Key Fiction Writing Skills



Overview

Unlock your creative potential as this wide-ranging course introduces you to core storytelling techniques. Starting with strategies for maintaining your motivation and establishing a regular writing practice, you will move on to sourcing ideas and inspiration, building and staying in control of plot, developing rich characters and choosing the right point of view. You will learn how to write convincing dialogue and create setting and atmosphere. Advice about self-editing and pitching will help you choose the publishing pathway that’s right for you.

Class discussions and stimulating writing exercises will be combined with analysis of published extracts. You can discuss your aims and challenges during two individual tutorials you will have during the week.

This class is designed to encourage, support, inspire and inform you, helping you to develop your confidence as a writer as well as your technical skills.

This course is part of the Oxford University Summer School for Adults (OUSSA) programme.

Programme details

Seminars

Participants are taught in small seminar groups of up to 10 students, and receive two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor.

Sunday

Seminar 1: Course Introduction

Explore why you want to write and discover how to maintain your commitment and self-belief.

Seminar 2: Ideas
How to source them and how to draw on life experience for great stories.

Monday

Seminar 3: Cracking Openings
How to hook your reader and create the right expectations as your story gets underway. How to avoid pitfalls.

Seminar 4: Developing Plot 1
Considering different types of plot structure and how much you should plan ahead.

Tuesday

Seminar 5: Developing Plot 2
How to make story choices and create sub-plots. Exploring how these can enrich and sustain your story and add narrative momentum.

Seminar 6: Creating Character 1
How to use external attributes to convey a sense of personality.

Wednesday

Seminar 7:  Creating Character 2
Discussion of the various levels of characterisation within your story. Techniques for conveying the inner lives of characters.

Seminar 8:  Point of view
An in-depth discussion of how your choice of point of view affects the story and the reader’s involvement with it.

Thursday

Seminar 9: Dialogue

How to write believable conversations and how to use dialogue to reveal more than characters imagine they are revealing. How to structure, pace and present dialogue and how to avoid the pitfalls.

Seminar 10: Setting
Exploring how location can add meaning and atmosphere to your story. Using detail and sensory images to evoke a sense of place.

Friday

Seminar 11: Editing and Pitching
How to revise and polish your work, along with advice on how to create your submission package.

Seminar 12: Publishing Choices and Summing Up
Review what you have achieved during the week and take stock of your aims – where do you want to go from here?

Programme timetable

The daily timetable will normally be as follows:

Saturday

14.00–16.30 - Registration

16.30–17.00 - Orientation meeting

17.00–17.30 - Classroom orientation for tutor and students

17.30–18.00 - Drinks reception

18.00–20.00 - Welcome dinner

Sunday – Friday

09.00–10.30 - Seminar

10.30–11.00 - Tea/coffee break

11.00–12.30 - Seminar

12.30–13.30 - Lunch

13.30–18.00 - Afternoons are free for tutorials, individual study, course-related field trips or exploring the many places of interest in and around Oxford.

18.00–19.00 - Dinner (there is a formal gala dinner every Friday to close each week of the programme).

A range of optional social events will be offered throughout the summer school. These are likely to include: a quiz night, visit to historic pubs in Oxford, visit to Christ Church for Evensong and after-dinner talks and discussions.

Certification

Certificate of Attendance

All participants who complete the course will receive a physical Certificate of Attendance.

Academic credit

OUSSA is an accredited summer school taught at undergraduate level; each one-week course carries 10 CATS (Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme) points at FHEQ (Framework for Higher Education Qualification) Level 4.

CATS points will be awarded to students who attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment to the required standard. Please see the 'assessment methods' section below for more details.

Certificate of Higher Education

Credit (CATS points) earned from OUSSA can be transferred towards our flexible Certificate of Higher Education. This part-time, award-bearing course lets you decide what, how and where you study by gaining credit from short courses, including short online courses, in-person weekly classes and OUSSA.

For full details, including transfering credit gained from OUSSA to the programme, see our Certificate of Higher Education programme page.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee Option 1 (Single en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) £2205.00
Fee Option 2 (Double en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) 1 person £2310.00
Fee Option 3 (Twin en suite - inc. Tuition and Meals) per person £1850.00
Fee Option 4 (No Accommodation - inc. Tuition, Lunch & Dinner) £1375.00

Funding

Concessionary rates are available on a non-residential basis for those that qualify. 

The concessionary fee is for non-residential attendance only; participants will then be responsible for finding their own accommodation. See full details including eligibility.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis.

Please be aware that all payments made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Course change administration fee: Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances; however, in accordance with our Terms and Conditions, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.

Payment terms

  • If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking
  • If submitting an application form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date

Cancellations and refunds

Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check the terms and conditions carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Ms Lorna Fergusson - Tutor

Lorna Fergusson is a novelist, award-winning short story writer, literary consultant, editor and writing coach, who has taught on the OUSSA programme since 2002. Her websites are https://ww.fictionfire.co.uk and https://www.lornafergusson.com

Course aims

This course aims to help students clarify their intentions, acquire the skills they need to develop their craft and increase their confidence and sense of fulfilment through creating their writing practice.

Teaching methods

The teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions
  • Writing exercises and analysis of published passages

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be expected to understand:

  • Their creative motivation and intentions
  • How to make use of a variety of writing techniques
  • How to analyse and debate aspects of style and approach in fiction, both in their own work and in the work of others
  • How to revise and present their work professionally
  • How the modern publishing world works
     

Assessment methods

Participants are required to undertake preparatory reading and complete a pre-course assignment of 1,500 words. Although this does not count towards credit, it is seen as an important way of developing your ideas and is mandatory. The pre-course assignment is typically due in the first week of June.

You will be assessed during the summer school by either a 1,000 word written assignment or a presentation supported by individual documentation. To successfully gain credit (10 CATS points) students should attend all classes and complete the on-course assignment.

Participants will attend two one-on-one tutorials with their tutor during the week.

Please see the 'certification' section for more details about CATS points.

Application

Most courses fill quickly so early registration is strongly recommended. If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Please note, the programme is only open to those over the age of 18.

Online enrolment (single person accommodation and non-residential)

Single accommodation, double room for 1 person and non-residential places should be booked online by clicking on the 'Book now' button at the top of this page.

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Enrolment form (multi-occupancy or accessible accommodation)

Those requiring twin, double or accessible accommodation (including ground/lower floor accommodation) should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked or requested online. 

Please send the completed enrolment form to the email address below. Both the PDF and Word option of the form below are editable, so you can complete them online before saving and sending to us as an email attachment. You do not need to print and scan them. (Please use these forms only if you are making a twin or double booking for two people.)

Those who have specific requirements (eg an accessible bedroom) should contact the Programme Administrator directly at oussa@conted.ox.ac.uk or OUSSA, Oxford University Department for Continuing Education, 1 Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JA, UK.

Accommodation

Residential options are outlined below.

Please see the 'application' section above for guidance on how to book or request the right accommodation for you.

Residential option

This includes accommodation and all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner). 

View full details of Rewley House accommodation.

Non-residential option

We also offer places on a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have meals (lunch and dinner) at Rewley House, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support