Creative Writing
Covering genres including fiction, non-fiction, drama and poetry, this course is for anyone who wants to develop their own creative writing. The University of St Andrews has a proud history of producing successful and critically acclaimed writers, and you will have the opportunity to experience this inspiring location and creative environment. As well as focusing on the techniques and craft that can help make your writing more exciting, interesting and bold, you will be introduced to the work of leading contemporary authors and will also learn about how to make a career as a writer. You will be taught by award-winning Scottish writers and have the opportunity to gain feedback on your own creative work. Whether you are an experienced writer who wants to take their work to the next level, love literature and want to learn more about it, or simply want to explore a new skill, this course is for you.
Subject content
The course explores contemporary literature from a Creative Writing (rather than primarily critical) perspective. Through analysis of published examples, interactive exercises, group work and self-directed writing, students will gain experience working in a variety of genres, exploring aspects of craft including characterisation, dialogue, metaphor, narrative structure and experimental writing techniques.
Topic examples
- Fiction writing: the building blocks of short story and novel writing
- Poetry: techniques, forms, and experimentation
- Creative non-fiction, including writing from life and researching factual subjects
- Creating scenes for drama
- Making a career as a writer
Topics may vary slightly based on the curriculum chosen by lectures in any given year.
Academic skills
Students will learn skills and techniques associated with writing in a range of creative genres. They will become familiar with the work of a selection of leading contemporary writers, and gain experience analysing and discussing literature from a writerly perspective. They will have the opportunity to gain feedback on their own writing, and also to work in a group for a collaborative writing project.
Learning experience
Students will learn through a combination of lectures, interactive creative writing workshops and group work. They will be introduced to a range of literary skills, but also have a lot of opportunity to hone these skills in writing exercises and the chance to share their work with others and receive feedback. Not all of the learning will be in the classroom, as we will use the unique historic and natural landscape in and around St Andrews for inspiration. There will be time for self-directed study and writing. Teaching will be led by published, award-winning writers with experience in teaching Creative Writing and literature topics.
Additional information
This is an interactive course, involving writing workshops, lectures, self-directed writing projects and the opportunity for individual feedback.
Course outcomes
From this course, students will gain confidence in some of the writing skills which will be useful for future creative work. Many of these skills, including those relating to clarity, planning, structure and description, are also essential for academic writing at university level, and for successful writing in a variety of contexts beyond education.
Students will receive a broad introduction to contemporary literature, exploring how a diverse selection of writers engage with today’s important issues and ideas, using the unique possibilities of their own creative genres.
Students will receive an official certificate from the University of St Andrews to confirm their successful completion of the course.