PENNY IN THE WELL is a course designed for people who are serious about creating original fiction, but who feel they need some help with getting their creative writing projects off the ground.
With a strong practical focus, this fiction course aims to provide a solid theoretical grounding in the processes of narrative, while also introducing students to various fictional techniques that will add weight and colour to their writing. Wherever possible, these techniques are illustrated by close reference to exemplary passages from modern fictional texts.
Important ideas from the realms of philosophy and psychology will also be discussed, as students are given a thorough survey of what, to quote James Wood, “makes fiction work.”
Whether you need help in telling your story — or whether you’d like to build confidence in your style — PENNY IN THE WELL is an 8-week fiction course that will give you the tools you require to create meaningful, professional creative writing.
For more information, please email David Cornwell at dsl.cornwell@gmail.com
Course outline:
Lesson 1: What is fiction?
Some introductory thoughts on the ontological status of fictional texts.
Lessons 2 & 3: Narrative Strategies
Notes on perspective, point of view, irony and various narrative forms.
Lesson 4: Beginnings
Thoughts on successful fictional openings, using George Eliot’s idea of “the threshold”.
Lessons 5 & 6: Narrative Structure & Characterisation
Notes on plotting; chapters and sections; the historical development of character and motivation in fictional texts; titles and endings.
Lesson 7: Time & Epiphany
Various time-related fictional concepts will be introduced, including summary, prolepsis, delayed decoding, time-shift and epiphany.
Lesson 8: Narrative Detail
Various techniques related to detail in fiction will be introduced, with reference to concepts such as ostranenie, synecdoche and symbolism.
DAVID CORNWELL 