Prose Fiction Writing

Students will work toward the creation of a single piece of prose fiction which engages with a contemporary issue of public interest. Through research and reading selected fiction and nonfiction students will 'listen' to the world around them, and draw on this as inspiration for their own fiction. We explore the development of thematic ideas about 'the real world'. Lectures will present a perspective on the readings, drawing links between the themes and recent debates in history, science, politics, society and economics, and the way fiction writers respond to these. Seminars will provide students with the opportunity to present discussion papers on a selected contemporary issue of their choosing according to the broad theme of that week and reflect on how they might engage with this theme through a work of fiction. We then focus on developing a relevant work of fiction in a workshop environment.

On completing this topic students will have developed the ability to:

recognise how others writers have engaged with issues of public debate

locate their own and others' work in a generic context write fiction which engages with issues of public debate

develop the quality of their own writing through the critical skills developed in the workshop environment

Texts: 

Griffith Review 2010

Amsterdam, Steven Things We Didn't See Coming 2009 Novel