Writing Fiction

FICTION WRITING Getting started as a fiction writer
Do you want to be a novelist? Fiction is writing that includes imaginary characters, events and/or settings created by the writer. In this course you will study various types of fiction writing and learn how to apply various techniques to hone your craft. The course also looks at the nitty gritty of how to go about submitting a manuscript and getting your work published.
Comment from one of our Writing Fiction students:
I have thoroughly enjoyed this course. Thank you for making it available"  S. Cooke
COURSE STRUCTURE
The content of each of the ten lessons is as outlined below:
1. The Publishing World
Nature & scope of publishing, types of publishers, how books are published, market research
2. Publishing Procedures & Techniques
Colour or black & white; film or digital imaging, types of printing, alternative ways of doing layout (eg. typesetting, paste up, electronic layout with Adobe products or MS publisher), comparing types of digital graphic files, printing costs, etc.
3. Desktop Publishing
Word Processing, Alternative publishing methods: Printing on a Computer Printer;
Supplying a "Master" to a commercial printer, or plublishing electronically (eg. Internet or CD)
4. Desktop Publishing
Software options, use of colour, black and white, use of graphics, putting it together, etc.
5. Illustration: Graphics
Line illustrations, cartoons, photos etc. Freehand work, Computer graphics, etc.
6. Illustration: Photography
Photographic Equipment & Materials; Composition; Development of Photographic Style Portraiture, Posing for Photographs, Planning a Photo Session, Studio Photography, Fault Finding, etc.
7. Researching
Types of Research (Exploratory, Experimental etc), Primary & Secondary Data sources, Planning a survey, Conducting an interview.
8. Marketing in Publishing
Understanding marketing & publicity -what makes a publication succeed or fail, launches, press releases, etc.
9. Publishing: Ethics & The Law
Public attitudes, accuracy of writing, bias, monopolies, media ownership concerns, etc.
10. Publishing Project
Here you actually publish something.

AIMS

• Describe the nature and scope of fiction writing.
• Determine the components of a fiction story, as the first step in planning a story.
• Determine a systematic approach to building a fiction story.
• Develop your capacity to conceive fiction stories.
• Develop your ability to write dramatic stories.
• Develop your ability to write fantasy
• Develop your ability to write short stories
• Develop your ability to plan for success in the writing of a novel.