Creative Writing Courses
Assessment Testing
Assessment Testing may be required for registration in some or all of the courses listed below.
CRWR 1101 Introduction to Writing Poetry (3 credits)
This course concentrates on the process of writing poetry. Students will draw from their individual experiences to create poems that are clear, arresting and well-crafted. Students will develop an ear for the musicality and resonance of language, a clear sense of image, and a consideration of audience. Poems written by students will be read and discussed by the instructor and students in a workshop.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer GuidePrerequisite: See Writing Assessment Information
Workshop: 4
Offered: Fall, Winter and Summer
CRWR 1102 Introduction to Writing Plays (3 credits)
This course concentrates exclusively on the process of writing stage plays. It includes instruction in play mechanics, dramatic structure, character development, action and dialogue. Students are introduced to stage plays through the study of plays produced by the Douglas College Theatre Department as well as various other texts. Student work is presented and discussed by the instructor and students in a workshop environment.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer GuidePrerequisite: See Writing Assessment Information
Workshop: 4
Offered: Fall and Winter
CRWR 1103 Introduction to Writing Fiction (3 credits)
This course concentrates exclusively on the process of writing fiction. It includes instruction in character development, plot, structure and other aspects of craft. A range of narrative styles will be discussed through a study of various fiction texts. Fiction produced by the students will be read and discussed by the instructor and students in a workshop environment.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer GuidePrerequisite: See Writing Assessment Information
Workshop: 4
Offered: Fall, Winter and Summer
CRWR 1104 Introduction to Writing Children's Literature (3 credits)
This course concentrates on writing for children and young adults. It includes instruction in writing fiction and non-fiction in a variety of forms, with emphasis on appropriate structures and styles for various age groups, and how to create convincing and appealing characters. While students will read published works of children's literature, the emphasis is on student work, which is discussed in a workshop.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisite: Douglas College Writing Assessment or equivalent
Corequisite: ENGL 1112 recommended
Workshop: 4
Offered: Fall or Winter
CRWR 1105 Introduction to Historical Fiction Writing (3 credits)
This course introduces students to the writing of historical fiction. Using material from historical sources, students will learn how to create dramatic scenes that reveal character and develop plot. A range of narrative styles will be discussed through the study of various texts. Students will write short stories and the opening chapters of novels, which will then be read and discussed by the instructor and students in a workshop environment.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisite: See Writing Asessment Information
Workshop: 4
Offered: Summer
CRWR 1202 Personal Narrative (3 credits)
This course concentrates on writing based on personal experience. Students develop an awareness of both self and the creative process by shaping biographical material into readable narratives. Instruction in a workshop format will focus on techniques needed to produce such creative forms as creative non-fiction, fiction and poetry.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisite: See Writing Assessment Information
Workshop: 4
Offered: Fall, Winter and Summer
CRWR 2200 Writing for Film (3 credits)
Screenwriting, more than any other form of creative writing, is both artistic and technical. It requires a flair for dialogue, a familiarity with the film media and an ability to work with life experience in a visual way. In this course, students will study the art of writing dialogue, as well as the technique of structuring film scripts. The course will focus on the writing of concepts, outlines, treatments and scenes. The goal of this course is to write scripts with literary integrity. The emphasis in the course will be on the student work which will be discussed in a workshop.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisite: One of Creative Writing 1102, 1202 or 1103 plus satisfactory result on College Writing Assessment or substitution/equivalent as stated in College Calendar.
Workshop: 4
Offered: Winter
CRWR 2201 Advanced Poetry Writing (3 credits)
This course concentrates on writing poems, on developing an individual's voice and craft in these poems and on deepening the understanding of prosody. It includes instruction in writing poetry and developing one's own style, while exposing students to a variety of poetic forms and devices. The student is expected to master certain forms; these forms and other poems will be read and discussed by the instructor and students in a workshop format. It is recommended, but not required, that students enrol in English 1114 (Studies in Poetry) before or while taking CRWR 2201.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisite: A grade of B in CRWR 1101 plus satisfactory result on College Writing Assessment or substitution/equivalent as stated in College Calendar, or permission of instructor.
Workshop: 4
Offered: Winter
CRWR 2202 Memoir Writing (3 credits)
This advanced workshop-based course concentrates on the process of writing memoirs. It is a second-level course designed primarily for students who have taken CRWR 1202 (Personal Narrative) and wish to further explore their creative writing in this genre. Students will craft and shape an extended narrative built on significant episodes and themes from their personal experience. Each student will be required to write several chapters of a memoir during the course. By reading and discussing contemporary texts, students will also be introduced to a wide array of narrative approaches and techniques used in memoir writing, particularly those related to form and structure.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisite: A grade of B in CRWR 1202 plus satisfactory result in College Writing Assessment, or equivalent, or permission of instructor.
Workshop: 4
Offered: Winter
CRWR 2350 Writing Short Fiction (3 credits)
This course concentrates solely on the process of writing short fiction. It includes instruction in the methods of beginning, sustaining, closing, revising and evaluating a short story. The student is introduced to a wide range of narrative approaches and techniques through the study of both traditional and contemporary texts.
To find out where this course transfers, check the BC Transfer Guide.
Prerequisites: A "B" in CRWR 1103 or permission of instructor plus satisfactory result on college Writing Assessment or substitution/equivalent
Workshop: 4
Offered: Winter