Course Structure and Lesson Content
The content of each of the seven lessons is as outlined below:
Lesson 1. Workshopping and Critique
- The Workshop Process
- The Cold Read
- The Close Read
- Points of Critique
- Types of Feedback
- Best Practices
Lesson 2. Identifying and Addressing Weaknesses
- Introduction, Potential Projects
- Focus: Understanding Character
- Start Outlining a Revision Strategy
- How To Read and Interpret Feedback
- Build a Framework
Lesson 3. Revision Process I: Structures and Character
- Introduction
- Define Beginning, Middle, End
- The Relationship Between Characters and Structure
- Character Arc
- Writing Character Arcs
- Writing Character Arcs that show a Negative Change
- Building Characters
- Moving Forward
Lesson 4. Revision Process II: Plot Arc and Story Goals
- Introduction
- Story Goals
- Conflict
- Planning Your Plot Arc: the 5Ws and 1H
- Using Diagrams to Plan or Revise your Story
- Creating Lesser Arcs
Lesson 5. Working with Subplots
- Subplots
- The Function of a Subplot
- Types of Subplots
- Subplots in Non-Fiction
- Revision and Subplots
Lesson 6. Continuity of Practice: Building Strong Writing and Editing Habits
- Continuity
- How Can We Maintain Continuity of Characters/Plots?
- Continuity and Writing Practice
- Good Habits
- Bad Habits
- Writer's Block
- What Can Cause Writer's Block?
- Character Exercises
- Journalling and Writer's Block
Lesson 7. Continuity of Practice: Portfolio Building
- Develop your Portfolio Further
- Continuing to Write
- The Importance of Keeping Up with Your Journal
- What to do With New Ideas You Are Not Ready to Start On
- Keep Writing
- How To Use Your Portfolio or Sample
- Revision Processes
- Writing Groups
Course Aims
- Understand how to critique effectively, for your own work and others’.
- Understand how to approach problems and feedback constructively.
- Begin building your portfolio/samples.
- Understand how to interpret feedback, including notes from your own revision and read-throughs from others.
- Start setting out a revision strategy.
- Understanding how structure works, how to assess structure and how to fix holes.
- Understand characters and characterisation.
- Understand story goals.
- Understand how to map arcs for different purposes.
- Understand the function of a subplot.
- Understand how to revise, improve, and integrate sub plots in a fiction or non-fiction text.
- Learn ways to set good writing habits.
- Learn ways to break up writer’s block.
- Create a regular journal practice.
- Develop your portfolio further.
- The importance of keeping up with your journal.
- What to do with new ideas that you are not ready to start on.
During the course, you will workshop your work –
Workshopping and critique are an important part of improving your writing. While writing can often seem like a solitary endeavour, working with others is a vital part of the writing process.
Students studying Writing in Practice will be working with a tutor. The principles that can be learned by studying this course are transferable into everyday writing life, and used for a student’s own revisions, and revisions with people in writing groups online and in-person.
Different people call the process of commenting and interpreting feedback different things. The most common names for this process are “workshopping” and “critiquing”. This is distinct from editing. While a structural or developmental editor often gives feedback, they are often looking at your work in a limited number of sittings. Workshopping usually occurs over a longer period, and is done in a quid pro quo fashion, where you and your partner(s) swap work. This means that you learn about each other’s styles, goals, and approach to writing, and gives you the opportunity to grow together.
Valuable opportunities to grow as a writer
Workshopping is a high-value process. It gives you an outside perspective on your writing – what’s working for you, how effective your characterisations are, weak spots in your plot or expression, and more. That said, it can be tough hearing someone else’s thoughts on your work, especially if you’re not used to letting other people see your writing. Remember, workshopping is intended to help you grow as a writer. It’s not about cutting people down but rather building someone up. If you feel like your work is being unfairly criticised, put the comments away and take a day or two off your project. Do something enjoyable. When you are ready, look at the comments again with fresh eyes, and think about what’s actually being said. Is there value in the comments you’ve received? Having someone else point out our weaknesses is often difficult. If you’re unsure about why someone would give a certain comment, ask.
At the end of the day, your work is your work. You have final say over everything. Be open to feedback, but don’t compromise your vision or beliefs, either.
Grow as a Writer, Develop your Skills and your Work
There is an old adage that says everyone has a book in them. That may be true but having a story to tell and being able to tell it well are considerably different things.
To be able to tell a story, you must be able to engage the reader and make the story believable. If you are writing, say, fantasy fiction, the story may not be entirely believable or conceivable within the real world, but it must make sense within the confines of its own world. The behaviour of characters and sequences of events must be portrayed in a manner that a reader can make sense of and accept within the realms of logic.
What Are the Advantages of Studying Writing with ACS Distance Education?
- You can start at any time to suit you.
- The courses are self-paced.
- You can study when and where suits you. They are flexible to fit in around you and your lifestyle.
- Keep up to date on your learning.
- Update your CV.
- It is not just a course, it is a package of learning that includes – course notes, tutor feedback, self-assessment tests, research tasks and assignments.
- Our tutors are all experts in their field, with years of experience in writing.
- They are also keen and enthusiastic about their subject and enjoy working with students to improve their knowledge and skills.
- Courses are also updated regularly to meet the demands of the changing needs for knowledge and to keep our courses up to date.
What Next?
This course is a practical writing course helping you to develop and improve your writing skills through practice. You will have the support of an experienced writer/tutor to help you along the way and give you useful feedback.
If you would like to improve your writing skills, then why not enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.
Or
Click here to contact a writing tutor.
Or Request a Prospectus Here.