advanced creative writing course

Course details

• Wed 08 Jan 2025 to 21 Mar 2025

Advanced Creative Writing (Online)

There are no time-tabled sessions on this course. Using a specially designed virtual learning environment this online course guides students through weekly pathways of directed readings and learning activities. Students interact with their tutor and the other course participants through tutor-guided, text-based forum discussions. There are no ‘live-time’ video meetings meaning you can study flexibly in your own time under the direct tuition of an expert. For further information please click here

This is an advanced course designed for students who have completed one of the introductory courses such as Getting Started in Creative Writing, or one or more of the specialist courses such as Writing Fiction, Writing Poetry, Writing Drama, or Writing Young Adult Fiction, or a similar course.

How do authors develop an initial idea into a completed work of fiction? A practical course covering all aspects of novel writing from character creation, story development to final edit. Designed to engender confidence and good writing practice for aspiring novelists.

The development of online publishing opportunities has given rise to an increased commercial success of the self-published author. Beginning with an investigation of how fiction can be created from the writer''s own experience, this course will explore the techniques used to develop and structure a sustained piece of original prose to a commercially viable standard. We will look at character creation and development across a variety of genres. We will learn how to assess the thematic content of contemporary fiction and how this is expressed in the progression of plot. We will examine how description and metaphor are used to support narrative purpose. At the same time, we will explore the role of the writer as self-editor and how close-reading and critical thinking can enable improved confidence in the development of a unique, individual voice which will appeal to a broad readership.

For information on how the courses work, please click here .

Programme details

Unit 1 - Write what you know

• Inspiration and application of ideas.
• How to write from personal experience and develop anecdote and memory into a piece of fiction.

Unit 2 - Beginnings, Middles, Endings

• How 3 act structure shapes a story.
• Where to start a story.
• Analysis of crisis points and reader expectation.
• The relationship between main plot and subplot.

Unit 3 - Character 1

• How to create a complex protagonist.
• Departure from expected archetypes.
• Internal vs. external life of character.
• The character with a secret.
• Character growth vs. character decline.

Unit 4 - Character 2

• Supporting characters and their function in story.
• The difference between primary and secondary characters and subsequent influence of story development.
• Secondary characters as chorus and jury.
• The role of the hidden/ invisible main character.

Unit 5 - What kind of story

• Genre expectation and how to subvert it.
• How to fit original ideas to specific genres.
• Commercial expectations of mainstream genres.
• How to subvert known genres.

Unit 6 - What's it all about

• Thematic development in story.
• How to identify the themes in self-created writing; how to dramatise these in character development and action to fit commercial expectation.

Unit 7 - Complex plotting

• Planning and execution in story.
• The concept of dual-plotting, and how this can play with readers' expectation.

Unit 8 - Whose story is it anyway

• Narrative point of view.
• How to choose your narrator and dramatic perspective to best serve plot and character development.

Unit 9 - How to tell it

• Use of description and metaphor.
• How descriptive prose can reveal character; the use of metaphor to provide clues within a complex narrative.

Unit 10 - When is it finished

• Self-editing.
• Good editorial practice, with a focus on how to create text to the standard expected by publishers and agents.
• How to create write synopsis and covering letter for commercial consideration.

We strongly recommend that you try to find a little time each week to engage in the online conversations (at times that are convenient to you) as the forums are an integral, and very rewarding, part of the course and the online learning experience.

Recommended reading

To participate in the course you will need to have regular access to the Internet and the following text books:

• Lodge, D., The Art of Fiction (London: Penguin, 1992)
• Mullan, J., How Novels Work (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006)
• Vogler, C., The Writers Journey (Studio City, CA, Michael Wise Productions, 1998)

If later editions of the course texts are available these will also be suitable.

Certification

Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points 

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £10 fee for each course you enrol on. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register when you enrol, you have up until the course start date to register and pay the £10 fee. 

See more information on CATS point

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee. 

Digital credentials

All students who pass their final assignment, whether registered for credit or not, will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Please note that assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Ms Elizabeth Garner

Elizabeth Garner is a novelist and editor with 25 years of experience of story-development in both film and publishing. She was written two novels: Nightdancing , which received the Betty Trask Award; and The Ingenious Edgar Jones , which was published to critical acclaim in the UK and USA. She has also published a collection of illustrated folk tales: Lost & Found . She is a freelance fiction editor and also teaches creative writing for OUDCE.

Ms Sara Taylor

Sara Taylor is a product of Virginia and the homeschooling movement. She received her Masters in Prose Fiction and Ph.D. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of East Anglia. Her novels, published by Random House, explore the social construction of identity, sexuality, and family. She acts as co-director and editor of creative-critical publisher Seam Editions, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 2018.

Course aims

• Understand how to develop their ideas into a coherent, engaging and commercially viable piece of fiction.
• Become familiar with a range of fiction genres and learn how to shape their work accordingly.
• Critically analyse and discuss their own work with an awareness of the expectation of a public and professional readership.
• Learn the practical skills of self-editing and planning essential for the continuation and completion of their individual writing projects.
• Further develop confidence in their own original writing style.

Teaching methods

• Introductory section, outlining key areas of work within each unit.
• Description of required reading and recommended reading.
• Presentation of materials taken from additional (eg. online) sources, relevant to each unit.
• Online discussion forum.
• Online personal study diary.
• Area for short responses to literary extracts from key texts.
• Tutor responses to forum and exercises.
• Assessment and feedback.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course students will be expected to:

• Appreciate the diverse skill sets and techniques required in the construction and execution of a sustained piece of prose.
• Be able to think critically about their own work and make editorial choices accordingly.
• Be prepared to apply the skills acquired to continue and complete their own original, individual writing projects.

By the end of this course students will be expected to have gained the following skills:

• The ability to plan and structure ideas into a coherent outline for a novel.
• The ability to develop complex characters to the standard expected of commercially viable modern fiction.
• Critical assessment of the thematic content of a diverse range of contemporary fiction.
• Confidence in their ability as writers through the discovery and development of their own unique voice.
• An understanding of good working practice and self-editing.

Assessment methods

You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.

English Language Requirements

We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements please follow this link: https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/english-language-requirements

Application

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment form for short courses | Oxford University Department for Continuing Education

Level and demands

FHEQ level 5, 10 weeks, approx 10 hours per week, therefore a total of about 100 study hours.

IT requirements

This course is delivered online; to participate you must to be familiar with using a computer for purposes such as sending email and searching the Internet. You will also need regular access to the Internet and a computer meeting our recommended minimum computer specification.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support

View a sample page to see if this course is for you

View all courses

Advanced creative writing, read, write, workshop, revise, repeat..

• Course Length: 18 weeks
• Course Type: Elective
• High School

Schools and Districts: We offer customized programs that won't break the bank. Get a quote.

Description

Shmoop's Advanced Creative Writing course has been granted a-g certification , which means it has met the rigorous iNACOL Standards for Quality Online Courses and will now be honored as part of the requirements for admission into the University of California system.

Raise your hand if you want to be the next great American novelist.

Now, raise your hand if you want to be the next J.K. Rowling.

The next Shakespeare?

Nice. We like a student with lofty goals. And while we can't promise we'll secure your place in the writing hall of fame, we can promise we'll equip you with the tools you need to get started. Advanced Creative Writing is a semester-long course that teaches you the ins and outs of writing fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and drama. Yup—drama. Because you so need more of that in your life.

Unlike your average creative writing course, we're incorporating speculative fiction (that's sci-fi, fantasy, and horror) into this Common Core standards-aligned course. Whether you want to pen a personal essay that would inspire Joan Didion or a sci-fi epic that would inspire HBO to scramble for the TV rights, we've got you covered.

By the end of the course, you'll be able to

• craft believable and compelling characters for any genre.
• write effective and realistic dialogue for your oh-so-believable characters to say.
• recognize the differences between fiction and nonfiction.
• understand what makes poetry a unique art form.
• understand what makes dramatic writing a genre worth studying—on page and onstage.
• write your own pieces of short fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama, to be wrapped up in a nice, shiny portfolio at the end.

You'll write. You'll read (to inspire yourself to write). You'll revise. And you'll come out of this course with a better understanding of how to write well , which is a lesson every writer-to-be needs to learn.

You can thank us later. Preferably in the acknowledgements of your first novel.

Required Skills

Unit breakdown, 1 advanced creative writing - the big short.

Since we're not expecting you to write a novel in 90 days, short stories are a common form in this course. Unit 1 gives you a quick run-down on how to write short fiction specifically, with an emphasis on mystery as a genre. You'll read some classic mysteries and try your hand at writing short story sketches, all the while acquainting yourself with methods of characterization, scene setting, and dialogue-smithing. You'll also get acquainted with writers' workshops—two words no creative writer can afford to live without hearing.

2 Advanced Creative Writing - Move Over, Prose

Have you ever been so salty about something that you're like, "Man, I wish I could write a poem about this"? We don't blame you. Salt is a powerful motivator. And in Unit 2, you'll learn all the poetic devices you need to put those feelings into words—some rhyming, some not. You'll read a ton of professional poetry (or proetry, as we call it) to inspire poetic writing of your own. From the sonnet to the haiku, you'll have a crash course in a ton of different verses, meters, and rhyme schemes. Basically, you'll get everything you need to become a great poet—minus a beret.

3 Advanced Creative Writing - Real Life is as Strange as Fiction

In Unit 3, things get personal as you venture into the world of narrative essay writing. Nonfiction might be a genre you associate with textbooks and articles, but we'll prove to you that the nonfiction narrative is just as creatively inspired as the most fantastic fantasy novel. You'll study essays from greats like Joan Didion and George Orwell, and you'll learn how to sketch your own personal experiences into nonfiction pieces worth reading. Because, despite what Facebook might tell you, it actually does take some skill to make your personal life interesting to others.

4 Advanced Creative Writing - A Fable, an Allegory, and a Satire Walk Into a Bar

We're taking a turn for the unusual in Unit 4, where you'll learn how to write fables, allegories, and satire. Yep: You'll be writing with inspiration from Aesop and Amy Sedaris. Sure, fables might be kind of an old-fashioned writing form on the surface, but there's a lot of creative impact in these bite-sized little gems (also a lot of talking animals). You'll learn how to shape ideas into allegories, to make your writing extra deep. And you'll learn how to write satirical pieces without making people feel super bad about themselves.

5 Advanced Creative Writing - Speculation Nation

In our speculative fiction unit, you'll try your hand at science fiction, horror, and fantasy stories of your own. You'll learn that there's a lot more to this kind of writing than putting a dragon in the middle of a scene and calling it a day. Speculative fiction writing is often wrapped around a bunch of metaphors and allegories, and you'll learn how to make the most of imagery and figurative language as you write speculative fiction of your own. With greats like Neil Gaiman providing you inspiration, we're sure you'll be up to the task in no time.

6 Advanced Creative Writing - Please be Dramatic

We end the course with a dramatic flourish—literally, since this is the drama writing unit. You'll read a bunch of one-act plays and scenes to learn the basics of scriptwriting, with a particular emphasis on theater. Blocking, you'll discover, is more than a function you can use on Instagram when your weird ex annoys you; it's also one of the many essential technical elements that all dramatic writers need to include in their writing. At the end of the unit, you'll do a quick little wrap-up of every kind of writing you learned in the course, by putting your best pieces into a portfolio.

Sample Lesson - Introduction

Lesson 2.06: tell us how you really feel.

So, the ballad's had its day in the sun (and then some). It's time to let another form of poetry shine—a form that, coincidentally, also has something in common with musical terminology.

We're talking about the lyric poem , here. In contemporary usage, the word "lyric" almost always applies to the words to a song. Don't worry, though. We won't be asking you to compose a song—although you can totes set your poem to music if you want to.

Lyric poems, especially the ones written a couple of hundred years ago, were often written to accompany music. Unlike fan favorite the ballad, though, the lyric poem doesn't typically tell a story. What the lyric does do is something many poets like even better than telling a story: It expresses feelings and insights.

The term lyric actually describes several types of poems, including odes , elegies , and sonnets . We'll look at some examples of those over the next few days.

As you move into consideration of these more complex forms, you won't write a complete poem every day. Instead, you'll be filling your writer's notebook with ideas, insights, images, and inspiration. Those flashes of brilliance will come in handy.

Trust us, here: you and your poetic muse will thank us later.

Sample Lesson - Reading

Reading 2.2.06: love that lyric.

First thing's first: read Shmoop's lowdown on lyric poetry . Pay attention to what we have to say about a lyric poem's form, meter—and, most importantly, subject matter.

Got it? Great.

Now for a brief summary of a lyric's form. In general, lyrics

• describe an emotion or insight.
• convey one individual's perspective.
• use first person.
• usually rhyme.
• use meter, usually, and most commonly it's iambic meter (da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM).

It probably won't surprise you to hear that many lyrics, describing the emotions and insights of a single speaker, are love poems.

Aw. We're blushing.

To get a decent sense of what we mean (and to prepare yourself for writing), we'd like you to read the following lyric poems :

• " Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms " by Thomas Moore
• " Song for the Last Act " by Louise Bogan
• " She Walks in Beauty " by Lord Byron

When you're finished reading the poems, head over to Shmoop's page on "She Walks in Beauty" to give yourself a better idea of what that poem is all about.

Then, when you've really got the content of "She Walks in Beauty" down pat, read our page on the meter and rhythm of the poem . This should give you some inspiration on the writing front, so you can better craft a sweet lyric poem in the activity.

When you're finished reading, head over to the activity so you can take a crack at lyric-smithing yourself.

Sample Lesson - Activity

Activity 2.06a: so you wanna be a lyricist.

Writing a lyric isn't necessarily a simple task. First, you've gotta have something worth—well, lyricizing about.

We mentioned that most lyric poems are love poems. Does that mean you have to have been in love to write one? Nah. We're going to give you the opportunity to write a lyric poem about anything that gets your heart a'fluttering, whether that thing is a romantic experience or a particularly difficult level of your favorite game.

Regardless of its subject, by the end of this lesson, you'll have written a lyric. We're going to work backwards and sort of reverse-engineer a lyric together—and we'll walk you through it step-by-step.

First, revisit the poems we just read and choose your favorite line or passage from one of those poems . Shmoop picked this one, from Thomas Moore's "Believe Me, If All Those Endearing Young Charms":

As the sunflower turns on her god, when he sets/The same look which she turned when he rose.

Once you've picked your fave line, freewrite for five minutes in response . You can talk about pretty much anything, but we want you to focus mainly on the feeling this particular line evokes in you.

Run out of things to say? Rewrite the last word or phrase until you come up with something—or move on to another poetic line as a prompt.

Here's how we started our freewrite:

The sunflower is such an interesting image; we don't know much about sunflowers, but we don't think they last all that long. Therefore, it's interesting how Moore uses the image of a day to suggest completeness and enduring love, even though we don't think of flowers as images suggesting permanence. If the relationship between the sunflower and the sun ("her god") represents faithful love, that happens in the course of a day…

BTW, a five-minute freewrite should be around 150 – 200 words .

Reflecting on your freewrite, think of the feeling that your chosen image evoked in you, and brainstorm a list of images you could build upon to evoke something similar . Hone in on one image from that list and hang onto it.

Our freewrite reflected on the disparity between enduring love and fleeting life. If Moore used a flower to convey this image, we'd probably use something like a fruit. Just as sweet—just as fleeting.

Of course, our lyric poem wouldn't be literally about a fruit. We'd have to use the fruit as an image to represent something deeper—something we really love.

That's why the next step is to choose a subject that you particularly care about, which you think could be well-represented with the image you chose in the last step . We're going to say "summer," because who doesn't love summer?

Write that lyric poem .

Your poem should be at least four stanzas long , and should follow our lyric conventions. Remember, we said a lyric

• describes an emotion or insight.
• conveys one individual's perspective.
• uses first person.
• usually rhymes.
• uses meter, usually, and most commonly it's iambic meter (da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM, da-DUM).

Also remember to use the image you decided upon in Step Two somewhere in your poem . Here's a stanza of Shmoop's ode to summer:

What ripe and rosy fruit may sway Upon a heavy branch of green? What sweet and tender succulence awaits me When, on a hazy summer's day, The morning air breathes crisp and clean, And all the summer's wonders celebrate, free?

We went with iambic meter for this one—though not iambic pentameter. Our poem actually follows the same meter as this song . Or… this one.

Go ahead and write your own four-to-five stanza poem in a Word doc . When you're good n' ready, upload it below.

Creative Written Representation Rubric - 50 Points

Activity 2.06b: lyrics + workshop.

Workshop time. Today, we'll ask you to post your poem to the discussion board, then read and respond to at least two classmates' lyrics .

Remember our guidelines:

• Be specific : Does the poem fit the lyric form? Does the meter flow? Is it written with iambs? Is it about love ?
• Be nice, though : If you wouldn't appreciate someone saying it to you, don't say it to anyone else.
• Give generously : Read the poem you're reviewing attentively and thoughtfully.

Using the discussion board, respond to the following questions regarding at least two classmates' poems, in at least one complete sentence each :

• Did the poet use iambic meter?
• Did the poet write about something they love?
• Did they include some specific image?
• What do you think is the most important thing for the poet to consider as they revise this poem?
• As a reader, what do you appreciate most about this poem?

Without further ado, forge ahead and discuss away.

Participation Only Rubric - 10 Points

Logging out…, logging out....

You've been inactive for a while, logging you out in a few seconds...

W hy's T his F unny?

The Advanced Creative Writing Course

After eight weeks on the advanced creative writing course, you will be years closer to publication., the advanced creative writing course from blackwater writing is a two-month online program of live seminars, masterclasses, weekly writing targets and group workshops. it has all the rigor of a masters in creative writing, taught by a qualified lecturer, industry insider, and published author..

Includes the Masters in Creative Writing fiction modules, as taught in University College Dublin and for the University of Iowa, as well as drawing on work presented in University College Cork, East China Normal University, The University of Arkansas, Northwestern University, and DePaul University.

Facilitated by someone with a decade’s experience working in the publishing industry, most recently for Penguin Random House.

All of the seminars LIVE with no more than ten students on any course.

The program includes two LIVE masterclasses with a senior editor for a major publishing house and a literary agent with an international profile.

A fantastic alternative to a Masters in Creative Writing. Give yourself the best chance of publication.

If you try the first week of this course and it is not for you, no problem, you can have a 100% refund. It is important that the students on the course are fully engaged with the program and truly benefiting from it.

Course Preview

Six (LIVE) half-day seminars on the theories of writing and editing fiction. These run each Saturday, 9am-12.20pm (UK and Ireland):

Major Subject : Character Development 1: Voice & Monologue ‍ Minor Subject : Finding the Perfect Name for Your Characters

Major Subject : Character Development 2: The Power of Memory ‍ Minor Subject : Character Development 3: Utilising Lists

Major Subject : Setting, Objects and the Power of Memory ‍ ‍ Minor Subject : The Perfect Opening Sentence

Major Subject: Dialogue and the ‘Dangers of Reality’ ‍ Minor Subject: Editing Your Fiction 1

Major Subject: Plot: How to Weave a Compelling Narrative Arc ‍ Minor Subject: Editing Your Fiction 2

Major Subject: Successful Submissions (with ‘homework’ for the final week of the course: comps, cover letter, synopsis, opening three chapters) ‍ Minor Subject: Brevity: The Short Story & Flash Fiction

Two (LIVE) half-day Masterclasses with top industry professionals. These run each Saturday, 9am-12.20pm (UK and Ireland):

Masterclass 1: Senior Editor from a major international publishing house to speak about what they look for in submissions. Q&A. ‍ 20 minute Break. ‍ Lecture on the publishing industry (Jamie O’Connell).

Masterclass 2: Includes an hour with a Literary Agent who sells work across the world, film rights, translation. Q&A to follow. ‍ 20 minute Break. ‍ Concluding lecture, reviewing the key points of the course with advice on setting up your life as a writer (Jamie O’Connell).

Week two to week eight: 90-minute writing workshops. These run each Thursday, 7-8.30pm (UK and Ireland):

In each workshop, four students will have (1k words) their ‘work in progress’ reviewed (submitted to the group one week earlier).

Twenty minutes will be allotted to each student’s work for discussion.

Over the five workshops, each student will have had two occasions to have their work discussed by the group.

You will get a weekly schedule for the eight weeks, which will outline your weekly goals, the dates when you are having your work reviewed in the workshop, etc. It’ll be a roadmap to motivate you through the eight weeks.

Once a week (time confirmed with each group), I will be in an open Zoom call for an hour, purely for my students to join, if they so wish, and chat to me about any questions they are having about their own writing, submissions, etc.

The open hour will run each week but the time is flexible to suit student’s needs.

You will be provided with a reading list of all the books referenced on the course, for you to read in more detail, should you so wish.

You will receive a course handbook with all the notes from the course included, as well as the exercises, which you can review afterwards. ‍ The course handbook will be posted to you in advance of the course.

You will have a deep understanding of the craft of writing and editing fiction.

You will understand the surprising theories behind what makes fiction interesting and memorable .

You will know what makes fiction ‘ boring ’ and how to avoid it.

You will know how to find the right agent or editor and successfully submit to them.

You’ll have gained insights into the ‘business’ of publishing , setting you apart from the vast majority of writers, both emerging and established.

For those of the group who want to continue, congratulations! You will have gained nine new allies in your writing community.

You have the chance to create a virtual writing group with your peers on the course for feedback and support from between now and publication.

You’ll have leaped forward towards your goal of being published, potentially saving you YEARS of ‘trial and error’, figuring this out for yourself. You will have completed what is essentially a condensed masters program.

You have added a cornerstone of knowledge to your repertoire that will aid you in your future career as a writer (or if you look to find work in the Publishing Industry)

Jamie’s insight, advice and guidance on my work  has been most helpful. He didn’t shy away from being critical but his criticism was always constructive. His editing of the writing that I submitted to him was meticulous. Above all, Jamie has given me the confidence and self-belief to continue with my project.

I recently attended Jamie’s ‘How to write engaging dialogue’ workshop and it was excellent. The advice he imparted was really insightful. I’d highly recommend his workshops to anyone with an interest in developing her skills in the craft of writing.

Sharing your writing can be daunting but I found Jamie to be very professional and easy to work with.  He offered clarity around evolving my work and practical advice how to proceed in the industry.  His experience and knowledge of the teaching and publishing world were very evident and presented in a way that made me excited for the next stage of my journey.

• My Account |
• StudentHome |
• TutorHome |
• IntranetHome |
• Contact the OU Contact the OU Contact the OU |
• Accessibility Accessibility

Postgraduate

• International
• News & media
• Business & apprenticeships
• Contact Contact Contact
• A to Z of subjects
• Course types
• Honours degrees
• Integrated masters degrees
• Foundation degrees
• Diplomas of Higher Education
• Certificates of Higher Education
• Open University certificates
• Open qualifications
• Higher Technical Qualifications
• Microcredentials
• Short courses
• All courses
• Student stories
• Accountancy
• Counselling
• Engineering
• Environment
• IT and computing
• Mental health
• Social work
• Working with children
• Employability and the OU
• International recognition
• Apprenticeships
• What is distance learning?
• A guide to our qualifications
• How long will my qualification take?
• How will I study?
• Tutors and tutorials
• How will I be assessed?
• Support and the OU community
• Ask a student
• Our global reputation
• Can I do it?
• Finding time to study
• Is my English good enough?
• Computing skills
• Am I ready tool
• Fees and funding
• Tuition fee loan
• Tuition fee grants and loans
• Part-time fee grant
• Support for living costs

Employer sponsorship

• Credit or debit card
• Enhanced learning credits

Mixed payments

• Study costs funding
• Carers' Scholarship
• Carers' Bursary
• Care Experienced Bursary
• Care Experienced Scholarship
• Scholarship for Black Students
• Disabled Veterans' Scholarships
• Sanctuary Scholarship
• How to apply
• Transferring your study

Advanced creative writing

Advanced creative writing develops your writing ability by widening your generic range and developing your knowledge of style. The module works on the forms introduced in the OU level 2 module Creative writing (A215) – fiction, poetry and life writing – and supplements these with dramatic writing, showing you how to write for stage, radio and film. You’ll explore how these scriptwriting skills might enhance your prose style, improve your writing across the range of forms, and further develop your individual style and voice. The module offers guidance on professional layouts for the dramatic media and is a natural progression from Creative writing (A215).

Modules count towards OU qualifications

OU qualifications are modular in structure; the credits from this undergraduate module could count towards a certificate of higher education, diploma of higher education, foundation degree or honours degree.

Browse qualifications in related subjects

Module code.

• Credits measure the student workload required for the successful completion of a module or qualification.
• One credit represents about 10 hours of study over the duration of the course.
• You are awarded credits after you have successfully completed a module.
• For example, if you study a 60-credit module and successfully pass it, you will be awarded 60 credits.

Study level

Study method, module cost, entry requirements, student reviews.

This module was very different from Creative Writing (A215) which I also enjoyed, although it did build on the skills... Read more

When I enrolled on this module, I wondered what writing techniques could be improved upon after studying Creative writing (A215).... Read more

Request your prospectus

Explore our subjects and courses, what you will study.

This module is structured in four parts. At the core of the module is a handbook that takes you week-by-week through methods, readings and writing exercises. This handbook covers the first three parts of the module. The fourth part is a period of independent study and project work.

Part 1: Ways of writing  You'll begin by looking at different approaches to writing. In particular, you'll focus on the influence of genre, world-building in dystopian and fantasy fiction, setting in life writing and narrative in poetry. Work includes readings and writing exercises in fiction, poetry, and life writing.

Part 2: Dramatic writing You'll progress to explore writing techniques for three dramatic media: stage, film and audio, which will illustrate the narrative strengths and constraints of each medium. You'll examine the conventional layouts for these media, and this part will also deal with dramatic principles connected to dialogue, subtext, status and exposition, as well as media-specific elements such as sets for the stage, aural contrast in audio and montage in film. You’ll also consider the techniques involved in adapting work in other genres to script.

Part 3: Developing style and structure You'll look at how some of the methods used in dramatic writing can improve fiction writing, life writing and poetry. You’ll consider the inner world in life writing, and dramatic techniques in poetry. This section goes on to explore writing approaches in a wide-ranging fashion, covering poetic form, time, voice, long and short-form work, theme and structure, and the uses of rhetoric and analogy. You’ll focus on improving your writing style and voice in all genres.

Part 4:   Independent study This final part involves working on a larger project, culminating in the presentation of an end-of-module assessment comprising a substantial piece of creative writing in one of the forms taught in the module – fiction, poetry, life writing or drama.

As in Creative writing (A215), the emphasis is very much on practice through guided activities, although as the module progresses, you will increasingly be expected to generate and develop your own ideas without reliance on the study materials. In comparison to the OU level 2 module, the emphasis will be on working independently to enhance and improve your writing style and voice. You'll spend longer developing, editing and redrafting your work and will write a dramatic adaptation and explore the influence of drama on your work.

Online tutor-group forums will enable peer-group discussion of some of your work. You'll be expected to engage in these activities, giving impersonal and informed evaluations of your own and others’ work through constructive criticism. Some of the tutor-marked assignments will require evidence of engagement on the online forum.

Teaching and assessment

Support from your tutor.

You’ll have a tutor who will help you with the study material and mark and comment on your written work, and whom you can ask for advice and guidance both via online forum and by phone or email. Your tutor also offers general support throughout the module, as you progress through the Handbook, which is the principal guide to your learning.

There will be online tutorials that you are encouraged, but not obliged, to attend. You can access recordings of tutors covering material that was delivered in online tutorials.

Full guidance will be provided on accessing the teaching provided via online forums. Online tutor-group forums enable peer discussion of some of your work and allow tutors to make general points of relevance to the whole group.

Contact us  if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.

The assessment for this module is under review, with a reduction to 4 tutor-marked assignments being planned for the October 2024 presentation rather than the number currently shown in the facts box.

Future availability

Advanced creative writing starts once a year – in October. This page describes the module that will start in October 2024. We expect it to start for the last time in October 2035. 

Regulations

Course work includes:.

This module builds on the explicit skills taught in Creative writing (A215), ideally which you'll have completed, or equivalent study, before embarking on this module.

If this is your first creative writing module, then ‘equivalent study’ would comprise preparation, including our Creative Writing Tasters and Exercises , which has interviews with writers, sample writing exercises and links to other creative writing study at the OU.  

If you have any doubt about the suitability of the module, please speak to an  adviser .

Preparatory work

You are also strongly advised to prepare for the module by reading  Creative Writing: A workbook with readings  (2nd edition).

Additional Costs

Study costs.

There may be extra costs on top of the tuition fee, such as set books, a computer and internet access.

If your income is not more than £25,000 or you receive a qualifying benefit, you might be eligible for help with some of these costs after your module has started.

Ways to pay for this module

Open university student budget account.

The Open University Student Budget Accounts Ltd (OUSBA) offers a convenient 'pay as you go' option to pay your OU fees, which is a secure, quick and easy way to pay. Please note that The Open University works exclusively with OUSBA and is not able to offer you credit facilities from any other provider. All credit is subject to status and proof that you can afford the repayments.

You pay the OU through OUSBA in one of the following ways:

• Register now, pay later – OUSBA pays your module fee direct to the OU. You then repay OUSBA interest-free and in full just before your module starts. 0% APR representative. This option could give you the extra time you may need to secure the funding to repay OUSBA.
• Pay by instalments – OUSBA calculates your monthly fee and number of instalments based on the cost of the module you are studying. APR 5.1% representative.

Joint loan applications

If you feel you would be unable to obtain an OUSBA loan on your own due to credit history or affordability issues, OUSBA offers the option to apply for a joint loan application with a third party. For example, your husband, wife, partner, parent, sibling or friend. In such cases, OUSBA will be required to carry out additional affordability checks separately and/or collectively for both joint applicants who will be jointly and severally liable for loan repayments.

As additional affordability checks are required when processing joint loan applications, unfortunately, an instant decision cannot be given. On average the processing time for a joint loan application is five working days from receipt of the required documentation.

Read more about  Open University Student Budget Accounts (OUSBA) .

Studying with The Open University can boost your employability. OU courses are recognised and respected by employers for their excellence and the commitment they take to complete. They also value the skills that students learn and can apply in the workplace.

More than one in ten OU students are sponsored by their employer, and over 30,000 employers have used the OU to develop staff so far. If the module you’ve chosen is geared towards your job or developing your career, you could approach your employer to see if they will sponsor you by paying some or all of the fees. 

• Your employer just needs to complete a simple form to confirm how much they will be paying and we will invoice them.
• You won’t need to get your employer to complete the form until after you’ve chosen your module.  

Credit/debit card

You can pay part or all of your tuition fees upfront with a debit or credit card when you register for each module. 

We accept American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Visa Electron. 

We know that sometimes you may want to combine payment options. For example, you may wish to pay part of your tuition fee with a debit card and pay the remainder in instalments through an Open University Student Budget Account (OUSBA) .

For more information about combining payment options, speak to an  adviser  or book a  call back at a time convenient to you.

Can you study an Access module for free?

Depending on eligibility and availability of places, you could apply to study your Access module for free.

To qualify, you must:

• be resident in England
• have a household income of less than £25,000 (or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit)
• have not completed one year or more on any full-time undergraduate programme at FHEQ level 4 or above or successfully completed 30 credits or more of OU study within the last 10 years

How to apply to study an Access module for free

Once you've started the registration process , either online or over the phone, we'll contact you about your payment options. This will include instructions on how you can apply to study for free if you are eligible and funded places are still available.

If you're unsure if you meet the criteria to study for free, you can check with one of our friendly advisers on +44 (0)300 303 0069 , or you can request a call back .

Not eligible to study for free?

Don't worry! We offer a choice of flexible ways to help spread the cost of your Access module. The most popular options include:

• monthly payments through OUSBA
• part-time tuition fee loan (you'll need to be registered on a qualification for this option)

To explore all the options available to you, visit Fees and Funding .

What's included

You’ll be provided with the printed module Handbook, which is the principal guide to your learning,  and have access to a module website, which includes:

• a week-by-week study planner
• module materials
• audio, video and interactive content
• assignment and assessment details and submission section
• online forums and tutorial access.
• electronic versions of the printed study materials
• online exercises
• links to online resources

Computing requirements

You’ll need broadband internet access and a desktop or laptop computer with an up-to-date version of Windows (10 or 11) or macOS Ventura or higher.

Any additional software will be provided or is generally freely available.

To join in spoken conversations in tutorials, we recommend a wired headset (headphones/earphones with a built-in microphone).

Our module websites comply with web standards, and any modern browser is suitable for most activities.

Our OU Study mobile app will operate on all current, supported versions of Android and iOS. It’s not available on Kindle.

It’s also possible to access some module materials on a mobile phone, tablet device or Chromebook. However, as you may be asked to install additional software or use certain applications, you’ll also require a desktop or laptop, as described above.

If you have a disability

The OU strives to make all aspects of study accessible to everyone and this  Accessibility Statement  outlines what studying A363 involves. You should use this information to inform your study preparations and any discussions with us about how we can meet your needs.

To find out more about what kind of support and adjustments might be available, contact us or visit our disability support pages .

The Open University

• Study with us
• Supported distance learning
• Funding your studies
• International students
• Global reputation
• Develop your workforce
• Contact the OU

Undergraduate

• Arts and Humanities
• Art History
• Business and Management
• Combined Studies
• Computing and IT
• Creative Writing
• Criminology
• Early Years
• Electronic Engineering
• Film and Media
• Health and Social Care
• Health and Wellbeing
• Health Sciences
• International Studies
• Mathematics
• Mental Health
• Nursing and Healthcare
• Religious Studies
• Social Sciences
• Social Work
• Software Engineering
• Sport and Fitness
• Postgraduate study
• Research degrees
• Masters in Art History (MA)
• Masters in Computing (MSc)
• Masters in Creative Writing (MA)
• Masters degree in Education
• Masters in Engineering (MSc)
• Masters in English Literature (MA)
• Masters in History (MA)
• Master of Laws (LLM)
• Masters in Mathematics (MSc)
• Masters in Psychology (MSc)
• A to Z of Masters degrees
• Accessibility statement
• Conditions of use
• Privacy policy
• Cookie policy
• Manage cookie preferences
• Modern slavery act (pdf 149kb)

Follow us on Social media

• Student Policies and Regulations
• Student Charter
• System Status
• Contact the OU Contact the OU
• Modern Slavery Act (pdf 149kb)

© . . .

• Manuscript Assessment
• Success Stories
• Reading Room
• Novel Writing
• Fiction Development
• Non-Fiction
• Writing for Children
• Short Story
• Starting Out
• How’s My Driving
• An honest assessment of your work-in-progress, with advice to help you with the rest of the draft.
• Full Report
• Our most comprehensive report – a full MOT on your manuscript.
• Submission Review
• Ready to send your novel out into the world? Have your submission documents reviewed to make sure everything's in the best possible shape to impress an agent.
• Magazine Submission Review
• Ready to submit your poems to magazines, journals or websites? Get feedback on a selection of four to six of them to check you're on the right track.
• Pamphlet Review
• Designed for poets preparing a pamphlet for possible publication, this report will offer constructive feedback on a group of up to twenty poems.
• Collection Review
• Put your poems through their paces with an in-depth evaluation of your entire collection.
• Creative Writing Exercises
• Writing Competitions

The last page you viewed...

• by location
• Can't find the right course? Book a professional reader's report on your manuscript.

Writing a Novel

• Our flagship course is available in London, Newcastle and online – spend six months working on your novel with help from experienced tutors and industry experts.
• Prose Assessment
• Poetry Assessment

• Q&As with our tutors and alumni, reading lists and deep dives into all aspects of creative writing – and lots more.

• Whether you're stuck on dialogue, plot, character or something else, we've got a whole range of exercises to help and inspire you.

• Here you'll find all of our past, ongoing and upcoming writing competitions, plus details of any others we think you should know about.

• How to Write for Children
• Chloe Daykin, critically acclaimed and award-winning children’s author and tutor on Faber Academy's Writing for Children course, shares her tips on writing for a younger audience.

Start your story today

Expert guidance from first line to final draft, at the home of one of Britain's great publishers.

A creative community of writers

Faber Academy exists to support writers and their writing. Whether you're booking a one-day introductory workshop, a six-month advanced course or a professional assessment of your finished manuscript, our focus is always on providing the open, warm, rigorous and constructive environment for you to find the heart of your project and write it with confidence.

Our tutors, mentors and readers are celebrated, professional authors and editors, and our courses are designed with the help of pedagogical experts – but first and foremost, Faber Academy is a place for people who are passionate about writing to work together. Our alumni are a thriving, brilliant community; continuing to share work, lend a supportive ear and cheer each other on long after their courses have finished.

Whether you're a beginner or an advanced writer, we have courses in a broad range of disciplines, including fiction , poetry and memoir . You can learn the specifics of a specialism like crime writing , YA or short stories , or study on one of our more comprehensive novel writing and poetry courses. Courses range from the one-day to the year-long , with everything in between.

The right course for you

With creative writing courses running in London, Newcastle and online , across evenings, daytime and weekends as well as those that are entirely self-paced and flexible, find the course that best suits you and your particular goals and needs.

We also offer manuscript assessments and mentoring for those looking for something on a more one-to-one basis, or for those a little further along on their writing journey.

Our Heritage

About Faber Academy

Faber Academy was founded in 2008. Hundreds of our students have since gone on to find agent representation, publication deals and awards success and we've expanded our programme to include courses across a wide range of disciplines and genres, with online students joining us from all over the globe.

About Faber

Since 1929, Faber has helped writers from around the world find an audience. With a backlist that includes thirteen Nobel laureates and six Booker Prize winners, Faber is one of the world's great independent publishing houses, and the perfect home for the Academy. Find out more about Faber and its authors below.

I really felt part of the Faber family, and continue to do so. This literary experience will always sit with me, and I will always be grateful to Faber Academy

The Faber Academy Scholarship Programme

Each year, we award free places on selected courses to writers who otherwise could not afford to attend. Courses include Getting Started: Beginners’ Fiction, Advanced Poetry, Towards a First Collection, and our flagship course, Writing a Novel. Find out which places are currently available and how to apply below.

Browse the Reading Room

From author interviews and writing tips to creative writing exercises and reading lists, we've got everything you need to get started – and to keep going.

Faber Members

Become a Faber Member for free and join a community that brings together great novelists, poets, playwrights, thinkers, musicians and artists with readers in the UK and around the world. Faber Members have access to live and online events, special editions and book promotions, and articles and quizzes through our weekly e-newsletter.

Recommendations from Faber

Sally Rooney

Normal People

An exclusive edition of Sally Rooney's modern classic, designed for Faber Members.

Conversations with Friends

A Members' edition of Sally Rooney's celebrated debut and international bestseller.

Philip Larkin

The Whitsun Weddings

A centenary edition of Philip Larkin’s much-loved first collection.

Founded in 1929 in London, Faber is one of the world's great publishing houses. Our list of authors includes thirteen Nobel Laureates and six Booker Prize-winners.

We use cookies to personalise your experience. By continuing to visit this website you agree to our use of cookies.

• Online Degree Explore Bachelor’s & Master’s degrees
• MasterTrack™ Earn credit towards a Master’s degree
• University Certificates Advance your career with graduate-level learning
• Top Courses
• Join for Free

Build Essential Writing Skills

The Writing courses we offer are designed to help prepare you for a career in journalism, creative writing, content creation, and editorial work, providing you with the skills to articulate ideas effectively and craft compelling narratives in various formats.

The language used throughout the course, in both instruction and assessments.

Choose the Writing Course That Aligns Best With Your Educational Goals

Michigan State University

Write Your First Novel

Skills you'll gain : Storytelling

(301 reviews)

Beginner · Course · 3 - 6 Months

Wesleyan University

Creative Writing

Skills you'll gain : Creativity, Human Learning, Storytelling, Writing

(5.9K reviews)

Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

University of Michigan

Good with Words: Writing and Editing

Skills you'll gain : Writing, Communication, Leadership and Management, Professional Development, Critical Thinking, Creativity, Planning, Resilience

(2.3K reviews)

University of California, Irvine

Academic English: Writing

Skills you'll gain : Writing

(22K reviews)

Stanford University

Writing in the Sciences

(8.4K reviews)

Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Lund University

Writing in English at University

(587 reviews)

Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

University of Colorado Boulder

Business Writing

Skills you'll gain : Communication, Writing, Business Communication, Critical Thinking, Professional Development, Natural Language Processing, Business Design, Decision Making, Strategy, Visual Design

(4.6K reviews)

Duke University

English Composition I

(1.1K reviews)

Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order

Skills you'll gain : Writing, Creativity, Resilience

(1.8K reviews)

Commonwealth Education Trust

Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest

Skills you'll gain : Human Learning, Writing

(1.3K reviews)

Mixed · Course · 1 - 3 Months

Write A Feature Length Screenplay For Film Or Television

(202 reviews)

Script Writing: Write a Pilot Episode for a TV or Web Series (Project-Centered Course)

(738 reviews)

Searches related to writing

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular writing courses.

• Write Your First Novel :   Michigan State University
• Creative Writing :   Wesleyan University
• Good with Words: Writing and Editing :   University of Michigan
• Academic English: Writing :   University of California, Irvine
• Writing in the Sciences :   Stanford University
• Writing in English at University :   Lund University
• Business Writing :   University of Colorado Boulder
• English Composition I :   Duke University
• Writing and Editing: Word Choice and Word Order :   University of Michigan
• Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest :   Commonwealth Education Trust

Learn Writing Online

Enhance your written expression with our comprehensive writing courses, guided by the expertise of top university educators and industry partners. These courses are tailored to support learners at all levels, from beginners looking to craft coherent narratives to advanced writers refining their style and voice. You’ll explore a variety of genres, delve into creative writing techniques, and learn practical skills for effective communication. The curriculum is designed to challenge and inspire, whether you’re penning your first poem, drafting a novel, or honing your technical writing for professional purposes. Engage with a community of writers, receive constructive feedback, and develop the confidence to share your work. Our writing courses are a gateway to discovering the power and potential of your words.

Skills you can learn in Business Essentials

Frequently asked questions about writing, what are the best free writing courses ‎.

If you're looking for the best free writing courses on the web, then look no further! Coursera has you covered with a wide variety of writing classes from Novel Writing to Journalism to Scientific Writing to English Composition to Poetry Workshop . There is something for everyone looking to hone their writing skills. ‎

What are the best writing courses for beginners? ‎

If you're just getting started with writing and looking for a comprehensive suite of courses, Coursera offers great options. The Writing for Business course provides a good foundation for clear and effective business writing. For those interested in honing their editing skills, Writing, Editing, & Words and Writing, Editing, & Structure cover writing process, drafting and revision for maximum clarity. Writing Your World and Writing About Ourselves focus on creative writing development with personal and fictional stories. ‎

What are the best advanced writing courses? ‎

For those looking to take their writing skills to the next level, Coursera offers excellent advanced writing courses. The Just Reading and Writing English course is a great resource for anyone wanting to brush up on their reading and writing skills. Additionally, for those looking for more in-depth grammar instruction, the English: Writing and Grammar: Adverb Clauses , English: Writing and Grammar: Noun Clauses , and English: Writing and Grammar: Adjective Clauses classes provide comprehensive instruction. Finally, Copy of Glasscock: Writing: Grammar & Style delves into the art of editing and revising, allowing users to learn the more nuanced aspects of writing. ‎

Why is it important to learn to write? ‎

Alongside verbal communication and body language, writing is one of the most essential forms of interpersonal communication. In the workplace, strong writing skills allow you to send persuasive emails to your boss or clarify complicated instructions with coworkers. In your personal life, writing allows you to keep in touch with friends and family members via texts, social media posts, or traditional letters.

Not all writing is intended for interpersonal communication. Sometimes you simply need to write to organize your thoughts or record information for later use. Writing things down by hand can also improve your memory retention and understanding of a subject. ‎

What are typical careers that use writing? ‎

Writing is an essential skill if you want to pursue a career in a field such as copywriting, journalism, technical writing, or scriptwriting. Copywriters use their writing to persuade audiences to try a service, buy a product, or participate in an event. Journalists write about current events, and their work can help people make informed daily decisions. Technical writers break down complex processes into more concise and easy-to-understand text. Scriptwriters, novelists, and poets produce artistic works that entertain, inspire, and inform audiences. Artistic works can also challenge viewers to explore a new perspective.

Many other career paths are also writing-intensive. For example, public relations specialists need to constantly communicate with the press and public in media releases, and scientific researchers often have to record and share their findings in academic papers. ‎

How can online courses on Coursera help me learn about writing? ‎

Online courses on Coursera will help you learn or brush up on the basics of spelling, grammar, and sentence structure. Mastering these elements of writing gives you a foundation to build on. Courses in storytelling take your education a step further, offering lessons on crafting coherent and creative narratives. Other courses focus on more specific areas of interest, such as technical writing, poetry, journalism, and personal essays. You can take the lessons at your own pace and work on the lessons from anywhere that has internet access. ‎

What are the benefits of taking an online Writing course? ‎

Online Writing courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Writing skills. Choose from a wide range of Writing courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels. ‎

What Writing courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce? ‎

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Writing, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here . ‎

Other topics to explore

• Make a Gift
• Directories

Search form

You are here.

• Autumn 2024

ENGL 493 A: Advanced Creative Writing Conference

•   Instagram
•   Newsletter

• Faculty & Staff
• Search Toggle Search Catalog Submit search

Creative Writing, Advanced Certificate

Dr. brigitte byrd,  coordinator.

[email protected]

Creative Writing in the Digital Age, Advanced Certificate

The Certificate in Creative Writing in the Digital Age will develop skilled writers who are technologically savvy by providing them with knowledge and skills necessary to create, publish, and market creative works.

This program will take students beyond traditional creative writing by introducing them to the production of digital content for multi-platform delivery. The certificate will prepare students for careers such as web content writer, digital copywriter, professional blogger, social media specialist, editorial assistant, magazine journalist, columnist, writer/author, creative director, publishing copyeditor/proofreader, and other professions in education, the arts, public relations, and business, especially the publishing business.

Students in this program will achieve the following outcomes:

Graduates of this program will be able to:

• Engage the creative process with experimentation and problem solving to produce original works in multiple genres.
• Interpret the effects of technical craft elements in published literary works.
• Acquire expertise in designing digital and print texts.
• Apply the peer review workshop process to explore, develop, and revise original writing.
• Demonstrate social responsibility and ethical behavior toward the creation of original works in a culturally diverse world.
• Create an e-portfolio composed of traditional creative writing pieces and content for digital/multi-platform delivery.
• The certificate is designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor’s degree from an accredited international institution.
• Students will complete an application form from the School of Graduate Studies at Clayton State University.
• Students will be required to complete 15 course credit hours from a select menu of courses.
• The certificate is offered 100% online and can be completed in one year. These credits may not include any required graduate courses in students’ degree programs. Electives in students’ graduate degree program may count toward the certificate.
• Since students in the program are considered non-degree seeking, financial aid is not available. 
• Students are expected to observe School of Graduate Studies and University Graduate Rules, Regulations and Academic Policies. Students are expected to maintain Good Academic Standing, which is defined as a minimum institutional GPA of 3.0.

Program Requirements

Students will select five (5) courses from the list below. Each course is a 3.0 hour-credit. Each course will include material feeding into an e-portfolio.

Advanced Creative Writing – Nonfiction

Course description.

Extends the introduction of creative nonfiction and the writing of it using creative techniques. Includes study and writing of personal narrative, memoir, nature and travel writing, satire and literary journalism. Explores the works of established writers for forms, techniques and styles as a context for the production of creative nonfiction for class discussion and analysis. Prerequisites: WR 240. Audit available.

Course Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Read a diverse range of established creative nonfiction authors in order to identify and reproduce demonstrated writing techniques, reflect on cultural content, and lead class discussion of literature.
• Employ advanced creative writing techniques drawn from fiction, poetry, and scriptwriting to write original nonfiction and contribute to craft discussions.
• Write and revise original creative nonfiction that effectively uses self-reflection, research, and advanced elements of craft.
• Use critical thinking, problem solving, and knowledge of craft to critique peer writing and lead discussion in workshop community.
• Engage with socially important issues and/or people impacted by them throughout the writing process and further develop body of work centering on issues important to writer. 
• Participate in broader writing community outside of classroom setting by submitting writing for publication, participating in a public reading, or engaging with other literary events.

Alignment with Institutional Learning Outcomes

To establish an intentional learning environment, Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) require a clear definition of instructional strategies, evidence of recurrent instruction, and employment of several assessment modes.

Major Designation

• The outcome is addressed recurrently in the curriculum, regularly enough to establish a thorough understanding.
• The course includes at least one assignment that can be assessed by applying the appropriate CLO rubric.

Minor Designation

• The outcome is addressed adequately in the curriculum, establishing fundamental understanding.

Suggested Outcome Assessment Strategies

Assessment may include in-class and out-of-class writing, appraisal of the student writing, revision efforts, and participation in the workshop process, including contribution to discussion and the quality of written comments on the work of others. Students may be asked to demonstrate their understanding of reading assignments, technique and craft through written and verbal responses, journals, quizzes, exams, portfolios close reading exercises using support/evidence, writing exercises which include evaluation of various interpretations of a text and their relative validity. Both instructor and peer evaluation will be incorporated in the assessment process. Regular attendance and meeting deadlines for assignments are essential to the workshop process and may figure into the final grade. Attendance policies vary with instructors: students missing a week’s worth of class may not expect an A; those missing two weeks’ worth may not pass the course.

Course Activities and Design

The determination of teaching strategies used in the delivery of outcomes is generally left to the discretion of the instructor. Here are some strategies that you might consider when designing your course: lecture, small group/forum discussion, flipped classroom, dyads, oral presentation, role play, simulation scenarios, group projects, service learning projects, hands-on lab, peer review/workshops, cooperative learning (jigsaw, fishbowl), inquiry based instruction, differentiated instruction (learning centers), graphic organizers, etc.

Course Content

Outcome #1:  read a diverse range of established creative nonfiction authors in order to identify and reproduce demonstrated writing techniques, reflect on cultural content, and lead class discussion of literature..

• Works by women
• Works by people of color
• Works that contribute to current cultural and social conversations
• Works that explore relationships between cultures
• Recent publications
• Older publications
• Implied thesis
• Author intent
• Consideration for impact of writer’s cultural experience on self-expression
• Consideration of own cultural experience and bias in response to reading
• Leadership in classroom/peer mentoring

Outcome #2: Employ advanced creative writing techniques drawn from fiction, poetry, and scriptwriting to write original nonfiction.

• Use advanced craft terms to write effective responses to assigned reading and to peer work.
• Use knowledge of advanced craft terms and techniques to define and revise problems in own writing.
• Elements which create voice:  metaphors, images, choice of dialogue to quote, quality of reflection, humor, irony, allusion, symbol
• Methods of handling time:  flashbacks, frames, juxtaposition and interweaving, straight and reverse chronology
• Study of other craft terms and techniques such as; narrative voice and distance, scene vs. summary, point of view: first, second, third person, structure: segmented or associative, conflict, tone/language, text/subtext, figurative language, pacing, theme, characterization, setting, descriptive detail, concreteness, dialogue, tone, formality and informality, alternate narrative, cadence, antithesis, mosaic, rhythm, persona, and twinning.

Outcome #3: Write and revise original creative nonfiction that effectively uses self-reflection, research, and advanced elements of craft.

• Draft essays that interweave research on issue(s) facing society with personal experience
• Illustrate understanding of complicated subjects and consideration for varying points of view
• Demonstrate consideration of audience/reader
• Demonstrate ability to interrogate own bias, assumptions, and cultural influences
• Reflect on writer’s own impact/contribution to issue
• Writer considers consequences of proposed solutions and interrogates own position
• Local research
• Global research
• Apply knowledge of elements which create voice:  metaphors, images, choice of dialogue to quote, quality of reflection, humor, irony, allusion, symbol
• Apply knowledge of methods of handling time:  flashbacks, frames, juxtaposition and interweaving, straight and reverse chronology

Outcome #4: Use critical thinking, problem solving, and knowledge of craft to critique peer writing and lead discussion in workshop community.

• Close reading and analysis
• Lead workshop
• Communicate suggestions about strengths and weaknesses of drafts in workshop community
• Sentence level revision: diction, sentence length, punctuation, unnecessary words, invisible modifiers, overuse of adverbs and adjectives, sentence structure, use of “to be” verbs.
• Passive and active voice
• Global revision: tense issues, balance between scene and summary, imagery, structure, voice, point of view, specific detail, tension
• Writing as a process
• Constructive feedback

Outcome #5: Engage with socially important issues and/or people impacted by them throughout the writing process and further develop body of work centering on issues important to writer.

• Directly participating in the action being written about
• Interviews or research in community
• Designing an experience that will be the basis of an essay
• Writing to confront issues of significance to culture at large
• Writing that demonstrates careful consideration of opposing viewpoints
• Writing that interrogates writer’s own perspective
• Research to build a knowledge base writer uses to articulate issues and solutions while effectively engaging reader
• Sources of material:  personal experience, interview, research using resources online, in print and in person (interviews), walking the ground, meditation and reflection
• Documentation
• Paraphrasing and quoting
• Evaluating sources
• Multiple interpretations
• Audience, Purpose, and Occasion
• Blending memoir/personal story with researched topics
• Writing as activism
• Writing to change minds

Outcome #6: Participate in broader writing community outside of classroom setting by submitting writing for publication, participating in a public reading, or engaging with other literary events.

• Become familiar with creative writing websites, awards, readings, workshops, and publication opportunities
• Public Reading etiquette
• Revision for live reading
• Submission preparation
• Writing query letters
• Contributing to literary community

Suggested Texts and Materials

The following items are intended as descriptions of instructors’ choices of texts in the past as an aid to choosing texts in the future.  This is not intended as a prescribed or recommended list of texts.

• Lynn Z. Bloom, Fact and Artifact:  Writing Nonfiction
• Theodore A. Rees Cheney.  Writing Creative Nonfiction:  How to Use Fiction Techniques to Make Your Nonfiction More Interesting, Dramatic and Vivid
• Lydia Fakundiny.  The Art of the Essay
• Carolyn Forche and Philip Gerard (ed),Writing Creative Nonfiction
• Philip Gerard.  Creative Nonfiction:  Researching and Crafting Stories of Real Life
• Vivian Gornick, The Situation and the Story
• Lee Gutkind.  The Art of Creative Nonfiction:  Writing and Selling the Literature of Reality
• Iversen, Kristen.  Shadow Boxing:  Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction
• Mary Karr, The Art of Memoir
• Patsy Sims, Literary Nonfiction
• William Zinsser.  On Writing Well:  An Informal Guide to Writing Nonfiction
• [Current Editor] BestAmerican Essays [particular year]
• Mark Kramer and Norman Sims, eds. Literary Journalism:  A New Collection of the Best American Nonfiction
• Phillip Lopate, ed.  The Art of the Personal Essay:  An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present
• Robert L. Root and Michael Steinberg, eds.  The Fourth Genre:  Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction
• Eula Biss, Notes from No Man’s Land
• Lacy M Johnson, The Reckonings
• William Kittredge.  Owning It All
• Roxanne Gay, Bad Feminist
• Leslie Jamison, The Empathy Exams
• Claudia Rankine, Citizen
• Terry Tempest Williams.  Refuge:  An Unnatural History of Family & Place
• Ryan Van Meter, If You Knew Then What I Know Now
• Mary Clearman Blew:  Bone Deep in Landscape:  Writing, Reading and Place

Instructors new to the course should contact the chair for further information.

More reviews

When moscow viewed creative marxism as heresy.

The tormented and tortuous publication history of Dialectics of the Ideal by Soviet philosopher Evald Vasilyevich Ilyenkov brings to mind the sagas of other great underground Soviet era classics such as those by Boris Pasternak and Alexander Solzhenitsyn.

Corinna Lotz reflects on a publishing landmark

Some characterise Marxism as a mechanically-determined approach to human nature and activity. And yet, at the heart of Marx’s methodology and his critique of the capitalist system was the dynamic and open-ended spring of dialectics – or, put another way, its soul.

Marx and Engels’ dialectical approach, drawn from Hegel and taken up by later revolutionary thinkers, made it possible to understand both the determined aspects of human life and activity and the moments of revolutionary possibility, choice, freedom and social emancipation.

One thinker who took this side of Marx’s vast contribution to heart as no other was the Soviet philosopher Evald Vasilyevich Ilyenkov (1924-1979). His 56-page essay The Dialectics of the Ideal is the focal point of a new book by Canadian scholar Alex Levant and the Finnish philosopher Vesa Oittinen.

Ilyenkov’s legacy remained buried in various archives in the former Soviet Union until the early 1980s, just preceding (and heralding) Gorbachev’s perestroika and glasnost. He was brought to the attention of revolutionary activists by British Trotskyist leader Gerry Healy when Dialectical Logic and The Abstract and Concrete in Marx’s Capital first reached England via Progress books during the early 1980s. (These books, which became classics for creative Marxists, were available in Italian and German much earlier, as Levant and Oittinen’s amazingly comprehensive polyglot bibliography reveals).

Just as the Soviet Union was disappearing from history, Ilyenkov was again rescued from obscurity, at least for English-speaking readers, by British-Canadian philosopher David Bakhurst in his 1991 book, Consciousness and Revolution in Soviet Philosophy .

The publication history of Dialectics of the Ideal is tortuous and tormented beyond belief. Indeed, it brings to mind the sagas of other great underground Soviet era classics such as those by Boris Pasternak and Alexander Solzhenitsyn which only reached readers through smuggled samizdat manuscripts and risk-taking journalists.

The manuscript was completed in the mid-1970s but it was not published in its complete form until 2009, some 30 years after the death of its author. In the realm of philosophical writing it was perhaps comparable to another volume said to be “forged in hell”, as a tract published some 300 years earlier, was described by the religious authorities of the day. That was Baruch Spinoza’s Theological-Political Treatise of 1670.

But why did Ilyenkov’s “Ideal”, apparently a work of “pure theory”, prove so troubling to the Stalinist authorities? What enraged the bureaucrats of the Brezhnev years was that Ilyenkov advanced his work on materialist dialectics in opposition to officially-sanctioned positivists from the standpoint of developing Marxism itself. He openly built on the work of those who had gone before, most notably Lenin.

By implication, he was accusing the Soviet philosophical establishment and their supporters in the state, of being non-Marxist. Of course, Ilyenkov was right. The bureaucracy used Marxist phraseology in order to kill Marxism off. In their hands, it became the worst kind of dogma. Ilyenkov’s attack hit the jugular.

“To be a creative, thinking Marxist, in a state at the head of which were Marxists, was the most dangerous thing of all,” notes post-Soviet Marxist Vadim Mezhuev, quoted in Levant’s introduction.

When Ilyenkov and his comrades, encouraged by the Khrushchev thaw, put their heads above the parapet, they were spurred on by that moment of freedom (described by some as a philosophical renaissance in the Soviet Union) 1 , just as Spinoza had been by the humanist, cosmopolitan spirit afoot in Amsterdam, within the newly-independent Netherlands. But the authorities throughout 17 th century Europe immediately bore down hard against Spinoza’s “intolerably licentious book”. And so it turned out to be in the post-Khrushchev period. 2

The connection between Ilyenkov and Spinoza runs deep as Oittinen explains in his essay Evald Ilyenkov, the Soviet Spinozist : ”It is just [in] the concept of the ideal , the kernel of Ilyenkov’s own philosophical commitment, where Spinoza’s influence is strongest.”

While Spinoza was a pivotal figure in the 1920s debates, during the later Stalin era, Soviet philosophy fell largely silent about him. 3 But in the post-World War II period, Ilyenkov turned to him again and again, in lectures, articles and in his book Dialectical Logic . So much so that Oittinen describes Spinoza as a “guarantor for the concept of the Ideal”. He examines how Ilyenkov read him “as a philosopher of identity, as a thinker foreshadowing Hegel. Where Spinoza ‘sublated’ the Cartesian dualism, so in a like manner Hegel ‘sublates’ Kant’s dualism”.

Oittinen shows how Ilyenkov has adopted Spinoza’s monism and his concept of an active body, developing these in the light of Hegel and Marx.  For Spinoza what “unites thought and matter was the Substance, in Hegel it was the Spirit, and for Ilyenkov it was the concept of activity”. For him, the figure of action was in bodily movements which “generate thought, and the action is the mediating link between thought and body, rising above their dualism”. Following Marx, Ilyenkov adds the social character of human life to the activity paradigm “and even the ideality must be seen in this light”, Oittinen asserts.

Cartesian dualism had an afterlife in the positivist reductionism of official Soviet philosophy with which Ilyenkov locked horns in what turned out to be mortal combat. Levant’s closing essay returns to this issue and how Ilyenkov’s outlook can help overcome important dualist hurdles in today’s revolutionary practices.

It was not by chance that Ilyenkov so wholeheartedly espoused the heretical Jewish philosopher’s holistic view of the world, in which nature, god and spirit are connected through the concept of substance. It was Spinoza’s approach that allowed Ilyenkov to “cut the Gordian knot”, the conunundrum of Cartesian dualism in which mind and matter are eternally in opposition to each other. Ilyenkov deploys this understanding in his consistent rebuttal of the crude physiological reductionism of Soviet theoreticians like Alexander Bogdanov, Ilya Narsky and David Dubrovsky.

Dubrovsky’s 1968 attack on Ilyenkov’s concept of the Ideal and the ensuing controversy is documented in Andrey Maidansky’s fascinating and thoughtful contribution, Reality of the Ideal . Maidansky’s writings and online archive have in recent years provided an invaluable resource for all those researching Ilyenkov’s ideas.

Like Spinoza, Ilyenkov developed a philosophy that abolished the seemingly insurmountable barrier between ourselves and our Other(s) – the natural and physical world of which we are a part, including that of our fellow human beings. In his Dialectics of the Ideal , as in his other writings, Ilyenkov deconstructs Cartesian-Kantian dualism’s anxiety about accepting the evidence of our sensations and its scepticism about our ability to cognise the world.

This much of Ilyenkov’s contribution to philosophy was familiar since the 1980s to non-Russian readers through those of his books translated and published by Progress as well as New Park Publications ( Leninist Dialectics and the Metaphysics of Positivism 1982). But now, thanks to Levant’s fluent translation of the restored full essay, we can explore the dynamic nature and revolutionary potential of Ilyenkov’s view of the Ideal.

Levant, Oittinen, Mareyev, Maidansky and their colleagues provide an expanded and cross-fertilised understanding of the historical setting of his work, placing it in the context of contemporary Soviet philosophical culture. They show how his contribution has enriched key concepts in psychology, political economy and the theory of knowledge.

The theoretical potential as well as the practical value of Ilyenkov’s notion of the Ideal for in human psychology are outlined by cultural-historical theorist and educationalist Birger Siebert in Prospects for a Cultural-Historical Psychology of Intelligence . Tarja Knuuttila of Helsinki university’s Collegium of Advanced Studies in an intriguing contribution notes that Umberto Eco’s A Theory of Semiotics and Ilyenkov’s Dialectical Logic and Dialectics of the Ideal were written contemporaneously and discovers common ground between them. She critiques both Peter Jones and David Bakhurst. She challenges the hypostatisation of “meaning” and the use of the idea of “representation” or “image” in connection with the Ideal, insisting on its continuous movement and activity.

Oittinen and Paula Rauhala’s discussion of the value-form debate and Ilyenkov’s first book The Dialectics of the Abstract and Concrete in Thought (1960) is an eye-opener, especially for all those who are familiar with the 1982 Progress translation. It now turns out this was heavily edited and truncated.  

Although Ilyenkov eventually received the prestigious Chernyshevsky Prize for the book in 1965, it had taken nine years to get it into print, due to opposition from the top ideology bureaucrats in the Soviet Union. In 1958, Ilyenkov finally consented to edit the manuscript radically and shorten it by almost half. Even the title was changed from “in thought” to “in Marx’s Capital”.  But so strong was Ilyenkov’s message that even this stark re-editing could not erase it.

Oittinen and Rauhala go on to provide a sweeping overview of Ilyenkov’s ideas in the light of international discussions and controversies about Marx’s method, the nature of value and the logic of capital from the 1960s to the present day. They contrast Ilyenkov’s dialectical and historical, law-governed but contradictory understanding of value as a concrete system of interacting phenomena with those of German theorists Hans-Georg Backhaus and Michael Heinrich.

Ilyenkov’s creative form of Marxism has languished like a buried jewel in the subterranean vaults of the former Soviet Union for too long. His powerful connection with the early Soviet period through the influence of the brilliant psychologist Lev Vygotsky (who died in 1935, aged only 38) was first documented for non-Russian readers by Bakhurst.  Now, thanks to Levant and Oittinen’s dedicated efforts, his significance for today can and should be explored.

In his closing essay, Emancipating Open Marxism: E.V. Ilyenkov’s Post-Cartesian Anti-Dualism, Levant flings open a door, not only on to a hidden history but to the relevance of Ilyenkov’s ideas. He proposes that there is a significant legacy of creative Soviet Marxism of the post-Stalin period which can enrich the debates of the Open Marxism movement associated with Werner Bonefield, John Holloway, Richard Gunn and Kosmos Pschopedis, amongst others.

Levant considers that Ilyenkov’s dialectical concept of the Ideal can help overcome the objectivism that prevails in some Marxist approaches, while also avoiding the subjectivism that often weakens Open Marxism. 

Alongside Open Marxism we have the challenge of taking his ideas forward in relation to the major ideological and political issues of our own times. His approach in Dialectics of the Ideal can offer a deeper grasp of today’s ideological crises, as we have argued elsewhere. 4 Ilyenkov’s Ideal comprises all humanly constructed things and activities, including their origins in human aspirations and practices.  It is a “concrete universal” but in a vanishing, negative form which has its Other in the realm of economic and political reality.

Thus understood, like Spinoza’s “blasphemies”, Ilyenkov’s philosophical penetration into the dialectics of social and individual human thought and practice had the potential to break up and expose the ideologies that keep women and men chained to the system. Ilyenkov did this under the most difficult conditions of the Soviet Union, driven first by hope and then extinguished by ideological repression. Ilyenkov directed his energies at restoring the revolutionary dynamic of the Soviet Union but was short-circuited in his mission. The climate at the Institute of Philosophy where he worked worsened in the 1970s. He was prevented from travelling to philosophical conferences abroad and a former KGB operative Elena Modrzhinskaya persecuted him. 5  With nowhere to turn, he took his own life in 1979.

Today, at least in some countries, we are lucky enough to have the freedom to discuss, exchange and publish ideas as well as organise. The challenge is to deconstruct the painfully negative forms of the Ideal in today’s world – the power of reactionary ideologies, east, west, north and south. What lies behind the violent break-up of nation states and the exploitation of globalisation’s extreme discontents and alienation by atavistic forces, for example? They are a distorted reflection in the Ideal world of the deep and insoluble contradictions of a dying system.  The challenge is to widen and concretise Ilyenkov's approach as a collective political enterprise.

27 June 2014

More on Ilyenkov

Ilyenkov – A philosopher under suspicion : A profile of Ilyenkov's life and work by philosophy scholar Sergei Mareyev.

The ‘heretic’ philosopher who challenged Stalinism : a paper on the contemporary significance of both Ilyenkov and Spinoza presented by A World to Win at an international conference in Helsinki.

Dialectics of the Ideal, Evald Ilyenkov and Creative Soviet Marxism , edited by Alex Levant and Vesa Oittinen, is published by Brill, 2014.

1 Guseinov, A and Lektorsky V.A., Philosophy in Russia: History and Present State , Diogenes 56, 2009

2 A Book Forged in Hell: Spinoza’s Scandalous Treatise and the Birth of the Secular Age by Stephen Nadler, Princeton University Press 2011

3 The tragic history of Soviet philosophy in the 1920s and 1930s has been documented by, amongst others, Yehoshua Yakhot in The Suppression of Philosophy in the USSR . English translation, Mehring Books 2012

4 Contradictions within the Ideal , Mediation and Transformation in Global Capitalist Society by Corinna Lotz, Paul Feldman, Penny Cole and Gerry Gold. Presented at University of Helsinki April 2014.

5 Interview with David Bakhurst