AJL13008 Creative Writing

Faculty of Arts
Autumn 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
John Christopher Fennelly, B.A. (lecturer)
Christopher Adam Rance, M.A. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Christopher Adam Rance, M.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable of Seminar Groups
AJL13008/01: Wed 12:00–13:40 G33, except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11., J. Fennelly, Ch. Rance
AJL13008/02: Thu 16:00–17:40 G33, except Thu 17. 10., except Mon 18. 11. to Sun 24. 11. ; and Thu 17. 10. 16:00–17:40 K21, J. Fennelly, Ch. Rance
Prerequisites (in Czech)
None
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 36 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 38/36, only registered: 1/36, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/36
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives (in Czech)
This course aims to take a practical approach to developing creative writing skills while underpinning this with a sound theoretical base. Students are encouraged to read widely. The course leaders will recommend novels, short stories, anthologies, plays and screenplays, but these will not be required reading. Instead, students may choose any texts they enjoy rather than from a set list of authors. This reading will nurture a critical eye and lead to in class discussion of technique and form. Small, independent writing groups will allow students to share comments on these texts, their own work and engage in peer criticism, editing and supportive suggestions. These groups will form the basis of ongoing student collaboration and serve as inspiration for personal engagement in the writing process. Further, course participants will need to keep a commonplace book in order to record thoughts, snatches of conversation, observations or anything else that may spark their creative imaginations. While this commonplace book will not be formally assessed, it will serve as a springboard to good writing practice. Students will be expected to share entries with their writing groups. From session to session, the class will look at a variety of forms and structures common to different sorts of writing. This will include poetic forms, the shape of stories (such as Campbell’s Hero’s Journey) and scene analysis. Students will also engage in a range of practical classroom activities and be expected to build on them in weekly tasks. These may be writing prose, scripts or poetry. Some of these tasks may lead to pieces for inclusion in their final portfolios. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be expected to submit a portfolio for grading. This portfolio will consist of a minimum of sixty lines of poetry and four thousand words of prose to be written and edited over the course of the semester.
Learning outcomes (in Czech)
Upon completion of this course, students will: be aware of writing being a process and not just a product. enjoy reading for pleasure with a writer’s eye for technique, style and form. use analysis and responses to others’ writing in furthering their own techniques. recognise and adopt the habits of a successful writer by developing their own writing practices. be conversant with a range of prose and poetic forms and explore their production in their own writing. have a portfolio of their own writings, including both poetry and prose.
Literature
  • See ELF
Teaching methods (in Czech)
Attendance is mandatory, with one unexcused absence permissible, as per university rules. You are expected to participate actively in class and on the writing fora. You must keep your commonplace book and show evidence of its use in discussions with your writing groups. Writers read. Choose varied works not on your set text list and read them with a writer’s eye. Be ready to discuss them in class. You must complete the tasks set. These will be the basis for discussion in class and a measure of your progress in the writing process. You are expected to keep drafting, editing and redrafting pieces for inclusion in your final portfolio.
Assessment methods (in Czech)
By law, each credit is 25 hours of work. Here is the credit breakdown for the course. This is the minimum required in order to qualify for grading of your portfolio. Class participation (26 hours) – 1 credit Reading of study materials and self-selected non-core texts (25 hours) – 1 credit Observing, noting and maintaining your commonplace book (25 hours) – 1 credit Weekly assignments (52 hours) – 2 credits Drafting and developing your writing practices (25 hours) – 1 credit
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023, Autumn 2023.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/autumn2024/AJL13008