Novel and Memoir

Rationale

Novel and memoir are pervasive, complex and culturally important literary forms. This unit is designed to help you examine the theory and practice of novel and memoir writing across various genres; the relationship between imagination and inspiration and the process of planning and research leading to the development of a novel or memoir proposal, including an initial chapter and synopsis. The subject also promotes the acquisition of analytical skills in professional and personal creative fiction and non-fiction writing.

Aims

This unit aims to:

- Familiarise you with the scope, challenges and practices of developing a novel or memoir,

- Familiarise you with the standards, conventions and possibilities of the novel and memoir forms,

- Enable you to produce a synopsis and chapter of an original piece of sustained prose,

- Develop your editorial skills,

- Provide you with peer workshop and mentor feedback over a period of several months in a blended learning environment.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:

1. Choose a mode of narration for your novel or memoir based on an understanding of a range of approaches to the practice of writing a novel or memoir,

2. Understand, analyse, and historically and socially contextualise a range of novel and memoir forms,

3. Examine and apply a range of writing and reading strategies,

4. Structure and write a piece of sustained prose in accordance with the expectations of the chosen form,

5. Write a novel or memoir proposal suitable for submission to a publisher or agent, including a chapter and synopsis of the proposed novel,

6. Reflect meaningfully on your own process as a writer.

Content

This unit addresses content such as:

1. Various approaches to writing a novel or memoir, including writing in various forms or genres,

2. Writing a chapter and synopsis for submission to a publisher or agent,

3. Understanding the critical frameworks of novel and memoir,

4. The research and ethical issues involved in novel and memoir writing,

5. Publication options and avenues across a range of genres,

6. Participating effectively in writers' groups.

Texts: 

Modjeska, Drusilla The Orchard 1995 Prose

Coetzee, J. M. Youth 2002 Novel