KWB118 Genre Writing and Storytelling
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | KWB118 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $2,124 |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | $996 The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,356 |
| International unit fee | $4,668 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | KWB118 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Coordinator: | Rohan Wilson | rohan.wilson@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit surveys current trends in genre writing and popular fiction with a focus on essential storytelling techniques. You will look in detail at the biggest genres in publishing, including romance, science fiction, fantasy, and crime writing, gaining insight into the traditions, parameters, and possibilities of each. The unit will develop your understanding of genre theory through an investigation of the social and political underpinnings of key genres, and through the practical application of these ideas and perspectives in your own writing. You will develop a piece of writing that makes use of the techniques of your chosen genre and that reflects the appropriate concerns and themes. The unit aims to develop your critical understanding of your approach to the writing life.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Define and describe your chosen genre.
- Critically understand the social and political contexts of your chosen genre.
- Critically understand and describe your own writing praxis.
- Produce an original work within your chosen genre.
Content
This unit includes content that will address the specific thematic concerns of the relevant genres. It also includes focused writing exercises that will enhance the skills needed to develop, research, and write a genre text.
Learning Approaches
Through a combination of lectures and tutorials, with online writing activities, you will be encouraged to develop your writing. There is an emphasis in this unit on formative as well as summative assessment/evaluation. This is achieved via weekly writing activities, feedback from your tutor, as well as by participation in small peer editorial groups.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- formative feedback on your progress in this unit during tutorials and discussions throughout the semester
- comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets
- criteria sheet grading
Assessment
Overview
The assessment in this unit consists of three pieces of work. The first is a synopsis for a creative work in your chosen genre. The second is a reflective/critical essay that investigates the literary context for your proposed creative work. The reflective/critical essay is designed to measure how well you critically understand a professional writer’s writing praxis, critically understand your own writing praxis and produce a portion of an original work. The creative work is designed to measure how well you understand and engage with your chosen genre and your ability to produce a portion of an original work.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Synopsis
Write a 200 word synopsis that outlines a novel-length work of fiction in your chosen genre. This synopsis will provide a template for assessment item 3.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Reflective/critical essay
An exegetical essay detailing your creative and critical influences. You will read deeply into your chosen genre, analyse its key components, and consider how you will respond to it in your creative work. This essay will help prepare your major creative work in the unit.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Creative Work
1500-2000 word opening chapter of a novel in the proposed genre/subgenre, with the option to design a digital book cover that reflects your story. Once completed, this assessment will provide students with everything they need to begin sharing their work on digital publishing sites such as Wattpad.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extension.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Requirements
All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement)
Resources
Required resources for this unit will be provided via QUT Readings.
Risk Assessment Statement
For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Creative writing often explores a wide range of topics and themes, some of which may touch upon sensitive or triggering subjects. While we believe in the power of storytelling and self-expression, we also want to prioritize your emotional well-being. Please be aware that this course may contain content that could potentially trigger or upset individuals. These triggering topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Sexual assault or violence
- Self-harm or suicide
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Eating disorders or body dysmorphia
- Mental health conditions or trauma
- Racism, discrimination, or hate speech
- Religious or political extremism
- Domestic or child abuse
- Loss or grief
- War or conflict
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.CA01 Bachelor of Creative Arts
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO2, Creative Work - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate technical proficiency and a knowledge of contemporary digital practices and technologies in one or more disciplines and apply these in creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO2, Creative Work
KK34 Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO2 - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2 - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4 - Demonstrate technical proficiency in at least one area of your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1 - Discern, critically analyse and synthesise knowledge in complex creative practice settings.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4 - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through reflection and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4
KK43 Bachelor of Creative Industries
- Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and practical knowledge required for creative enterprise, career development and interdisciplinary collaborations, supported by depth in at least one creative disciplinary area.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate well-developed cognitive and ideation skills to identify, analyse and evaluate opportunities to address authentic complex problems.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate technical expertise to support skills and knowledge within the Creative Industries.
Relates to: ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Communicate effectively in a range of forms across multiple media modes, for sharing and disseminating knowledge, skills and ideas, and collaborative practice and navigation of social networks.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Apply and adapt creative disciplinary knowledge and skills with agility in a range of industry, community and intercultural contexts.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Embody social and ethical responsibilities and exhibit well-developed judgement with resilience, integrity, curiosity and responsibility.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2025, Online
| Unit code: | KWB118 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
Overview
This unit surveys current trends in genre writing and popular fiction with a focus on essential storytelling techniques. You will look in detail at the biggest genres in publishing, including romance, science fiction, fantasy, and crime writing, gaining insight into the traditions, parameters, and possibilities of each. The unit will develop your understanding of genre theory through an investigation of the social and political underpinnings of key genres, and through the practical application of these ideas and perspectives in your own writing. You will develop a piece of writing that makes use of the techniques of your chosen genre and that reflects the appropriate concerns and themes. The unit aims to develop your critical understanding of your approach to the writing life.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Define and describe your chosen genre.
- Critically understand the social and political contexts of your chosen genre.
- Critically understand and describe your own writing praxis.
- Produce an original work within your chosen genre.
Content
This unit includes content that will address the specific thematic concerns of the relevant genres. It also includes focused writing exercises that will enhance the skills needed to develop, research, and write a genre text.
Learning Approaches
Through a combination of lectures and tutorials, with online writing activities, you will be encouraged to develop your writing. There is an emphasis in this unit on formative as well as summative assessment/evaluation. This is achieved via weekly writing activities, feedback from your tutor, as well as by participation in small peer editorial groups.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Feedback in this unit is provided to you in the following ways:
- formative feedback on your progress in this unit during tutorials and discussions throughout the semester
- comments on summative assessment work in addition to criteria sheets
- criteria sheet grading
Assessment
Overview
The assessment in this unit consists of three pieces of work. The first is a synopsis for a creative work in your chosen genre. The second is a reflective/critical essay that investigates the literary context for your proposed creative work. The reflective/critical essay is designed to measure how well you critically understand a professional writer’s writing praxis, critically understand your own writing praxis and produce a portion of an original work. The creative work is designed to measure how well you understand and engage with your chosen genre and your ability to produce a portion of an original work.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Synopsis
Write a 200 word synopsis that outlines a novel-length work of fiction in your chosen genre. This synopsis will provide a template for assessment item 3.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Reflective/critical essay
An exegetical essay detailing your creative and critical influences. You will read deeply into your chosen genre, analyse its key components, and consider how you will respond to it in your creative work. This essay will help prepare your major creative work in the unit.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Creative Work
1500-2000 word opening chapter of a novel in the proposed genre/subgenre, with the option to design a digital book cover that reflects your story. Once completed, this assessment will provide students with everything they need to begin sharing their work on digital publishing sites such as Wattpad.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extension.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.
The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Requirements to Study
Requirements
All students are requested to visit and review the Health and Safety information on the HiQ web pages (CIESJ Tier 1 HSE requirement)
Resources
Required resources for this unit will be provided via QUT Readings.
Risk Assessment Statement
For risks associated with using campus buildings or QUT facilities, refer to the HiQ Health and Safety information.
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.
Creative writing often explores a wide range of topics and themes, some of which may touch upon sensitive or triggering subjects. While we believe in the power of storytelling and self-expression, we also want to prioritize your emotional well-being. Please be aware that this course may contain content that could potentially trigger or upset individuals. These triggering topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Sexual assault or violence
- Self-harm or suicide
- Substance abuse or addiction
- Eating disorders or body dysmorphia
- Mental health conditions or trauma
- Racism, discrimination, or hate speech
- Religious or political extremism
- Domestic or child abuse
- Loss or grief
- War or conflict
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.CA01 Bachelor of Creative Arts
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO2, Creative Work - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate technical proficiency and a knowledge of contemporary digital practices and technologies in one or more disciplines and apply these in creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay - Discern, critically analyse, and synthesise knowledge in complex creative and critical settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through contextual research, reflection, and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate respect for cultural and social differences, sustainability, and work with integrity across all practice and professional settings.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Operate with initiative, ethical judgement and professionalism, both alone and in groups.
Relates to: ULO2, Creative Work
KK34 Bachelor of Fine Arts
- Cite and discuss a broad and coherent knowledge of historical and contemporary cultural contexts for creative practice, including the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
Relates to: ULO2 - Identify and demonstrate knowledge of the techniques and concepts underpinning your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2 - Demonstrate complex problem solving through iterative experimentation and the creative and critical development of ideas and outcomes.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, ULO4 - Demonstrate technical proficiency in at least one area of your field of creative practice.
Relates to: ULO1 - Discern, critically analyse and synthesise knowledge in complex creative practice settings.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4 - Formulate and apply an independent perspective through reflection and by acting on the informed critique of others.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4
KK43 Bachelor of Creative Industries
- Demonstrate broad and coherent theoretical and practical knowledge required for creative enterprise, career development and interdisciplinary collaborations, supported by depth in at least one creative disciplinary area.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate well-developed cognitive and ideation skills to identify, analyse and evaluate opportunities to address authentic complex problems.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO3, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Demonstrate technical expertise to support skills and knowledge within the Creative Industries.
Relates to: ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Communicate effectively in a range of forms across multiple media modes, for sharing and disseminating knowledge, skills and ideas, and collaborative practice and navigation of social networks.
Relates to: ULO1, ULO2, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Apply and adapt creative disciplinary knowledge and skills with agility in a range of industry, community and intercultural contexts.
Relates to: ULO3, ULO4, Synopsis, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work - Embody social and ethical responsibilities and exhibit well-developed judgement with resilience, integrity, curiosity and responsibility.
Relates to: ULO2, ULO3, Reflective/critical essay, Creative Work