Unit Outline

HEN318

Creative Writing: Professional Practice

Semester 1, 2025

Danielle Wood

School of Humanities

College of Arts, Law and Education

CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B

What is the Unit About?

Unit Description

This unit prepares student writers to submit works of creative writing for publication. Students draft, redraft and polish a major creative work while at the same time developing their knowledge of the contemporary publishing industry. Unit content focuses on understanding the creative process, improving work through reflection and rewriting, discovering opportunities for publication and following industry standards for layout, copy-editing and editorial polish. Both on campus and online students attend timetabled classes in this unit.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Draft and redraft a sustained work of creative writing
2	Edit written work to achieve precise meaning at sentence level.
3	Edit written work so that it accords with supplied industry guidelines.
4	Recognise the publication context of contemporary works of fiction and make discerning judgements, based on knowledge of the Australian literary culture, about possible opportunities to gain an audience for your work.

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	25 credit points at Introductory level or higher

Alterations as a result of student feedback

n/a

Teaching arrangements


ATTENDANCE MODE	TEACHING TYPE	LEARNING ACTIVITY	CONTACT HOURS	FREQUENCY
On Campus	Lecture (Online)	Online lectures comprise a range of learning materials including podcasts.	0.75	Weekly
On Campus	Workshop	All workshops in this unit are synchronous. Students enrolled in face to face mode attend workshops on campus.	2	Weekly
Online	Lecture (Online)	Online lectures comprise a range of learning materials including podcasts.	0.75	Weekly
Online	Workshop (Online)	All workshops in this unit are synchronous. Students enrolled in online mode attend workshops via Zoom.	2	Weekly

Attendance / engagement expectations

If your unit is offered On campus, it is expected that you will attend all on-campus and onsite learning activities. This is to support your own learning and the development of a learning community within the unit. If you are unable to attend regularly, please discuss the situation with your course coordinator and/or our UConnect support team.

If your unit is offered Online or includes online activities, it is expected you will engage in all those activities as indicated in the Unit Outline or MyLO, including any self-directed learning.

If you miss a learning activity for a legitimate reason (e.g., illness, carer responsibilities) teaching staff will attempt to provide alternative activities (e.g., make up readings) where it is possible.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Workshop tasks (500 words)	Week 3	15 %	LO3, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Critical Reflection	Week 8	40 %	LO1, LO2, LO3
Assessment Task 3:	Portfolio (3000 words)	Week 13	45 %	LO1, LO2, LO3

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Workshop tasks (500 words)

Task Description:

n/a

Task Length:

500 words

Due Date:

Week 3

Weight:

15 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Format and present supplied text according to the unit’s formatting and presentation guidelines.	LO4
2	Select a magazine to which you could submit the major work you produce in this unit and provide a rationale for your choice (150 words).	LO4
3	Select a writing prize to which you could submit the major work you produce in this unit and provide a rationale for your choice (150 words).	LO3

Assessment Task 2: Critical Reflection

Task Description:

n/a

Task Length:

1500 words

Due Date:

Week 8

Weight:

40 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Prepare a structural editing report for a developing work of fiction (supplied), including suggestions for that work’s improvement. (600 words)	LO2
2	Craft an artist’s statement for your own developing work of fiction. (300 words)	LO1, LO2
3	Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the current draft of your own developing work of fiction, including identifying how you plan to improve the work in a subsequent draft. (600 words)	LO1, LO2
4	Demonstrate precision in sentence-level writing.	LO2
5	Format your work according to supplied guidelines and apply editorial polish, paying attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation and consistent use of textual features.	LO3

Assessment Task 3: Portfolio (3000 words)

Task Description:

Portfolio

Task Length:

3000 words

Due Date:

Week 13

Weight:

45 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Craft an engaging and substantial work of creative writing in which the following are competently managed: point of view, voice, characterisation, setting and dialogue (if relevant).	LO1
2	Demonstrate precision in sentence-level writing.	LO2
3	Format your work according to supplied guidelines and apply editorial polish, paying attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation and consistent use of textual features.	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.

Review of results and appeals

You are entitled to ask for a review of the marking and grading of your assessment task if there is an irregularity in the marking standards or an error in the process for determining the outcome of an assessment. Details on how to request a review of a mark for an assignment are outlined in the Review and Appeal of Academic Decisions Procedure.