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Writing Crime and Contemporary Romance
UndergraduateGRF-CWR2112025
Go populist and examine two of fiction’s most beloved genres. Stroll through the history of crime and romance. Investigate noir detective fiction. Dip into chick lit and lad fic. Put pen to paper and produce writing to fit into one of these genres.
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 6 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 14 July 2025
- Price from
- $2,124
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Writing Crime and Contemporary Romance
About this subject
At the completion of this subject you will be able to:
- recognise and critically examine the relationship between popular culture and the production of popular fiction genres
- understand significant aspects of research, drafting and editing necessary for creative responses in popular fiction
- demonstrate understanding of the history and influence of literary traditions on popular fiction genres
- demonstrate rigourous standards of scholarship
- demonstrate strong ability in being creative and innovative
- identify and put theoretical knowledge of popular fiction genres into action in a range of modes.
- Introduction: what is popular culture and how does it relate to the creation of of popular fiction?
- Introduction to the popular fiction genres of crime and contemporary romance
- Case studies 1: an analysis of two popular fiction texts and their relationship to historical tradition and contemporary popular culture
- Crime module 1: hardboiled and noir. The development of the detective novel and the infleunce of film noir
- Crime module 2: writing crime. Techniques, genre specifications, and audience expectations
- Contemporary romance module 1: chick lit and lad fic. The development of the contemporary romance novel
- Contemporary romance module 2: writing chick lit and lad fic. Techniques, genre specifications and audience expectations
- Crime module 3: the rise of the anti-hero, the dick is the crim, the dick is a chick, the criminal as hero
- Contemporary fiction: the role of the familial in contemporary popular fiction narratives
- The popular fiction writer's boot camp: drafting, editing and refining popular fiction
- Contemporary romance module 3: departures and subversion. Innovation in the chick lit and lad fic genre framework
- Crime module 4: departures and innovations. The emergence of neo-noir and post-noir formats and the rise of the blended genre form rise of the blend
Running with the idea that the distance between pleasure and pain is never too far in popular culture narratives, this subject examines two highly successful popular fiction genres: Crime Fiction and Chick Literature/Lad Fiction.
Students will be asked to examine historical and artistic developments in these two genres, consider popular culture theory and develop practical techniques in order to produce a folio of original creative and analytical work. The folio consists of two stories written in either genre utilising different perspectives and techniques, and a critical analysis of a popular culture product.
- Online Discussion (20%)
- Portfolio 1 (40%)
- Portfolio 2 (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Prior study
To help set you up for success before you start this subject, we suggest completing or having equivalent knowledge in:
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
UndergraduateGRF-ART-DEG
UndergraduateGRF-COM-DEG
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