Exploring fiction

Explore your voice in this structured approach to fiction, covering the principles of short fiction and novels. Practise the elements of fiction and work towards a completed piece.

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Key course information

Dates
16/04/12 - 02/07/12

Day(s)
Mon

Duration
10 weeks

Time
14:45 - 16:45

Fees
Full fee: £108
Senior fee: £61
Concession: £29

Venue
KS - Keeley Street

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Course code
HW035

Availability
Available
(status updated every 15 mins)

Enrol now

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Call enrolments: 020 7831 7831

Still got questions?
humanities@citylit.ac.uk or call 020 7492 2652

Course outline

What is the course about?

A structured approach to fiction, covering the principles of short fiction and novels, and giving you the opportunity to practise the elements of fiction and work towards a completed piece.

What topics will we cover?

This course aims to enable you to develop confidence and open up experimentation in your writing that will lead to effective approaches to writing fiction. Through the study of outside work, it will help you develop a critical understanding of what makes an effective work of fiction. By allowing you a forum for writing, reading and revising your work with feedback from the tutor and other students, the course will encourage you to develop an individual voice in your work.

By the end of this course you should be able to:

- Respond to and assess pieces of writing with sensitivity
- Consider your own writing and the process of creating a completed work of fiction with greater confidence
- Identify and analyse elements of fiction
- Think critically and independently about the readings and issues raised during the course.
- Receive feedback and criticism
- Complete a short piece of fiction.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

Stage 1: You will have done a Ways into Creative Writing course or two beforehand or will have been writing creatively before joining this course. This course is not for people new to creative writing.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

The method of examining the elements of fiction will alternate between a teacher-centred approach, group work and discussion. An introduction to each of the elements of fiction will be followed by discussion as well as in-class analysis of published work. Weekly writing assignments will be designed to explore each element and you will be asked to produce a piece of work in class for presentation.

The Tutor
Scott Bradfield is the author of five novels, including ’What’s Wrong with America?’ (1994), ’Good Girl Wants It Bad’ (Carroll & Graf, 2004) and, most recently, The People Who Watched Her Pass By (Two Dollar Radio, 2010); and several collections of short stories, including ’Greetings From Earth: New and Collected Stories’ (Picador, 1993), and ’Hot Animal Love: Tales of Modern Romance’ (Carroll & Graf, 2006). His fiction, essays and reviews have been published in TLS, Triquarterly, The Pushcart Prize, The Picador Book of Contemporary American Stories, and The New York Times Book Review. He has written several screenplays for production companies as various as Columbia Pictures and Roger Corman’s Concorde-New Horizons; the film adaptation of his short story, ’The Secret Life of Houses’, received the Viewer’s Choice Award at the Rotterdam Film Festival in 1997. In 2001, he was Fischer Professor of Literature at the Free University of Berlin. His recent short film, "Greetings From Earth," has been accepted into competition at numerous film festivals throughout the U.S. and Europe - including Tribeca and The Los Angeles Film Festival. He is currently Professor of English and Creative Writing at Kingston University, where he directs the MFA Program in Creative Writing.

City lit reserves the right to change course tutors or venues from those advertised in this outline. In line with our refund policy we are unable to grant a refund on the grounds of a change of tutor/venue.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

Required reading: The Temptation of Eileen Hughes by Brian Moore
The Godwulf Manuscript by Robert B. Parker
Recommended reading: The People Who Watched Her Pass By, by Scott Bradfield

Pen and Paper. Photocopies of your writing to distribute to class members, who will offer feedback and discussion on your work.

Pen and Paper. Photocopies of your writing to distribute to class members, who will offer feedback and discussion on your work.

Do I need to have an interview before I can enrol?

No.

What feedback will I get?

You will receive regular feedback from your tutor throughout the course, as and when appropriate. At the end of the course you and your tutor are asked to assess the progress you have made. Weekly feedback from class members and the tutor will allow you to continue to develop your skills and to hone your fictional techniques.

How will I be able to give my views on the course?

Please complete the evaluation form at the end of your course. These are monitored and help us to continually improve our courses.

How do I find out if I can get some support for my learning?

You may be interested in: education and careers advice; financial and childcare support; disability support; support for Deaf and hearing-impaired students; dyslexia support; English and maths support; counselling, and library services (supported learning centre). To find out what may be available to you, and how to apply, see page 213 of the 11/12 course guide, or visit www.citylit.ac.uk/students

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Possible courses include Developing your Writing (stage 2) and Writers Club (Stage 2).

General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Information and Advice Shop, open Monday to Friday 12:00 – 19:00 during term time, and Monday to Friday 12:00 – 17:00 out of term time. See the course guide for term dates and further details.

Who can I contact for further information?

Tel: 020 7492 2652

humanities@citylit.ac.uk

Advice times:

During term-time Monday 12.30–13.30 and 17.30–18.30 Thursday 12.30–13.30 and 17.30–18.30

Non term-time Monday 17.30–18.30 Thursday 12.30–13.30.

To enrol on a course, call 020 7831 7831.

Select another date / day / time

Dates	Day(s)	Time	Duration	Fees	Snr	Conc	Code	Availability
09/01/12 to 19/03/12	Mon	14:45 - 16:45	11 weeks	£118	£67	£32	HW034	Full	» Select
16/04/12 to 02/07/12	Mon	14:45 - 16:45	10 weeks	£108	£61	£29	HW035	Available	» Select
19/09/11 to 05/12/11	Mon	14:45 - 16:45	12 weeks	£129	£73	£35	HW033	Finished	» Select