Sunday 20 January 2013

First Impression of Semester 2 Modules


So I missed First Impression Friday this week, which is pretty irrelevant, except that I wanted to do a different kind of first impression post, this time on the new university semester.

The first new module I’m doing is called ‘Approaching Your Novel’, which as the title probably makes obvious, involves starting a novel. It’s a lot like the prose module from last semester except with fewer assignments. There are only two, each due on the 22nd of April. One is the plan for a novel and the other is a full chapter. I’ve already decided what I’m doing for it. I was going to try to start something new but decided to just go with the one I’ve been thinking about for the last two years. Just because I’ve already put more thought into it so I thought it would be easier. The chapter can be from anywhere in the novel, and I’m sure later chapters will be a lot better, but I’ve decided to go with the first chapter since it’s so important in making people want to read the whole novel and using it as my assignment will help make it a lot better. I submitted the first draft tonight. It’s a lot like the prose module because people are selected to send in work each week that the rest of us have to read and get feedback on. I’m happy with that because we’ve had a lot of practice doing it already. We have a set text to read, Room by Emma Donoghue, which I’ve already finished. It’s amazing but I’ll do a separate post on my thoughts on it later. Overall I think this is going to be a pretty good module and I think it’ll be pretty easy.

My other new module is Fantastic Worlds and that will not be easy. There are two pieces of homework every week, one research and one creative writing. There has to be a presentation which I still get worried about doing, but this one will be on something I’ll hopefully have a lot to say about and be excited about talking about anyway. I don’t know when it will be yet. I also have to write a 2000 word short story or novel extract in an original setting and an essay describing my own sub creation. We haven’t been told when those are due either. All three have to be handed in with a commentary. We’re also assessed based on contribution. It’s a lot of work but I’m still excited about it and still finding it to be a lot of fun. It’s all about world building, which I love, and there’s a lot of focus on fantasy and sci fi. This isn’t going to be an easy module but I think it’s going to be great.

Finally, I’ll be continuing my Independent Study project, which I’ve gotten a little behind on. It’s not easy, but I’m still certain I’ll be able to catch up and have my research and planning finished by this month and my first draft finished by next month.

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