Students

ENGX3007 – Creative Writing 3: Narrative Fiction

2020 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, any references to assessment tasks and on-campus delivery may no longer be up-to-date on this page.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff
Jane Messer
Michelle Hamadache
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
ENGX2033 or ENGX233
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit focus on developing skill in the production of short-form fiction, including short story and micro/flash fiction. Students investigate short story structures through close reading of exemplary texts, critical analysis, and writing exercises. A range of narrative techniques key to narrative fiction are explored and applied to students’ own work. Students engage in close reading and analysis of published stories. At the outcome of the unit, students will have read and analysed a range of short-form fictions and have written a short story or series of linked micro fictions for their major work.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Apply skills in relation to craft and technique to the writing of short-form fiction.
  • ULO2: Critique and evaluate their own creative writing process
  • ULO3: Utilise technical creative writing terms, vocabulary and narrative studies in discussion.
  • ULO4: Undertake close reading and analysis of literary and theoretical texts.
  • ULO5: Appraise and critique students’ creative writing in a workshop environment.

Assessment Tasks

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Assessment details are no longer provided here as a result of changes due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Students should consult iLearn for revised unit information.

Find out more about the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and potential impacts on staff and students

Delivery and Resources

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19.

Please check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Weekly online discussions Weeks 1-6 will include discussion of the readings and topics, along with weekly worksheets to test your knowledge and skills, and practice tasks to support you to develop your narrative writing skills. Workshop intensive seminars are held from Week 7 through to Week 12.

Unit Schedule

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

The unit schedule/topics and any references to on-campus delivery below may no longer be relevant due to COVID-19. Please consult iLearn for latest details, and check here for updated delivery information: https://ask.mq.edu.au/account/pub/display/unit_status

Week 1 What is the short story and how can we love them?

Week 2 Narrative structures in the short story

Week 3  Character and Action

Week 4 Speech and Dialogue in literary narrative

Week 5 Focalisation

Week 6 Voice: Focalisation, idioms and language registers

Weeks 7 - 12 Workshop

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct​

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Violent and Sexually Violent Content in creative writing workshop and assessment submissions

Material that might seriously disturb or distress other students or the teacher is not suitable for the University writing workshop environment. The aim of our workshops is to provide a safe place for students to share their work in progress. We are all required to read and discuss work that is presented in the workshop, and so for this reason you must consider the impact on others if you are planning to write potentially distressing content.

Students presenting work that includes detailed descriptions of violence including sexual violence, especially material that involves rape or harm to animals must contact the Unit Convenor before submitting the work for workshop or as work for assessment. They must discuss their work with the convenor at least 2 weeks before the scheduled workshop or assessment due date. Permission may be withheld, in which case the student will be required to submit a new work by the due date.

You should also be aware of the Student Code of Conduct and in particular clauses in the sections Safety and Breach of Rights http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/student_conduct/conduct.html

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

As part of the Macquarie University curriculum renewal 2020, the unit has been significantly redesigned in structure, with new readings and assessments introduced. It continues to focus on narrative and the short story, and is practice-focused.