Introduction to Writing Historical Fiction

Overview

Course description

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 a 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

Course content

Student manuscripts will form the bulk of the course content. Published texts, such as The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe, and Reindeer Moon by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, will also be used.

Learning activities

Classes will be conducted in the workshop format. The following may be combined with the workshop:

lectures and discussions
small group workshops
field trips

Means of assessment

A minimum of five written assignments, including one character sketch, one scene, one short story, and one opening chapter of a novel, all of which will include two pages of historical source material as evidence of research conducted. In addition, students will be required to submit a written report on a published piece of historical fiction. Up to 80% of the final mark will be based on written assignments, the remainder on in-class exercises and class participation.

Students are required to attend 80% of the workshops. A student missing more than 20% of the workshops without instructor permission receives a 0 in class participation.

Learning outcomes

General Objectives:

Students will learn the narrative elements of the historical short story and novel. Students will be able to use these elements in constructing their own history-based stories and novels.

Specific Objectives:

Successful students should be able to:

access and use historical source materials to create short stories and first chapters of novels.
strike a balance between the use of historical material and their imagination in order to create effective narratives.
use language appropriate to a time in order to create believable dialogue.
present characters based on historical figures.
create a scene that conveys a sense of time, place and significant action.
recognize material that can be effectively presented in a short story.
use time, place, character and incident to begin an historical novel.

Textbook materials

Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students

Sample Reading list:

The Last Crossing, by Guy Vanderhaeghe
Reindeer Moon, by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
Anthologies of history-based fiction

Requisites

Prerequisites

Any College entrance Language Proficiency Requirement EXCEPT the Douglas College Course Options in ELLA or ENGU, OR
a minimum grade of C- in ELLA 0460, or a minimum grade of C- in both ELLA 0465 and 0475, OR
a minimum grade of C- in ENGU 0450 or ENGU 0455 or ENGU 0490

Corequisites

HIST 1113 or HIST 1114 and ENGL 1106

Recommended (Required only for Summer Institute in Historical Fiction students)

Equivalencies

No equivalent courses.

Course Guidelines

Course Guidelines for previous years are viewable by selecting the version desired. If you took this course and do not see a listing for the starting semester / year of the course, consider the previous version as the applicable version.

January 2016 (Current)