Prof. Aidan Fadden (writing as Aidan Conway:
https://www.aidanconway.net/) CW357
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General Focus
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Discussion
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In Class /Activity
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The Writing Process and technique
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Reading Homework
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Writing Homework
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Notes and Assignment deadlines
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Week One: 1 (n.b.schedule is subject to change)
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Orientation, introduction to the course; what is Crime Fiction (CF)?
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What fiction across the crime genres and sub-genres have you read?
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Questionnaire on reading and writing habits
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Writing in a particular genre; short story/novel/novella
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Pdf tba on Moodle: origins and ‘blueprint’ of CF. A short story.
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Write a review of a favourite novel
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Poe, Doyle,
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The CF blueprint, genres, overview of evolution of the form; limits and possibilities
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Favourite CF protagonists: Holmes, Marple, Marlow, Rebus, Scarpetta…
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Placing extracts in the genres; openings; describing a murder or serious crime
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Knowing the conventions
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Novel and Story openings: key differences
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A critique and analysis /
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Keating
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Week 2
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Key elements of Story: The Detective, The PI, the Hero. Empathy and integrity. Humanity versus heroism, brilliance. Flaws and needs.
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The persistence of archetypes; avoiding stereotypes; inclusivity and gender, race, class
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Building a main character - finding your Holmes, Marlow, Scarpetta etc. Variations on the archetype
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Writing from experience and research; team write a character; individual brainstorm
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Introduction to great protagonists: Philip Marlow; Harry Bosch; Jack Reacher
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Sketching out some ideas for a protagonist: biographical info, social class, job, likes, dislikes etc. Status, personal life
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McKee/Connelly/Child
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Characterisation and character; loner and knight errant; mavericks and outsiders
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Class feedback on character profiles
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Presenting your protagonist in a scene: crime scene, domestic, other
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The writing notebook; ideas are everywhere; drawing on your surroundings, the quotidian; daily word count
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McKee on Character; Ross McDonald; Lee Child’s Reacher Novels
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Develop a story idea for your protagonist with a crime at its centre / A premise for a novel
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Ross McDonald: Lew Archer; film adaptation
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WEEK 3
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Sidekicks and partners; Holmes and Watson as archetype, model and stereotype
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Does your protagonist need a partner? What about a team?
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A scene with protagonist and partner; a superior, a boss, a suspect, a rival
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Beats and scenes; Dialogue and action for character
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A contemporary short story: Lehane
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Develop a story with a crime at its centre / A premise for a novel
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TV: True Detective S1E1; Scooby Doo; Mick Herron’s Slow Horses
First 1000 word draft of first story idea or chapter is due
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Setting and Premise. Where to place the action and protagonist. Series and Standalone; place as character
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USA v. Europe. City v. Small Town. How contemporary should it be?
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Location; duration; period; level of conflict. Draft a setting for your protagonist; work on MS feedback
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Research and knowledge - limitations and possibilities
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Philip Kerr Berlin Trilogy (extract); Deighton Trilogy (extract) Mexico
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Decide on a setting; describe the environment and its story potential
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McKee; post war; small-town; metropolis; Red Harvest - ‘Personville’
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Week 4
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A crime occurs - the inciting incident; Story, equilibrium, want and need; indecision and acceptance
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What does a character want? Professional, personal, emotional, romantic
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Brainstorm and draft your character a backstory and a mission or goal (realisable?)
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Filling in backstory succinctly; exposition dos and don’ts; show and tell
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Connelly The Narrows (extract)
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Write a paragraph of back story fill in for a novel. Squeezing back story into a story.
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Vonnegut Story Charts; Writing Rules; E. Leonard
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Plot: Three Act Structure - Act I
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Murder, crime, disappearance?
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Building a cast of characters, suspects, friends and enemies; the story world
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Narrative Voice: 1st/3rd Person; past tense vs present tense: building tension
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The High Concept Thriller: McKinty ‘The Chain’ (extract)
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Build a rough story line going forward involving the cast;
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Plotting and pantsing; The Poet and The Narrows - sequels
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WEEK 5
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‘Fun and Games’
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Misdirection and red herrings in the set up; foreshadowing
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Sub plots: relationships; your hero at home
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POV - moving between your characters
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Extremes: J.Ellroy vs. P. Hawkins (extracts)
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Review feedback
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See Keating on foreshadowing
The revised first 2000 words of stories/novel is due.
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First major Plot Point - turning point: possibilities
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Crime Fiction or Crime Thriller? International intrigue/espionage.
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Present your WIP; workshop and feedback
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Revising and editing as you go; planning ahead and sketching scenes
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tba: How the picture gets bigger (Mankell, Connelly)
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First 10-15 pages including the inciting incident; a long short story
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Mankell - The Troubled Man; Connelly - The Narrows
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Week 6
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The Killer, the Villain
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Serial, spree, vendetta, terror,
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Sketch a profile for him/her; peer critique
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First person, writing antiheroes, unreliable narrators
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Extract: Thompson- The Killer Inside Me
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Critique, reaction
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Highsmith - Ripley; Strangers on a Train
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Plotting: obstacles and conflict, set backs; suspense, violence, action
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How do you maintain interest and tension?
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Put your protagonist in a difficult situation based on Act I set up; suspense vs. action
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Keeping track of changes and drafts
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R. Chandler “The Simple Art of Murder” (and other advice)
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A first person monologue: make your killer sympathetic
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WEEK 7
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Stereotypes and archetypes: the killer
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The influence of TV and film; stories as TV material
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Peer review and editing of monologues
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Cutting: trimming fat and killing your darlings
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Lee Child foreword Crime Anthology
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Revising your WIP
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Draft of first 3000 words of stories/ novel is due.
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Speech vs. Thought. Direct and indirect, tagged and freestyle. Interior monologue, ‘stream of consciousness’.
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How to get inside your characters’ heads
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Rewriting in different styles; peer edits and suggestions; working on MS feedback
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Dialogue vs Narration: balance and benefits
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Theory essay tba; McLaverty ‘Walking the Dog’
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tba
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Gogol’s ‘Overcoat’ - a victim of crime
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Week 8
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Overt narration and covert narration.
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Writing from a victim’s POV; factuality and believability
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Adapting true crime for literary purposes; flash fiction based on news event
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Dialogue tags and reporting verbs
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Lehane ‘Running Out of Dog’
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Evaluate a contemporary story in the media
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War, refugees, femicide, incels, cost of living crisis
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Subject, themes, symbolism, resonance; zeitgeist and relevance
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What is your novel/story about? What does it mean?
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Peer review and feedback on theme and symbolism
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Character motivation and credibility;
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S.King; Keating, (extracts)
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Work on WIP for themes, symbolism, resonance; submit for feedback
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WEEK 9
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More literary approaches to narrative: Free Indirect Discourse
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Humour, irony, ‘dark’ comedy and crime
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Analysing an extract- Elmore Leonard. Emulating his style.
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Breaking the rules - L.Child
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E. Leonard 10 Rules for Good Writing
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Writing or rewriting a scene in a way you would not normally do - FDI, SOC, freestyle
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Revised first 3000 words of stories/novel is due.
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Week 10
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Stories in the media,
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Ethics, authenticity, sensitivity |
Workshop 'people watching' ideas |
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find a story in the media |
draft an idea for a story or an outline for a novel |
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Week 11
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Work on structural edits in class |
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Working on MS feedback; queries and feedback
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Honing dialogue when revising
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Work on MS
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Week 12
Week 13
Week 14
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Revision of key aspects of the course
Workshopping MS
Copy editing and proofreading
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Publication approaches: self publishing, traditional publishing, e publishing, hybrid
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Revising, editing and proofreading, polishing portfolios
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Deadline for final draft of portfolio.
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