CRWR 3002 - The Art of the Novel

The course introduces students to writing a novel against a background of the form's historical development and range of contemporary possibilities. Students will investigate the novel in its contemporary forms and consider the legacies of past literary, artistic, and cultural movements on current modes of composition. In doing so, students will learn to define and situate their work within the broader critical and cultural context in which it circulates. Throughout the course, students will close read and analyse several innovative works of contemporary fiction. They will examine aspects of form such as narration, point of view, time, character, consciousness, style, voice, and the relationship between fiction and non-fiction to practice making more critically informed creative decisions. Students will craft the opening of a novel, learn how to prepare a manuscript submission/proposal, and learn how to present their work to an academic or industry gatekeeper.