Year
2021Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unitPrerequisites
10 cp from 200-level unit Creative Writing unitUnit rationale, description and aim
This unit is the capstone of the Creative Writing minor and is delivered in an online mode. A folio of developed professional-standard work is a necessary hallmark of an accomplished writer and typically forms the basis of a student's introduction to professional practice. This unit ties together the knowledge and skills developed in other creative writing units to allow students to produce a substantial body of written work.
The Writer's Studio will enable students to work independently in the creative writing mode of their choice. This unit will focus on practical skills in drafting and re-drafting creative work, with the aim of producing a polished and marketable product. This unit will enable students to identify potential markets (and limitations) for their chosen literary form.
The aim of this unit is to develop sophisticated literary products for publication.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:
LO1 - critically reflect on the limitations and possibilities of the chosen literary type in terms of publication opportunities (GA4, GA5, GA8)
LO2 - critically evaluate their own work as well as engage in peer review of the work of other students (GA4, GA5, GA7)
LO3 - create polished versions of sophisticated stories, poems, scripts or factual writing that for a real world market (GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10)
Graduate attributes
GA4 - think critically and reflectively
GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession
GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively
GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information
GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media
GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.
Content
Topics will include:
- ways of thinking about the publication potential of your work
- assessment of the literary marketplace
- identifying competitions and awards in the Australian context
- developing a plan for a writing career
- synthesizing accumulated learning in the minor to produce an engaging and marketable product
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
This unit is taught in online mode to facilitate independent work and the reciprocation of documents such as drafts and versions of stories. Peer evaluation and self-reflection will be significant elements of the unit.
This unit will be delivered online using a virtual mode. Learning in this unit does not require any physical campus attendance. Digital technologies will be used to deliver learning and assessment components, to allow learning for students across multiple campuses. The unit outline; notices/announcements; assessment information, submission, marking and return of assessments, will be accessible online to students. Learning resources and activities will include web links, videos, interactives, readings, lecture notes/slides, and audio.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment tasks for this unit have been designed to contribute to high quality student learning by both helping students learn (assessment for learning), and by measuring explicit evidence of their learning (assessment of learning). Assessments have been developed to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The schedule provides scaffolded learning with opportunities for students to monitor their own progress, practise their skills and receive feedback
More specifically, these are designed to lead towards the production of a finished, professional and publishable piece of work. This is done in stages, beginning with a draft piece that is accompanied by a reflective statement. The second stage is peer review leading to the final assessment which is the finished product.
1.First Draft and Market Reflection
The first assessment will be a draft of a substantial piece of work in the mode of a student’s choice – short story, poem(s), script or factual writing. This will be accompanied by a reflective statement that analyses the marketplace for the chosen mode.
2.Peer Review and Constructive Critique
The second assessment will require students to read the draft work of another student and offer a detailed analysis and constructive critique of the work. This practical exercise will enable students to understand how others read and interpret their work to support the final assessment.
3.Final Draft and Publication Pitch
The purpose of this assessment is for students to develop a more sophisticated draft by building on the knowledge gained through peer-feedback. Students will also identify a market for this final draft.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes | Graduate Attributes |
|---|---|---|---|
1. First Draft and Market Reflection Having chosen a type of writing, the student writes a draft in this form and reflects upon the relation between the text and potential publication opportunities. | 30% | 1 | GA4, GA5, GA8 |
2. Peer Review and Constructive Critique Offering critical feedback to others and receiving the same in return allows students to incorporate editorial responses in the drafting process. | 30% | 2 | GA4, GA5, GA7 |
3. Final Draft and Publication Pitch Using self-reflective and peer-responses to develop and produce a polished text, students will also propose potential avenues of publication. | 40% | 3 | GA4, GA5, GA8, GA9, GA10 |
Representative texts and references
Cox, A. Writing short stories. London: Routledge, 2016
Davis, R. Creating compelling characters for film, TV, theatre and radio. London; New York: Bloomsbury Academic. 2016.
Davis, R. Writing dialogue for scripts. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016.
Hoxter, J. The pleasures of structure: Learning screenwriting through case studies. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015.
McCreet, J. Before you write your novel: Essential skills for the first-time novelist. London: Routledge, 2016.
Webb, J., Linfield, B. & Newcombe, R. Researching creative writing (Creative Writing Studies). Frontinus, 2015.
Wiltshire, K. Writing for theatre: Creative and critical approaches. New York: Palgrave, 2016.
Yakich, M. Poetry: A survivor's guide. New York: Bloomsbury Academic, 2016.
Zinsser, William. On writing well: The classic guide to writing nonfiction. NY: Harper Collins, 2016.