Introduction to Writing Fiction

Launch your creative writing career with the University of Lincoln

Are you a budding writer planning your first prose fiction project? Do you want to get feedback from peers and guidance from a published novelist?

This four-week course from the University of Lincoln provides a comprehensive introduction to the art of writing fiction. From crafting captivating sentences to rounding out characters and describing settings, you’ll gain the toolkit you need to launch your writing career.

Hone your creative writing and editing skills

Throughout the course, you’ll expand your writing and editing skills. You’ll try hands-on exercises and get feedback from peers, which will help you hone your writing practice.

In Week 1, you’ll learn how to construct intricate sentences and develop your own style. Then, in Week 4 you’ll examine methods for refining that style through rigorous editing. You’ll learn how to polish your prose in preparation for publication.

Master the fundamentals of setting and characterisation

Weeks 2 and 3 of the course will focus on two of the most essential considerations of fiction: characterisation and setting.

You’ll learn how to craft compelling characters, relationships, and character arcs, as well as how to bring places vividly to life. You’ll explore the role that character and setting play in the ‘worldmaking’ of fiction.

Get tips and guidance from a published writer

Throughout the course, you’ll gain expert guidance from Dr Amy Lilwall, a published novelist and creative writing lecturer. She’ll share the tools and tips you need to begin writing professionally.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the confidence and training you need to pitch your own work to publishers.

This course is designed for budding writers of prose fiction in all its forms: flash, the short story, the novella, and the novel. It will also be useful for anyone interested in improving their writing skills or preparing for a university course in creative writing.

An interest in writing and some knowledge of English grammar are essential for this course.

• Crafting Sentences
• Welcome & Course Overview
• Let's get writing!
• Understanding Word Functions
• Dynamic Sentences
• Identifying Your Style
• Summary of WEEK 1
• Constructing Character
• WEEK 2 Overview
• Basic Approaches to Characterisation
• The Psychology of Character
• Mobilising Characters
• Over to you!
• Summary of WEEK 2
• Understanding Setting
• WEEK 3 Overview
• Setting and Worldbuilding
• Sensory Exploration
• Using Detail to Evoke Setting
• Bringing it all Together
• Summary of WEEK 3
• Editing
• WEEK 4 Overview
• The First Full Draft
• Polishing Your Writing
• Final Draft
• Summary of WEEK 4
• Your Next Steps as a Writer