Creative Writing

Course Title:  Writing stories that leave an impression.

Course Level: Beginners/Emerging writers

This course takes you through the craft of writing the short story, it introduces you to the masters of the form, both classical and contemporary, and affords you the opportunity to write a story each week or work on one story intensely over the eight weeks. 

Course outline.

Each course consists of 8 weekly 2-hour sessions structured as follows:

1. Introductory chat about the weekly reading assignment, followed by a prompted 10-minute written exercise. 

2. An instructive session, based on a PowerPoint/handout on the art of writing where a different element of craft is explored each week.

3. A short discussion referencing the weekly reading assignment.

4. Workshopping weekly written assignments from two students.

5. Concluding chat about the writing plans for the week ahead.

The elements of craft covered each week are as follows:

Week 1: Introduction to the short form and story openings.

Week 2: Characterisation. 

Week 3: Dialogue.

Week 4: Setting.

Week 5. Point of view.

Week 6. Plot and Theme

Week 7. Language and description.

Week 8. Editing, Rewriting and Revision

Course Outcomes:

The aim of this course is that every student will have written at least one complete short story by week 8, but more importantly that they have acquired the skills and motivation to continue writing stories.

Course fee €280