Students are assessed in a variety of ways, which may include writing assignments, editing exercises, creative responses to texts, class presentations, and writing portfolio.

The majority of teaching on MA in Creative Writing is structured around two intense block teaching days and requires students to be on campus on Mondays and Wednesdays. Please bear in mind that on occasion you may be required to attend lectures/seminars/launches outside of these hours.

(Please be aware that timetables can be subject to change due to spacing and resourcing conisderations.) 

Students on the MA and MFA come from diverse backgrounds. Some come straight from their undergraduate studies while others might have spent some years in different jobs before coming to the course to fulfil their ambition to be writers. The student group is international, and students come to UCD from many countries to pursue their writing ambitions including Ireland, the UK, US, New Zealand, India, Austria and Germany.  Most have a good deal of writing experience and wish to pursue professional careers in writing, with specialisations in novel writing/short stories or poetry. Several of our alumni have won prestigious awards.

Please read the following guidelines for the portfolio section of the application.

The portfolio should be approximately 3000 words and may be a mixture of fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction or a novel excerpt. This might be a 3,000 word sample of prose or 6 poems, or a combination of prose and poetry. The work submitted does not have to previously published but do show us your best work. When formatting your portfolio follow the general guidelines for submitting to a literary journal; double-space prose and single-space poetry unless your writing uses alternative formatting.  All genres and styles of writing are welcome.

The  personal   statement should  include a short summary of your writing experience to date and any courses or workshops you have attended.  Perhaps also include a brief introduction of your history as a writer (or poet) and how and why you want to apply for the MA.  What do you hope to achieve and how do you believe that the MA will help develop as a writer?  If you have been previously published or are the recipient of any literary awards, please include details of these, but bear in mind that a publication history is not required to apply.

Many of our alumni from the MA and MFA have gone on to successful careers in writing, publishing and media.

• Disha Bose MA (2015-2016)  Born and raised in India, Disha now lives in Ireland. She attended University College Dublin, where she completed a Masters in Creative Writing (2016).  Disha Bose’s debut novel Dirty Laundry, a domestic noir, is to be published by Viking Books in the UK and Commonwealth (May, '23), and by Ballantine Books in North America.
• Sonya Gildea MA (2019 - 2020) Winner of the John McGahern Literature Award 2021; Poetry Ireland Introductions poet 2021/22 (selected by Seán Hewitt), winner of an Ireland Chair of Poetry Student Award 2020; recipient of a literature Bursary Award 2021 from the Irish Arts Council and winner of the Cúirt International New Writer’s Award (2015). Sonya has published in Crannog; the Stinging Fly; the Irish Times; Tolka journal; the Cormorant Broadsheet; the Night Heron Barks; The Maynard journal of poetry; the commemorative anthology Hold Open the Door (UCD &amp; Chicago Press 2020); the Poetry Ireland Introductions anthology This Is What You Mean To Me (2021); Arlen House Publishing anthology of contemporary Irish poetry (2022); and The Common literary journal (2022).
• Sree Sen MA (2019-2020)  Published in Poetry Ireland Review, The Honest Ulsterman, Local Wonders (poetry anthology by Dedalus Press), bath magg, Crossways, nether Quarterly, Headstuff and others. She’s the winner of the UCD Maeve Binchy Travel Award 2020, recipient of Cill Rialaig Residency 2020 & Agility Award 2021 by the Arts Council of Ireland. 
• Aingeala Flannery MFA (2018-2019) The Amusements debut novel published by Penguin Sandycove June 2022 Arts Council Literature Bursary 2020 and 2021 Winner Harper's Bazaar Short Story Competition 2019

'The MFA in Creative Writing at UCD gave me the encouragement and space I needed to focus on my writing. It was challenging and inspiring, I came away with fresh ideas and a stronger sense of my natural writing style and the themes that excite me.  Our class stayed in touch and it&#39;s wonderful to have that ongoing support - for the rejections as well as the celebrations. The MFA in Creative Writing changed my life'

• Aoife Fitzpatrick MFA (2018 - 2019) Debut novel, The Red Bird Sings, from Virago Press, June 2023 “I miss the MFA. Not just the notable experience and insight of its teachers, but their authentic interest and vital engagement. That&#39;s what makes this course special; why it can transform both writer and work-in-progress.“
• Liz Houchin MA (2018 - 2019) ‘Anatomy of a Honey girl (poems for tired women)’ published by Southword, 2021. Awarded Literature Bursary from Arts Council of Ireland, 2021. 
• Brendan Casey, MA (2018-2019) She That Lay, Silent-like, Upon Our Shore, was long-listed for the Deborah Rogers Foundation Award and will be published by John Murray Originals in 2023.

'The course allowed me to dedicate myself to writing in a structured nurturing environment in which I had the time and space to develop ideas. Since graduating I have signed with RCW literary agency in London, and the thesis I submitted in UCD went on to form the basis of my novel .' 

• Sarah Gilmartin MFA (2018-2019) Her debut novel Dinner Party (Pushkin, 2021) was shortlisted for best newcomer at the Irish Book Awards and the Kate O’Brien Award 2022. Her stories have been published in The Dublin Review, New Irish Writing and The Tangerine. Her story The Wife won the 2020 Máirtín Crawford Award at Belfast Book Festival.
• Colin Barrett won the Guardian First Fiction Prize with  Young Skins  [Pub. Stinging Fly Press / Jonathan Cape (UK) Grove Black Cat editions (US)] then went on to win both the Frank O'Connor International short story award and the Rooney Prize for Literature.  in 2015, Colin was nominated as one of the five under 35 honourees by the National Book Foundation in the US. His stories have appeared in Five Dials , A Public Space and The New Yorker .
• Dave Rudden is a leading writer of YA fiction and has been short-listed for the Hennessy New Writing Award and the Bath Short Story Prize. He is the author of numerous novels, most recent, The Endless King ,  Doctor Who: Twelve Angels Weeping: Twelve Stories of the Villains from Doctor Who, The Forever Court and Knights of the Borrowed Dark.
• Jessica Traynor won the Hennessy Emerging Poet Award and the Hennessy Writer of the Year Award in 2013 and was the recipient of the Ireland Chair of Poetry Bursary in 2014. She is the author of two collections of poetry, The Quick and  Liffey Swim  runner-up in the 2015 Troubadour International Poetry Prize and Liffey Swim which was nominated for the 2015 Strong/Shine Award for first collections. 
• Julie Morrissy is an Irish poet, critic, and activist. Her first collection Where, the Mile End  is forthcoming in February 2019 with BookThug (Canada) and tall-lighthouse (UK & Ireland). Her debut poetry pamphlet I Am Where (Eyewear 2015)   was shortlisted for Best Poetry Pamphlet in the Saboteur Awards 2016.
• Henrietta McKervey has published three novels,  What Becomes Of Us  [Pub. Hachette Ireland], The Heart of Everything and  Violet Hill .  Henrietta won both the Hennessy First Fiction Award and the UCD Maeve Binchy Travel Award in 2014. 
• Helena Nolan is a poet and short fiction writer and was selected for the 2015 Poetry Ireland Introductions Series and will read as part of the International Literature Festival in May. She won the Patrick Kavanagh Award in 2011, having come second in 2010. 
• Eamon McGuinness is from Dublin. His poetry has appeared in  Poetry Ireland Review ,  Boyne Berries, Abridged, The Honest Ulsterman , and elsewhere. In 2017, he was featured on the Poetry Jukebox in Belfast and shortlisted for the Strokestown International Poetry Prize. His debut collection is forthcoming from Salmon Poetry.

Yes. The HCE Review is an online quarterly journal run by the staff and students on the MA and MFA in Creative Writing.  The journal aims to publish fiction, poetry, creative non-fiction, and visual art from both established and emerging writers and artists from around the world.

You can read more about the journal here .

Aingeala Flannery MFA (2018-2019)

'The MFA in Creative Writing at UCD gave me the encouragement and space I needed to  focus on my writing. It was challenging and inspiring, I came away with fresh ideas and a  stronger sense of my natural writing style and the themes that excite me.  Our class stayed  in touch and it's wonderful to have that ongoing support - for the rejections as well as the  celebrations. The MFA in Creative Writing changed my life'

Aoife Fitzpatrick MFA (2018 - 2019)

“I miss the MFA. Not just the notable experience and insight of its teachers, but their authentic interest  and vital engagement. That's what makes this course special; why it can transform both writer and work-in-progress.“ 

Brendan Casey, MA (2018-2019)

She That Lay, Silent-like, Upon Our Shore, was long-listed for the Deborah Rogers Foundation Award and will be published by John Murray Originals in 2023.

'The course allowed me to dedicate myself to writing in a structured nurturing environment  in which I had the time and space to develop ideas. Since graduating I have signed with  RCW literary agency in London, and the thesis I submitted in UCD went on to form the  basis of my novel .' 

Aidan Dolbashian, MA Creative Writing 2016.

Disharee Bose MA Creative Writing 15-16

• Applications for the  MA  must be made online;  http://www.ucd.ie/apply/  
• Applications for 2024-25 academic year opened on 1st October 2023
• The first round of offers will be made at the end of January. Applications thereafter are reviewed on a rolling basis.  We advise submitting your application early. 
• Applications will be closed once all places have been filled by suitably qualified and capable applicants.

Application requirements are:

1. Academic Transcript(s)

2. Sample of recent creative work: 3000-word writing sample of prose, 6 poems or a mix of both.

3. Personal statement

4. Any other supporting documentation that may be relevant to your application.

5. English Language test certificate (IELTS or equivalent at 7.5 with no component less than 7.0)

6. The email addresses of two academic referees.

Scanned copies of relevant academic qualifications and the writing sample and references should be included in the online application.

Referees will receive an email and link to upload the letters of recommendations. References should be on headed paper and signed.

For further details, please see the MA Creative Writing programme UCD webpages.

The entry requirement for the MA programme  is a BA Hons English or equivalent, and/or proven commitment to and experience in the field of creative writing; a portfolio (c.3000 words) of recent creative work; a personal statement of reasons for taking the course and references.

If you have any questions about the programme or the application process, please contact Fiona French, Graduate Administrator at  [email protected] .  

What Creative Arts Therapies Teach Us About DBT Skills Training

Bridging dbt with the arts for deeper understanding..

Posted April 15, 2024 | Reviewed by Jessica Schrader

• What Is Therapy?
• Find a therapist near me
• Research supports the effectiveness of combining DBT with creative arts to improve outcomes.
• Facilitators can teach wise-mind skills through drama therapy techniques.
• Action-based DBT utilizes storytelling and role-play to make skill learning more accessible and impactful.

In the ever-evolving realm of mental health, therapists are always exploring new and innovative methods to enhance traditional treatments. Creative arts therapists have led the way in utilizing art-based interventions to teach DBT skills.

Creative arts therapy combines visual arts, movement, drama, music, writing, and other creative processes to support clients in their healing process. Many mental health clinicians have embraced creative arts therapy interventions to improve their clients' health and wellness.

There is a growing body of research that indicates that therapists can utilize creative interventions to help clients learn and generalize DBT skills. In this post, I will provide a brief literature review of therapists who have been doing this integrative work and provide an example of how drama therapy can be utilized to teach the DBT skill of wise mind.

DBT and Art Therapy

Research indicates that integrating art therapy into established psychotherapy forms, such as cognitive-behavioral therapies, can have significant positive effects on client well-being. For example, a study by Monti et al. (2012) demonstrated the potential of mindfulness -based art therapy (MBAT) in alleviating emotional distress, highlighting the power of combining art therapy with the core feature of mindfulness in DBT. Though this study did not specifically discuss DBT, it demonstrated that implementing mindfulness, a core component of DBT, can assist individuals who are facing significant physical and emotional stressors.

Building on research that examined mindfulness and art therapy, several practitioners have contributed articles that specifically address the integration of DBT and art therapy within clinical populations. For example, researchers Huckvale and Learmonth (2009) led the charge by developing a new and innovative art therapy approach grounded in DBT for patients facing mental health challenges. Furthermore, Heckwolf, Bergland, and Mouratidis (2014) demonstrated how visual art and integrative treatments could help clients access DBT, resulting in stronger generalization and implementation of these skills outside of the session. The clinicians concluded that this integrative approach to treatment could reinforce skills, contribute to interdisciplinary team synergy, and enact bilateral integration.

Other notable examples from art therapists include Susan Clark’s (2017) DBT-informed art therapy, a strategic approach to treatment that incorporates creative visual exercises to explore, practice, and generalize DBT concepts and skills.

Expanding Beyond Visual Art Therapy

DBT has now been integrated with other expressive art therapies, including drama and music. Art therapists Karin von Daler and Lori Schwanbeck (2014) were instrumental in this expansion when they developed Creative Mindfulness, an approach to therapy integrating various expressive arts therapies with DBT. Creative Mindfulness “suggests a way of working therapeutically that is as containing and structured as DBT and as creative, embodied, and multi-sensory as expressive arts” (p. 235). These clinicians incorporated improvisation into their work, a tool that can be simultaneously playful, experiential, and grounding, ultimately producing substantial new insights for clients.

Moreover, music and drama therapists have recognized the benefits of multisensory skill teaching, expanding the creative techniques used to teach DBT skills ( Deborah Spiegel, 2020 ; Nicky Morris, 2018 , and Roohan and Trottier, 2021 ).

My Own Experience Integrating Drama Therapy and DBT

Personally, I am a big advocate of both dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and drama therapy. In fact, I love these modalities so much that I dedicated not only my master's thesis but also my dissertation to better understanding how to reinforce DBT skills through dramatic techniques. In the process, I developed a new approach called Action-Based DBT that uses dramatic interventions like storytelling, embodiment, and role-playing to create a supportive environment for participants to learn skills in a more personalized and embodied way. An expert panel review demonstrated that this format can effectively support skill learning, especially for clients who struggle with the standard format of DBT skills training. Additionally, mental health clinicians found the program easily adaptable across populations in both individual and group settings.

Embodying the Mind States

To illustrate this approach and its effectiveness, the following is an example of how drama therapy methods can teach the DBT skill of wise mind within the context of an action-based DBT group.

The facilitator begins the group session by reviewing general guidelines and introducing the targeted DBT skill for the day: wise mind. The group then participates in improvisational warm-up activities to promote creativity , positive social interaction, and group connectivity. Following the warm-up, the facilitator distributes the DBT mind states handout (Linehan, 2015) and provides brief psychoeducation on this skill. Three chairs are placed in the front of the group room, facing the semi-circle of clients. Each chair had a piece of colored construction paper taped to the front, reading as Reasonable, Wise and Emotion . The facilitator explains that each chair represents one of the three mind states: reasonable mind, emotion mind and wise mind. To encourage exploration of the mind states, the facilitator can assign a more specific role to each state of mind. For example, the reasonable mind is The Computer, the emotion mind is The Tornado, and the wise mind is The Sage. Group members are invited to think of a scenario in which they felt they had difficulty accessing their wise mind. Clients then take turns embodying each mind state by sitting in the chair and speaking from the respective role. When a client first sits in a chair, the facilitator aids in enrolling the individual by asking questions about the role (i.e. The Computer, The Tornado, The Sage). For example, the facilitator may ask about the posture, tone of voice, or a “catchphrase” for this role. The client then embodies the role and responds to questions from the group as the specific mind state. After the embodiment, clients engage in verbal processing. The wise mind directive supports clients in developing kinaesthetic awareness of the three mind states. Embodying these mind states within the context of a supportive group and engaging in verbal processing around the experience can increase awareness of the mind states, which is helpful for clients who are trying to understand their emotional response to lived events outside of the group setting.

The creative arts therapies offer a dynamic pathway to teaching and reinforcing DBT skills. Incorporating visual art, drama, or music in the process of learning DBT skills allows clients to engage with these concepts in a multisensory and embodied way.

In my personal experience, weaving drama therapy techniques into DBT skills training has proven to be profoundly impactful. The Action-Based DBT approach, with its emphasis on storytelling and embodiment, offers an immersive and experiential learning environment that can be especially beneficial for those who find traditional methods challenging.

Looking ahead, my next post will delve into how storytelling can be harnessed to teach DBT skills in a way that is both engaging and memorable.

To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory .

Clark, S. M. (2017). DBT-informed art therapy: Mindfulness, cognitive behavior therapy, and the creative process. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Heckwolf, J. I., Bergland, M. C., & Mouratidis, M. (2014). Coordinating principles of art therapy and DBT. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41(4), 329-335.

Huckvale, K., & Learmonth, M. (2009). A case example of art therapy in relation to dialectical behaviour therapy. International Journal of Art Therapy, 14(2), 52-63.

Monti, D. A., Kash, K. M., Kunkel, E. J., Brainard, G., Wintering, N., Moss, A. S., Rao, H., Zhu, S., & Newberg, A. B. (2012). Changes in cerebral blood flow and anxiety associated with an 8-week mindfulness programme in women with breast cancer. Stress and Health, 28(5), 397-407.

Morris, N. (2018). Dramatherapy for borderline personality disorder: Empowering and nurturing people through creativity. Routledge.

Roohan Mary Kate, Trottier Dana George. (2021) Action-based DBT: Integrating drama therapy to access wise mind. Drama Therapy Review, 7 (2), 193 https://doi.org/10.1386/dtr_00073_1

Spiegel, D., Makary, S., & Bonavitacola, L. (2020). Creative DBT activities using music: Interventions for enhancing engagement and effectiveness in therapy. Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Von Daler, K., and Schwanbeck, L. (2014). Creative mindfulness: Dialectical behavior therapy and expressive arts therapy. In L. Rappaport (Ed.), Mindfulness and the arts therapies: Theory and practice (pp. 107-116). Jessica Kingsley Publishers.

Mary Kate Roohan, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist and drama therapist and the founder of Thrive and Feel, a therapy practice that supports clients in managing emotional sensitivity.

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At any moment, someone’s aggravating behavior or our own bad luck can set us off on an emotional spiral that threatens to derail our entire day. Here’s how we can face our triggers with less reactivity so that we can get on with our lives.

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1 hr 10 min

Writing And Producing Audio Drama And Podcast Fiction With Sarah Werner The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

The opportunities for creation and marketing in audio format continue to expand and the lines are blurring between audiobooks, podcasts and other forms of audio storytelling. In this episode, Sarah Werner talks about writing for audio first and the challenges of full-cast audio drama and podcast fiction. In the intro, problems with publishing distribution and supply chain for print books [Kris Rusch]; Reader Reach [Written Word Media]; Do authors need to advertise? [6 Figure Authors]; AI-narrated audio and NFTs from virtual Digital Book World sessions; AI 2041: 10 Visions for our Future by Kai-fu Lee and Chen Qiufan; all the future creativity episodes; The Relaxed Author out now; and my pics from the Wye Valley and the Forest of Dean @jfpennauthor. Today's show is sponsored by Audio for Authors: Audiobooks, Podcasting, and Voice Technologies. Do you want to create, publish and market your audiobooks? Are you ready to use podcasting to grow your author brand and reach more readers with your books? It's still early days for audio and opportunities are expanding all the time. This book will help you get started — or expand your audio reach. Available on all the usual platforms in all the usual formats (and yes, I narrated the audiobook!) Sarah Rhea Werner is a writer, professional speaker, and executive producer of Girl In Space, a multiple award-winning sci-fi mystery podcast, as well as the host of the Write Now podcast, and executive producer of fantasy audio drama Omen. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes * Switching from blogging to podcasting* How writing for audio differs from writing a book* Do different kinds of novels work better as audio drama?* Is having a narrator an option for audio drama?* Options for monetizing a podcast or audio drama* On the potential for using AI voices for audio drama* Finding actors, sound effects and music, as well as important copyright issues* Marketing tips for podcasts and audio drama You can find Sarah Werner at SarahWerner.

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Colin Farrell Says That Huge 'Sugar' Twist Was Supposed to Be in Episode 1 | Video

C olin Farrell opened up about how that explosive "Sugar" twist was actually supposed to be in the pilot episode of the drama series.

During a sit-down with Jess Cagle of "The Jess Cagle Show," the actor, who plays character John Sugar in the show, explained the backstory of how the twist in "Sugar" -- the reveal that John is actually an alien -- ended up getting moved from the first episode to the sixth. He says the creative team first wanted to build up viewers' trust.

"I knew the big reveal that happens, which is a bit of a divider for people, what happens at the end of six. That I knew going in," Farrell said. "That was actually in the first episode and there was a call made because we didn't really know the mythology of the backstory yet, which has since become clear, which even though it's become clear to us, creating the show still wasn't really delved into because the reveal happened too late. So there was only like an hour, two episodes of 30 minutes, an hour left of the show, and we didn't really get to get into the backstory of Sugar's mythology that would be explored more in a second season."

In the show, Farrell's character is a private investigator who was tasked with to looking into the disappearance of Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel's (James Cromwell) granddaughter. John's twist takes place at the end of Episode 6, during which he is revealed to be a blue-colored alien.

Farrell said he knew about the twist, but wasn't sure when they planned on writing it in.

"I knew it was decided to take it from the first episode and put it to the sixth or maybe the fourth or maybe the fifth that much," Farrell said. "We didn't know exactly when that reveal was gonna happen, but it was certainly decided to be removed from the first episode because we just wanted to not rely on what is of course a contrivance."

He continued: "In the first episode, we wanted to get into the human drama first and win people's trust and see if we could win an audience's favor in regard to Sugar's journey and everyone else's journey before we drop that bomb in six."

"Sugar," which premiered on Apple TV+ on April 5, was created by Mark Protosevich, and was directed by Fernando Meirelles and Adam Arkin. The cast includes Farrell, Amy Ryan, Sydney Chandler, James Cromwell, Dennis Boutsikaris and more.

All eight episodes of "Sugar" are now streaming on Apple TV+.

The post Colin Farrell Says That Huge 'Sugar' Twist Was Supposed to Be in Episode 1 | Video appeared first on TheWrap .