Writing Life: From Concept to Practice

Undergraduate | 2026

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Area/Catalogue
WRIT 1001
Course ID icon
Course ID
200900
Level of study
Level of study
Undergraduate
Unit value icon
Unit value
6
Course level icon
Course level
1
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Inbound study abroad and exchange
Inbound study abroad and exchange
The fee you pay will depend on the number and type of courses you study.
Yes
University-wide elective icon
University-wide elective course
Yes
Single course enrollment
Single course enrolment
Yes
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Note:
Course data is interim and subject to change

Course overview

This introductory course combines a survey of forms of life writing (including memoir, biography, autofiction), as well as an initial exploration into what it means to make a life as a writer. Students will learn how to craft representations of human and nonhuman lives, and to consider questions of ethics, representation, and aesthetics in relation to writing the self and others. They will also learn the habits needed to become a successful writer, including a regular writing practice, workshopping and editing, and submitting writing for publication.

  • Origins Of Autobiography / Developing Creative Habits / The Writing Workshop
  • Autobiography And Subjectivity
  • Memoir, Memory, And Trauma
  • Autofiction
  • Biography
  • Fictional Biography
  • Experimental Biography
  • Life Writing In The Anthropocene: Ecobiography And Eco-Memoir
  • Disability Life Writing
  • The Ethics Of Representation

Course learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate critical knowledge of modes, histories and theories of life writing
  • Evaluate and engage critically with a range of perspectives on the act and ethics of representing lives
  • Create, analyse and edit pieces of life writing and criticism, aiming for a publishable standard
  • Critically assess creative writing, whether produced by other writers or by students themselves
  • Demonstrate understanding of how to develop a sustainable creative writing practice
  • Demonstrate an understanding of national and international literary ecosystems and publishing practices
  • Offer sensitive and insightful feedback on peer writers' work

Prerequisite(s)

N/A

Corequisite(s)

N/A

Antirequisite(s)

N/A