Overview
English 482: Advanced Fiction Writing is the next step for students who have taken English 381 or a similar introductory course in writing fiction. The course provides options to work on separate short stories or linked stories, or develop a longer narrative, whether a novel, novella, or novel-in-stories. Students read sample fiction with close attention to technique and style.
The emphasis in this course is on revision and on developing style and structure. The course focusses on writing the novel and the novella, but it will also be useful for all students who want to improve and develop the fluency, clarity, and vividness of their writing. Students are expected to write at length, to read the selections from professional writers provided, and to discuss and engage with their fellow students in the online discussions.
Students will analyze the work of published authors, not from the stance of an academic or student of literature, but from the point of view of a writer. They will read to understand how a writer achieves what they do, and to recognize what works and what doesn’t in fiction.
Outline
English 482: Advanced Fiction Writing consists of six units:
- Unit 1: The Writing Process: Why Write?
- Unit 2: Reading as a Writer
- Unit 3: Creating Character
- Unit 4: Creating a Structure
- Unit 5: Style
- Unit 6: Revision
Evaluation
To receive credit for ENGL 482, you must submit all five assignments, achieve a minimum grade of 50 percent on each assignment, and achieve a course composite grade of at least D (50 percent). The weighting of the course assignments is as follows:
| Activity | Weight |
| Assignment 1: First Chapter or Story | 15% |
| Assignment 2, Part I: Why Write? Blog | 5% |
| Assignment 2, Part II: Reading as a Writer Blog | 5% |
| Assignment 3: Chapter or Story | 25% |
| Assignment 4: Chapter or Story | 30% |
| Assignment 5: Revision of Assignment 1, 3, or 4 | 20% |
| Total | 100% |
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Burroway, Janet, Elizabeth Stuckey-French, and Ned Stuckey-French. Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, 9th edition, Pearson, 2015.
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
King, Stephen. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Scribner, 2020.
Other Materials
All other course materials are available online.