Creative Writing in English

Paper Code: 
CWE 161
Periods/week: 
5
Objective: 
  • To enhance understanding and skills of the art of creative writing and provide professional knowledge in order to develop the creative ability of those interested in short-story writing and/or to take up a professional career as a freelance writer. This programme also includes training in the form of a workshop on writing poetry and short story-writing and scripting for TV/Radio.
  • Methodology : Circulating drafts, handouts, etc.
     
4.00
Unit I: 
General Principles of Writing

Formulating ideas
The Role of Imagination
Lucidity and Directness
Grammar and Punctuation
Proofreading and Editing

12.00
Unit II: 
Unit II : Writing a Short Story

Choosing a Theme
Choosing the Plot, Character and Setting
Narration, Perspective and Point of View
Selection of Voice, Language and Style
Drafting, Revising and Editing

12.00
Unit III: 
Writing Poetry

Function and Role of Poetry
Main Forms of poetry
Poetic Devices : Imagery, Persona, Personification, Metaphor, etc.
Stanza forms, Rhythm and Rhyme, Diction, Blank Verse/Free Verse
Drafting, Revising and Editing

12.00
Unit IV: 
Writing for Radio/TV

Adapting for Audio-visual Media
Choosing a Theme
Development of Thought
Scriptwriting
Dialogue-writing (to be aired or telecast)
Drafting, revising and editing
 

SUGGESTED READINGS: 
  1. The Art of Fiction by John Gardener (Vintage, 1991)
  2. The Everything Creative Writing Book by Carol Whitely (Adams Media Corporation, 2002).
  3. The Short Story : An Introduction ed. By Wilfred Stone, 1976.
  4. Writing for Media by Ambrish Gupta.
  5. A Glossary of Literary Terms by M.H. Abrams
  6. Editing and Revising Texts by Jo Billingham (OUP, 2002).
  7. Prose and Poetry Appreciation by L.G. Alexander.
  8. Anatomy of Poetry (OUP).
  9. How to Write Film Screenplays by Nirmal Kumar Chawdhary.