Texts

The Moonstone!$!Collins, W.!$! !$!!$!
(Ed.)!$!Earnshaw, S!$!The Handbook of Creative Writing!$!!$!
The Da Vinci Code!$!Brown, D.!$!London!$!Corgi!$!2004
R.!$!Tolkien, J!$!Fellowship of the Ring!$!!$!
Farewell My Lovely!$!Chandler, R.!$!London!$!Penguin!$!1949

Degrees

Graduate Diploma in Writing
Master of Arts in Creative Writing

Description

This subject provides a theoretical understanding of, and practice in, the writing of three popular genres: crime/adventure, romance, and science fiction/fantasy. It offers students the opportunity to work in a specific genre while simultaneously exploring the wider codes, conventions, structures and possibilities of writing popular fiction. It examines the historical and contemporary importance of popular fiction as a literary form and ways in which generic forms may be used or subverted. Several key popular fiction texts are examined with critical reflection on linear narrative and the concept and construction of plot.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the end of this subject students will be able to:

a. bring focused critical skills to bear on their work and other's popular fiction narratives

b. develop original narrative ideas in one of three selected fictional genres

c. demonstrate a capacity for critical analysis of popular fiction

d. produce an extended piece of popular fiction which conforms to what is generally expected of a popular fiction genre.

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Minor assignments. 2 x 700 word exercises. 20%; Assessment Item 2: Major assignment. 5000 word narrative 60%; Assessment Item 3: Seminar Paper 10-15 mins/1,500 words 20%

Supplementary Texts

Bedford, J. 2002. 'Writing Genre', in The Writer's Reader; a guide to writing fiction & poetry, Brenda Walker (ed), Halstead Press Sydney.

Cawelti, J.G. 1976, Adventure, Mystery and Romance, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Curthoys, C & Docker, J. 1990, 'Popular Romance in the Postmodern Age', Continuum: the Australian Journal Of Media & Culture, vol 4, no. 1, pp. 60-69.

Earnshaw, S. (Ed.) 2007, The Handbook of Creative Writing, EUP, Edinburgh.

Day, M. 1996, How to Write Crime, Allen and Unwin, Sydney.

Dixon, J. 1998, The Romance Fiction of Mills & Boon 1909 - 90's, Routledge, UK.

Gelder, K. 2005, Popular Fiction, Routledge, London.

Hall, O. 2001, How Fiction Works, Story Press, Ohio.

Other Details

Offered in: 2009
Levels: Undergraduate
Coordinator:
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