EN3MPS: Creative Writing Masterclass: Prose

Module code: EN3MPS

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Ms Shelley Harris, email: shelley.harris@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): Before taking this module, you must have 40 credits of Creative Writing modules at Part Two, or, in special cases (including visiting students registered to creative writing programmes in their home universities), you may seek the consent of the convenor. (Open)EN1CW (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 21 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will deepen student writers’ understanding of narrative techniques and sharpen their prose. Using a range of short stories, narrative non-fiction and novel extracts as a springboard, students will advance their knowledge of issues such as structure, characterisation, dialogue and prose quality. At the same time, they will put theory into practice by writing, editing and submitting to competitions and publications. 
 
Learning takes place in a weekly two-hour workshop and one-hour peer group, where students support each other’s work with constructive feedback. Where possible, we will invite guest writers and industry experts into the workshops, to share their know-how. This module is delivered at the University of Reading. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Read as a writer: analysing texts, performances and / or broadcasts, and responding to the affective power of language using appropriate approaches, terminologies and creative strategies.
2. Initiate, devising, composing and concluding creative projects in which their own and other people’s ideas are articulated concisely, accurately and clearly.
3. Demonstrate the deployment of language in a sophisticated and nuanced fashion, with a heightened awareness of concision, voice, idiom, idiolect, simile, metaphor, analogy, rhythm and media-specific restraints.
4. Edit their own work, and that of peers, with a high level of rigour and scrutiny, at the various levels of clause, line, sentence, stanza, paragraph but also at the structural level of scene, section and whole text.

Module content

We will be reading prose by a range of writers, likely to include authors such as Jon McGregor, Sarah Waters, Joan Didion, Kathleen Collins, Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, David Sedaris, Robert Macfarlane and Roshi Fernando. We will engage with current debates about prose writing and consider recent trends in the genre. Students will take this body of knowledge into their own writing, editing and submission, supported by their seminar leader and members of their peer group. 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be taught in two weekly sessions: a two-hour writing workshop and a one-hour seminar, for both of which students are required to do preparatory reading and writing. These will be supplemented by a weekly one-hour autonomous peer group session in which students will consider issues of editing and redrafting that are set in advance by their seminar leader. Students are also entitled to a half-hour tutorial on their formative written work. 

Study hours

At least 22 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Oral feedback will be given in seminars. Students will also receive one piece of formative written feedback on their creative writing, as well as a half-hour tutorial. All pieces of formative work can be developed to form part of the summative portfolio.  

Reassessment

Additional costs