Christopher Hitchens. Poison Pen.
Prose Writing: the essay and short fiction
Institution:
Griffith University
Coordinator:
May, Dr Anthony
Code:
2038HUM
Year:
2009
Levels:
Undergraduate This course instructs students in writing prose in a constructive style. Students will learn to develop ideas into three modes of contemporary writing: commercial non-fiction, the contemporary essay and the short story. Emphasis will be placed on developing coherent compositions based upon observation, argument and the dramatic rendition of ideas. Students will be assessed in two of the three available modes.
Texts:
Non-Austlit Texts:
Barry O'Connell. Down A Lonesome Road.
Barry Hannah. Testimony of Pilot.
James Crumley. Driving Around Houston.
Ryszard Kapuscinski. The Trans-Siberian, 1958.
Joan Didion. Los Angeles Notebook.
Richard Willams. Jimi Hendrix.
John Cheever. Brimmer.
F. Scott Fitzgerald. Pat Hobby and Orson Welles.
William Saroyan. The Man Who Got Fat.
Ernest Hemingway. The Battler.
Organisational Body:
School of Humanities Degrees:
Assessment:
The assessment profile of 2038HUM Prose Writing: The essay and short fiction requires the completion of three assignments. Each assignment is designed to give students the opportunity to further their own writing practice and develop their ability to analyse the coherence of professional writers.
Assignment 1 (8 x minor in class exercises) Total 40%
These eight exercises will be given out in weeks 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Students will be expected to write short pieces of 500 words on given topics to be handed back in the following weeks class. The topics will relate to the subject of that weeks discussion Each exercise will be worth 5% of the total mark.
Assignment 2 (Non-fiction assignment) Total 30%
In this assignment, students are required to write a coherent piece of creative non-fiction utilising one of the themes studied in the course, travel or biography. The assignment will assess your ability to write clear, concise and coherent prose. The assignment will be distributed in week 4 and will be due on Friday, 18 September, 2009. Word length: 1500 words
Assignment 3 (Short fiction assignment) 30%
In this assignment, students are required to write a coherent piece of short fiction. The fictions should engage with the themes addressed in the course, travel or biography. The assignment will assess your ability to write imaginative prose in an effective manner. The assignment will be distributed in week 8 and will be due on Friday, 23 October, 2009. Word length: 1500 words.
Categories:
Unit Contexts: Creative Writing
