Supervision in Creative Writing

Built around a series of seven key-note talks and practical workshop sessions led by published authors*, the course examines a range of literary genres such as short story writing, the novel, crime, historical fiction and children’s fiction. These will look in detail at technical aspects of the craft of writing, including finding your own voice, devising plot, depicting character, writing dialogue and evoking a sense of place.

Weekly supervisions - seven in total - around these events will be arranged to suit individual needs, experience and preferences either on a one-to-one basis or in groups of up to three. This style of teaching is one of the key strengths and advantages of Cambridge teaching and is at the heart of the Cambridge undergraduate experience. It will be provided by professional authors and the course conveners, Anne Rooney and Brian Keaney who have wide experience, not only of writing and publishing, but also of teaching at university level.

The course offers an opportunity either to start out as a writer or to develop your own writing skills.

Who can apply?
Anyone who wants to develop their ability to write prose fiction or to understand the creative process more fully.

Transferrable skills
Close reading and comparative analysis; structuring and sequencing narrative; initiating original ideas; devising and developing storylines; researching; drafting and editing; understanding markets.

How will I be assessed?
Primarily on a portfolio of pieces of work produced during the course (90%) and on progress and participation (10%).

Speaker Sessions
There will be a series of sessions by professional writers as follows.

• 3 July: The Elements Of Creative Writing – voice, character, setting, plot & genre
• 9 July: Magical Realism – fantasy fiction and the creation of atmosphere
• 16 July: The Architecture Of Writing – research, structure and planning
• 24 July: Crime writing – devising plot and maintaining suspense
• 31 July: Children's Writing – the importance of voice
• 08 August: Historical Fiction – evocation of time and place
• 14 August: Writing As A Profession – the practicalities of writing as a career

Key Note Speakers

• Brian Keaney - Brian is an award-winning British children’s author, best know for his novel Jacob’s Ladder which is currently in development as a film.
• Dr Anne Rooney - Anne is the author of over eighty books on a wide variety of subjects , both fiction and non-fiction, and has taught widely in the University.
• Graham Joyce - Graham is a British writer of fantasy fiction and the winner of numerous UK and international awards. Three of his novels are currently in development as films.
• Katharine McMahon - Katharine is a highly successful British historical novelist, best known for The Rose Of Sebastopol, which was shortlisted for a British Book Award and featured on the Sunday Times Best Seller List.
• Michelle Spring - Michelle is an award-winning crime writer who grew up in Canada but now lives in Cambridge. Her best known novel In the Midnight Hour won an Arthur Ellis Award.

Students choose the Supervision in Creative Writing option when selecting their courses online. There is a non-refundable supplement of £400 charged for the supervision option, in addition to the tuition fee.

Please note that supervision proposals are to be submitted through the online application system ONLY Students may only select ONE supervision, either the Supervision in Creative Writing or a Supervision in a subject of their choice, but not both.

Students interested in doing a supervision must upload a supervision proposal no later than 1 May 2012.