Exploring: Creative Writing Summer 2023

In Week 1 students will be introduced to the art of creative writing and begin developing their own works of fiction. Students will explore a range of fictional genres and practice identifying key literary tropes. They will choose a genre and a target audience for their own novel, and debate the pros and cons of the old adage ‘write about what you know’!

In Week 2, students will begin to develop a plot for their work of fiction. They will look at various templates for a fictional narrative arc, ranging from Sophocles to Shakespeare, and map out their own beginning, middle and end. They will then interrogate scene-setting, using their imaginations to build up a detailed description of their own fictional world.

Week 3 is all about character creation! Students will look at some of fiction’s most memorable characters and develop their own lead character. They will work in small groups to conduct character interviews, delving into the backstory, personality and psychology of their lead.

In Week 4 students will explore the language of creative writing. They will debate the pros and cons of first person narrative and third person narrative, and defend their own choice of narrative voice. They will also read some of literature’s most famous opening passages, practise literary and language techniques, and begin to write their own first chapter.

In the final session of Exploring: Creative Writing, students will have the chance to pitch their novel to a ‘panel of publishers’. They will be challenged to explain their plot, setting, and characters, as well as describing how their novel will create tension and promote the desired emotional response from their target audience. Students will have the chance to receive personalised feedback on their pitch, and will also be able to offer feedback and suggestions to the ideas of their peers.