Brief Encounters: Writing Short Stories

Module overview

Many writers begin with the short story. Through writing short stories they are able to experiment, learn the fundamentals of narrative composition, and have the satisfaction of completing something to a high standard in a relatively short period of time. The short story form can be the most flexible and satisfying to work with. Shena Mackay likened the short story to a magic box, Hermione Lee described it as being like a polished pebble, and Helen Simpson said that it is like a gin and tonic. What did these writers mean? On this module you will gain an understanding of the appeal of short stories to readers and writers, and the limits and possibilities inherent in the form. The module is designed to introduce you to the work of a range of short story writers, whilst helping you to develop your skills in crafting short fiction. You will be asked to study particular stories each week, but you will also be expected to pursue your own interests in reading. You will be encouraged to “read like a writer” and to reflect on that reading in critical commentaries to accompany your finished work. The skills required for writing short stories are also key to working in other forms, so this module will help you to develop as a writer whatever your plans and ambitions may be.

Aims and Objectives

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

have practised working with the key elements of fiction including character, viewpoint, plot, dialogue and imagery.
be able to write critical commentaries of your own work.
be able to successfully plan, structure, rewrite and edit your work.
to be able to produce a finished short story

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

the key elements of fiction (including character, viewpoint, plot, dialogue, and imagery)
the methods by which writers work
the way that writers draw upon archetypal narratives, myths and traditional tales.
the work of particular short story writers

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

be able to think critically about your own work including your creative methods and influences
be used to generating and developing ideas for stories.

Learning and Teaching

Teaching and learning methods

You will have two two-hour seminars each week. Classes will be structured around writing exercises and opportunities to review your work in small groups and with the tutor. You will be expected to bring drafts of your work to seminars prior to each deadline, and to offer feedback to your fellow students on their work. You will be able to see your seminar tutor in regular consultation hours and to ask for feedback on work in progress as well as on marked assignments. Formative assessment occurs throughout this module as a natural part of taught sessions

Study time
Type	Hours
Follow-up work	32
Completion of assessment task	100
Seminar	44
Wider reading or practice	68
Preparation for scheduled sessions	56
Total study time	300

Resources & Reading list

Textbooks

Andrew Cowan (2011). The Art of Writing Fiction. Longman.

Hermione Lee (1997). The Secret Self - A Century of Stories by Women. London: Orion.

Daniel Halpern (1987). The Art of The Tale - An International Anthology of Short Stories. Penguin.

Raymond Carver (1993). Where I’m Calling From: The Selected Short Stories of Raymond Carver. London: The Harvill Press.

Angela Carter (2006). The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories. London: Vintage.

Ailsa Cox (2005). Writing Short Stories. Abingdon: Routledge.

Christopher Booker (2004). The Seven Basic Plots - Why We Tell Stories. London: Continuum.

Julia Bell (2001). The Creative Writing Coursebook. London: Pan.

Janet Burroway (2011). Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft. London: Pearson.

Richard Ford (2008). The New Granta Book of The American Short Story Volume 2. London: Granta Books.

Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter (1991). What If?. New York: HarperPerennial.

Shena Mackay (2010). The Atmospheric Railway – New and Selected Stories. London: Vintage.

W.G. Sebald (2002). The Rings of Saturn. London: Vintage.

Harry Bingham (2012). The Writers’ and Artists’ Guide to How To Write. A & C Black.

Lorrie Moore (2009). The Collected Short Stories of Lorrie Moore. London: Faber and Faber.

Assessment

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Written assignment

Assessment Type: Formative
Feedback:
Final Assessment:
Group Work: No

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	75%
Critical commentary	25%

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	75%
Critical commentary	25%

Repeat

An internal repeat is where you take all of your modules again, including any you passed. An external repeat is where you only re-take the modules you failed.

Breakdown
Method	Percentage contribution
Written assignment	75%
Critical commentary	25%

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal & External