Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Writing for young adults

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term1 2008

Course Code: COMM5413

Course Title: Refine writing and editing techniques - Writing for young adults

School: 345T Creative Media

Campus: City Campus

Program: C5181 - Diploma of Professional Writing and Editing

Course Contact : Mr Brendan Lee

Course Contact Phone: 9925 4368

Course Contact Email:Brendan.lee@rmit.edu.au

Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

 Clare Renner
Building 94, level 2, room 6
23–27 Cardigan Street, South Carlton
9925 4047 (phone); 9925 4362 (fax)

clare.renner@rmit.edu.au

Nominal Hours: 85

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

At RMIT, Refine Writing and Editing –Writing for YA is delivered and assessed along with the following competencies.

•CUVCOR04A - Originate concept for own work and conduct critical discourse
•CUVCOR13A - Research and critically analyse history and theory to inform artistic practice
•CUECOR01B - Manage own work and learning
•CUSADM03A - Manage a project
•CUVDES05A - Interpret and respond to a brief
•CUSRAD02A - Conduct research

Through the development of these competencies, you gain the skills needed to manage your work and learning while responding to a project brief. You research the work of other writers and publishers and apply your findings to your own project through the development of a concept into a written work.

Course Description

This course covers the knowledge and skills required to write for young adults. You analyse and discuss a broad range of fiction and non-fiction writing for this audience while developing a concept for your own project. You also experiment with writing and editing techniques in order to write a work that meets the particular needs of a young adult readership.

National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VBP553 Refine writing and editing techniques - Writing for young adults

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course, you will be able to develop a concept into a written work for young adult readership

Details of Learning Activities

• lectures
• demonstrations
• guest lecturers
• peer teaching and class presentations
• exercises
• discussion
• group activities/projects
• workshopping
• field trips

Related independent learning:

•    research
•    reading
•    discussion and comment via the class website, Blackboard
•    assignment/project work

Teaching Schedule

Week
1	Orientation Week.
2	Introduction to the course. Explanation of the year’s work.
3	The concept of Young Adulthood - reality or marketing myth. Initial writing exercises.
4	Who writes, Why do they write, What do they write about? What interests teenagers - researching your market.
5	Beginning! - Ideas and inspiration.
6	Characters  - where do they come from?
7	Plotting your novel
8	Writing short stories for Young Adults.  Picture books for Young Adults.
9	Whole class workshopping
10	The plot thickens....  Old story - new design. Exploring different design techniques
11	Who’s telling your story? Exploration of voice
12	Point of View - does it make a difference
13	YA genre fiction
14	Whole class workshopping
15	Keeping it real - or not? How do we use real life experience. (First 5,000 word assessment due)
`16	Character development Secondary characters - what are they doing?
17	Guest Speaker
18	Review of the semester and discussion of work covered in semester 2
19	Descriptive writing – Mood, Emotion, Atmosphere. Can your readers cope?
20	Guest speaker
21	Writing convincing dialogue
22	Writing Non-fiction
23	Whole class workshopping
24	Conflict, opposition and suspense.
25	Reviewing YA fiction
26	The popularity of speculative fiction
27	Interior monologues - how to use them effectively
28	Whole class workshopping
29	Chapter outlines - how useful are they?
30	The drafting process  - When is enough really enough?
31	Submitting a proposal
32	Whole class workshopping
33	Mainstream v series fiction – How popular do you want to be? (Second 5,000 word   assessment piece due)
34	Pitch to Publishers
35	Melbourne Cup Day
36	Review of the year’s work

Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts

References

Other Resources

Extracts, readings and additional references are provided throughout the course. In addition to hard copy handouts, some readings are made available on the class website, Blackboard, and others can be accessed via the web.

Recommended books will be discussed in class.

Overview of Assessment

Assessment for this course is ongoing throughout the semester. Your knowledge and understanding of course content is assessed through participation in class exercises, oral presentations and through the application of learned skills and insights to your writing tasks.

Assessment Tasks

1. Students are to submit the first 5,000 words of a novel suitable for a Young Adult readership. The submission should include a synopsis of the plot
     Due May 27. (35%)

2. Students are to submit the second 5,000 words of a novel suitable for a Young Adult readership. The submission should include a chapter outline.
     Due October  21. (40%)

2. Book Review
    Students are required to give a 5 minute oral review of a YA novel. Students will commit to a date for the review in the first class. (5%)

3. Class Paper
      Students are required to give a 15 minute class paper on a subject of their choice. The subject should be related to Young Adult literature and students are asked to let the lecturer know the topic they have chosen 
      at least a week before the presentation is due. Students are required to hand in the written notes from their talk with all sources acknowledged. Students will commit to a date for the review in the first class.(10%)

5. Class exercises and workshopping. (10%)
    

Assessment Matrix

Course Overview: Access Course Overview