Start Writing Fiction
I recently completed the Start Writing Fiction course offered by The Open University, with thanks to FutureLearn for providing access via their online learning platform.
It’s great for anyone interested in writing or becoming a writer; providing a solid foundation in the fundamental elements of fiction writing – from character development to plot construction, editing and more. The learning material was delivered in a variety of ways that kept me engaged throughout the eight-week course, including video, audio and text. We learned from established writers like Louis de Bernières, Patricia Duncker, Alex Garland, Abdulrazak Gurnah, Tim Pears, Michèle Roberts and Monique Roffey. They described how they became writers, as well as, the different ways in which they approached certain aspects of writing, such as characterization, research and rituals.
The quizzes, at different stages of the course, emphasized how much I’d learned while also highlighting the areas I needed to review further to understand better. There were several peer-reviewed tasks, varying in length and complexity, aimed at consolidating the techniques and theories learned. Some people might shy away from peer reviews or actively avoid them (either receiving or giving) for fear of negative or hurtful comments. However, I found this to be not the case. All of the learners on the course were respectful and honest. There was a shared sense of community and a sincerity to help one another which was great to see. There were also helpful guidelines explaining the do’s and don’t’s of peer reviewing, so any comments received often offered an insightful, fresh perspective, or at worst, a thought-provoking opinion. This was a great way to learn, not only by finding out what readers liked and disliked about my writing, but it also highlighted the importance of reading like a writer; to develop a critical eye for narrative techniques, which I could then apply to my own writing.
The course is free to enrol and available to everyone; you don’t need any previous writing experience or qualifications. You can also complete the course content at your own pace and in your own time, fitting it in around your other responsibilities and commitments. The suggested study time is three hours per week, although, you get out of it as much as you put in. So, you can easily spend more than three hours per week, especially when you’re required to complete the writing exercises. Bear in mind also, that you will lose access to the course after the final week unless you pay for the subscription service. Therefore, I’d recommend blocking out some time each week to dedicate to this course, so you don’t fall behind and miss out on finishing it.
The final part of the course was to submit a 1000-word short story to be assessed by one or more of the fellow learners. You’ll also need to review someone else’s short story. The structure of the course and learning content is cleverly designed to ease you into the final assignment. You would have already worked on creating a new character, researching, trying different approaches to describing characters, using familiar words in unusual ways, challenging stereotypes, editing and more. So, the final assignment is an extension of your notes and characters you’d written so far. Nonetheless, to begin with, I found the final assignment daunting – how do you write an engaging, intriguing story with well-developed characters in 1000 words? After an unsuccessful first attempt, I quickly leaned back on the strategies I’d learned during the course. And when I did, to my surprise, I was able to overcome the initial obstacles with ease. My creative juices flowed and I was able to write, edit and proofread my story all in good time.
Read my final assignment: The Sins of Love.
I thoroughly enjoyed completing this course and would highly recommend it if you’re an aspiring writer. Click on these links to find out more about Start Writing Fiction, The Open University and FutureLearn.
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