Advanced Writing Workshop: Process (Q2022)

30 credits, Level 5

Autumn teaching

How to begin? It can be scary. This module helps you cultivate processes and practices to foster and guide creativity. “Forget inspiration”, writes Octavia Butler, “Habit is more dependable.”

We start with the imagination. How might we speculate on the future? How might we imagine worlds, both near and distant in time, space, and reality?

You will reflect on the mental and physical processes of creativity and consider:

• research methods used by writers, including archival and historical research
• how details can evoke the reader’s empathy and interest
• the use of formal constraints in creative writing – can limitations be productive?

We’ll explore questions around safety and challenging subjects, understanding and models of the mind, and perspectives and appropriation.

We encourage you to read and experiment with different forms and genres. Throughout, you’ll build a portfolio, developing your imagination and ways to harness your vision.

Writers discussed may include Italo Calvino, Stephen King, Bhanu Kapil, Nnedi Okorafor and Claudia Rankine.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 32 hours of contact time and about 118 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.