Creative Writing Course

Get the skills to write creatively.

Ever thought there’s something in you that might look good on the printed page?

The Cengage Education Creative Writing course gives students the essentials and the encouragement to get going in the medium and genre of their choice – poetry, scripts, biographies, children’s writing, genre writing, short story writing and non-fiction writing for the self-help market. You’ll learn simple techniques professional writers use to recycle their ideas and put them to use in a variety of different ways.

The course also introduces writers to ways of making extra money from associated activities like workshops and author visits to schools or bookshops.

On completion of your course:

Upon completion of this course you will be awarded a Cengage Education Creative Writing Certificate.

* Terms and conditions apply
Course Number 90720
Course Type Correspondence
Course Duration Max 18 months
Study Hours Approx 120 hrs
Qualification Cengage Certificate

Assessment details

  • 12 written assessments

Computer requirements

To complete this course you will need access to:

  • A computer with Windows® 95/98
  • CD-ROM drive

Extra learning materials included

  • About Copyright Booklet

Entry requirements
Cengage Certificate, Statements of Attainment, Certificate I & Certificate II courses

No entry requirements apply to these courses.

English Language Requirements:

If English is your second language and you did not complete the last two years of secondary education in English you are required to provide evidence of English language competence before enrolling. Examples of appropriate evidence are:

Evidence

Example

IELTS

Overall score of 5.5

TOEFL

530 (paper), 197 (computer) or 71 Internet.

Evidence of employment in an English speaking country.

12 month period of employment: Letters of Appointment, Letters of Reference, Testimonials, Performance Appraisals etc

Not sure if you meet the entry requirements?
Please call 1300 853 033

Subjects You’ll Cover

Introduction to creative writing

  • The Australian publishing scene
  • Becoming a creative writer
  • Some thoughts about creativity

Tracking ideas

  • The two main secrets of successful writing
  • Why be a writer?
  • Tomorrow's vegetable-peel wrappings hold today's ideas
  • Other ways of coming up with ideas
  • Inspiration is simply the recipe
  • Establishing a good working routine

The short story

  • What is a short story?
  • The parts of a short story: five classical terms
  • Conflict: The powerhouse of the story
  • Viewpoint and emotional depth
  • How to tell the story

Writing a novel

  • The novel v the short story
  • Which sort of novel should I write?
  • Developing your plot
  • Plot and subplots

Characters, deep viewpoint and dialogue

  • Characters: The lifeblood of your stories
  • Viewpoint
  • Dialogue
  • The technical aspects of writing dialogue

Family histories, autobiography, biography

  • Autobiographies and memoirs
  • Self-publication of memoirs
  • Family history is a special kind of love letter
  • Writing a biography special responsibility

Non-fiction

  • What kind of non-fiction writing do you want to do?
  • Writing magazine articles
  • Further tips on writing articles
  • Writing the How To book... handing on wisdom

Speeches and scripts

  • How writing for speakers differs from writing for readers
  • Different types of speeches
  • Scriptwriting
  • Scripting stages: synopsis, treatment, scene breakdown, first draft

Writing for children

  • Is it easy to write for children?
  • Types of children's books
  • Children's book prizes
  • The 'ingredients' of successful children's stories

Poetry writing

  • What is poetry
  • The language of poetry
  • Getting started
  • Drafting and redrafting
  • Forms of poetry
  • The shaping - sound and imagery in poetry
  • Imagery
  • Rhyme

Editing, polishing and marketing

  • What have you learned?
  • Marketing your work
  • The writer's dilemma: to publish here or overseas
  • What type of fiction has the best chance of success?
  • Should you use a manuscript assessment service?
  • Should you use an agent?
  • Taking the first step to being published
  • Non-fiction proposals

Setting the scene

  • Setting - how to create a sense of place
  • Creating a sense of impending action
  • Creating a scene
  • Emotion: the drama that pulls the plot
  • Flashbacks - a good idea or not?

* Fortnightly payment plans also available –     call our Sales team on 1300 853 033 .

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