Writing Prose I
| Module title | Writing Prose I |
|---|---|
| Module code | EASM211 |
| Academic year | 2025/6 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Professor Wendy O'Shea-Meddour (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 16 |
|---|
Module description
The aim of this module is to familiarise you with the techniques of contemporary fiction and creative non-fiction, whilst enabling you to develop your own piece of prose fiction in a workshop setting. Draft work may include fiction and non-fiction, both in the short form (e.g. short story, creative essay) and in the long form: book-length fiction (literary and genre novels); non-fiction (biography, autobiography, memoir, travel writing, etc.); and cross-genre forms such as autobiografiction and the non-fiction novel.
Module aims - intentions of the module
You will be encouraged to examine particular aspects of contemporary fiction and creative non-fiction, to enlarge your own technical capacities, and to create original, imitative and innovative work through an understanding of a variety of literary approaches. The module is intended for these committed to developing their own writing and you will be encouraged to read extensively, following your own interests and exploring well beyond the set texts. Analysis of the set texts will take the form of technical analyses of the craft of writing as well as critical response. It is intended that the module will provide you with an environment of reading and response in which existing writing skills may be developed towards a professional standard. Intensive weekly writing workshops will be established to discuss your own prose writing alongside a developing understanding of the literary techniques available.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate an advanced awareness of a variety of approaches to fiction and creative non-fiction
- 2. Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of conventions, including such matters as description, dialogue, point of view, form, plot and structures of characterisation
- 3. Demonstrate an independent ability to analyse literary work according to a technical understanding and an awareness of language
- 4. Demonstrate an independent ability to evolve your own work with reference to both established and changing conventions
- 5. Demonstrate independent organisational skills in planning and scheduling creative work
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 6. Demonstrate an advanced and intellectually mature appreciation of formal techniques and imaginative expression in creative writing
- 7. Present sustained and persuasive written and oral arguments concerning your own creative writing and the work of other authors, both peers and published authors, and to use such ideas relating to your own work to develop your creative ideas
- 8. Independently originate creative ideas and to respond positively to appropriate criticism of their work
- 9. Consistently create imaginative written work in a variety of forms [appropriate to genres/styles covered by the module]
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 10. Through seminar work, demonstrate advanced communication skills, and an ability to work both individually and in groups
- 11. Through writing essays and creative work, demonstrate advanced research and bibliographic skills, demonstrate an advanced and intellectually mature capacity to construct a coherent, substantiated argument, advanced skills of creative expression, and a capacity to write clear and correct pros
- 12. Through research, seminar work and research for written pieces, demonstrate an awareness of readership, publishability, including professional accomplishment, and an understanding of the purpose of formal structures, layouts, and techniques
Syllabus plan
Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following
topics:
· The challenges of writing prose
· Translating the world
· Structures of character
· Dialogue and Point of View
· Evolving dynamic narrative
· Workshops and feedback sessions of student work and evolved principles
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | 278 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching | 22 | Seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | 33 | Study group meetings and preparation |
| Guided Independent Study | 70 | Seminar preparation (individual) |
| Guided Independent Study | 175 | Reading, research and essay preparation |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft piece of original prose writing | 1500 words | 1-4, 6-7, 9-10, 11-12 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
| Abstract of Critical Essay | 500 words | 1-6, 8, 11-12 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piece of original prose writing | 75 | 4500 words | 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9, 11-12 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
| Self- reflective essay | 25 | 2000 words | 1-4, 6, 8, 11-12 | Feedback sheet with opportunity for tutorial follow-up |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piece of original prose writing | Piece of original prose writing (4500 words) | 1-2, 4, 6-7, 9, 11-12 | Referral/Deferral period |
| Self- reflective essay | Self- reflective essay (2000 words) | 1-4, 6, 8, 11-12 | Referral/Deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re- assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
You are expected to read and discuss examples of contemporary fiction and creative non-fiction, that may
include:
· Carmen Maria Machado, In the Dream House
· Elena Ferrante, My Brilliant FriendDavid Nicholls, One Day
· Anne Enright, The Gathering
· Bernadine Evaristo, Girl, Woman, Other
In addition, you will read at least two more novels, short story collections, or works of creative non-fiction for the purposes of your critical essay.
Theoretical texts:
· Gardner, John, On Becoming a Novelist
· McCarthy, Tom, ‘Writing Machines’ (London Review of Books , 18 December 2014)
· Prose, Francine, How to Read Like a Writer (Harper Perennial)
· Wood, James, How Fiction Works (Vintage, 2009)
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 7 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 12/03/25 |
| Last revision date | 10/04/2025 |
