Critical Friends: The Real and Virtual Support of Writers
PostgraduateSWI-PWR600012025
Explore the role of a support network in a writer's creative development.Wrestle with the conventions of plot, theme and character. Expose yourself for peer review. Develop feedback for others. Push your work closer to being publication-ready.
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- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Start dates
- 3 Mar 2025
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Critical Friends: The Real and Virtual Support of Writers
About this subject
After successfully completing this subject, students will be able to:
- Identify and critically apply the conventions, methodologies, and techniques needed for professionally critiquing pieces of writing
- Demonstrate practical skills in evaluating and diagnosing the strengths and weaknesses in their writing and writing practice and in the work and practice of others, and be able to hypothesise solutions to these weaknesses
- Plan, research, and produce a report/document that reflects upon and evaluates the challenges and strengths of a piece of writing.
- What is a critical friend?
- Critical friendship in the writing industry, in business, and in academic practice
- The essential elements of writing, including plot, character, setting etc
- Models of genres and forms of writing and how these work with the idea of critical friendship
- Critical and cultural theories and using these to enrich writing
- Developing peer feedback and self-editing skills
This subject focuses on the acquisition of a specific set of skills that writers need before their writing is ready for publication. It achieves this by introducing students to the essential elements of the writing craft, such as plot, setting, character etc. This subject also gives learners the opportunity to develop and apply the skills of critiquing and editing in a collaborative online environment. It explores how 'critical friends' can enrich others' writing ability and further their own insights into the processes of writing.
Please note: assessment values are indicative only, details will be advised at the start of the subject.
- Assignments (60-70%)
- Online Discussion (30-40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
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Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Elective
- OUA-PSU-GCE-2025 - Postgraduate Single Subjects
Equivalent subjects
You should not enrol in this subject if you have successfully completed any of the following subject(s) because they are considered academically equivalent:
SWI-LPW500 (Not currently available)
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.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
PostgraduateOUA-PSU-GCE