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Writing Creative Non-Fiction
UndergraduateCUR-PWP3102023
Course information for 2023 intake View information for 2025 course intake
Enter genres including the memoir and the personal essay. Question where character, story and style intersect when writing creative non-fiction. Shape your own creative non-fiction piece. Draw on what you’ve learnt about the genre and its conventions.
Enrolments for this course are closed, but you may have other options to start studying now. Book a consultation to learn more.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Writing Creative Non-Fiction
About this subject
At the completion of this subject students will be able to:
- identify and describe the generic characteristics and conventions of creative non-fiction
- apply the generic characteristics and conventions of creative non-fiction to the design and creation of a new work of creative non-fiction
- critique and evaluate creative non-fiction texts, peer creative production and personal creative practice
- analyse the range of ethical and cross-cultural issues involved in writing creatively about real people.
- What is creative non-fiction?
- Storytelling elements in creative non-fiction
- Scene and summary at work
- Develop the personal essay
- Using research in creative non-fiction
- Writing memoir and the personal voice
- Writing about place and bringing settings to life
- Exploring our everyday surroundings
- Character and dialogue in creative non-fiction
- Why you write - stage development and growth consciousness
- Truth, ethics and privacy
Creative non-fiction is a hybrid of literature and non-fiction. It includes narrative non-fiction, memoir, personal essay and literary journalism, and combines the diligence of the journalist, the analysis of the essayist and the story telling techniques of the novelist. The genre encompasses a broad range of topics in which the narrative events and experiences are used to explore more complex themes and issues, and in which ethical and cross-cultural issues are addressed. In this subject, you will read and analyse works of creative non-fiction and write an original work of your own.
Please Note: If it’s your first time studying a Curtin University subject you’ll need to complete their compulsory ‘Academic Integrity Program’. It only takes two hours to complete online, and provides you with vital information about studying with Curtin University. The Academic Integrity Program is compulsory, so if it’s not completed your subject grades will be withheld.
Find out more about the Academic Integrity module.
- Proposal (20%)
- Short Form Creative Non-Fiction (30%)
- Major Creative Non-Fiction Project (50%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Prior study
You must either have successfully completed the following subject(s) before starting this subject, or currently be enrolled in the following subject(s) in a prior study period; or enrol in the following subject(s) to study prior to this subject:
one of
Please note that your enrolment in this subject is conditional on successful completion of these prerequisite subject(s). If you study the prerequisite subject(s) in the study period immediately prior to studying this subject, your result for the prerequisite subject(s) will not be finalised prior to the close of enrolment. In this situation, should you not complete your prerequisite subject(s) successfully you should not continue with your enrolment in this subject. If you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite subject(s) and believe you may not complete these all successfully, it is your responsibility to reschedule your study of this subject to give you time to re-attempt the prerequisite subject(s).
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Publishing)
UndergraduateCUR-PWP-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
UndergraduateCUR-CWP-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Digital and Social Media) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
UndergraduateCUR-ICP-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Professional Writing and Publishing) (Visual Culture)
UndergraduateCUR-PVC-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Fine Art) (Professional Writing and Publishing)
UndergraduateCUR-FAP-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (Digital and Social Media)
UndergraduateCUR-NET-DEG
Bachelor of Arts (English and Cultural Studies)
UndergraduateCUR-ENG-DEG
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