Module: CWR5100-20 Sudden Prose

Level: 5

Credit Value: 20

Module Tutor: Carrie Etter

Module Tutor Contact Details: C.Etter@bathspa.ac.uk

1. Brief description and aims of module:

This module introduces students to the prose poem and short-short story, partly through the forms themselves and partly through comparing them with lineated poetry and the short story, respectively. Thus the module not only teaches you these “sudden prose” genres but also strengthens your understanding of lineated poetry and short fiction more generally.

2. Outline syllabus

Introduction to the Module

• Prose poetry

• Introduction to the form

• Some important practitioners: Russell Edson, Gary Young, Killarney Clary,

• Nin Andrews

• Humour and the surreal in prose poetry

• Revision techniques

• Prose poetry in the literary marketplace

Short-short fiction

• Introduction to the form

• Some important practitioners: Dave Eggers, Raymond Carver, Diane

• Williams, Barry Yourgrau

• Humour and the surreal in the short-short story

• Revision techniques

• Short-short fiction in the literary marketplace

3. Teaching and learning activities:

You will attend seminar-workshop sessions divided as appropriate between discussion of texts or themes presented by the tutor and practical workshop attention to each other’s work. Small-group or pair or blind-criticism techniques will be used to develop a discipline of criticism and self-criticism in a supportive setting appropriate to each student’s needs in developing their work.

Assessment Item 1:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Portfolio of writing, assessed on both final quality and development (3500 words)

• % Weighting: 70%

Assessment Item 2:

• Assessment Type: Course Work

• Description: Reading Quizzes (1500 words equivalent)

• % Weighting: 30%