This introductory course equipped students with a set of skills with which to write personal and/or autobiographical poetry and prose.
Focussing on the notion of “Autofictions”, it encouraged students to explore personal stories (whether about themselves, members of their families or friends) and then move beyond the personal as a creative writer.
The course allowed students to develop their own writing skills (through a series of weekly exercises) as well as their understandings of writing practice (through a set of course readings).
In addition, students were expected to read and discuss their own and other students’ writing in class with an informed critical eye. Students received a writing exercise each week and were expected to hand in three exercises at the end of the first assessment period.
The final assessment for the course consisted of a folio of writing of approximately 2000 words (prose), or 200 lines of poetry, as well as a supplementary mark for attendance and class participation.
