Overview
Are you a talented writer? Perhaps you’re always being told that you should write a book, but you aren’t sure where to start? Wonder no more! Our Fiction Writing Level 3 course has been specially designed for budding authors and total beginners to help you develop your story writing, characters, and dialogue. Along the way, you’ll complete a variety of assessments and receive helpful critiques from a writing professional that will hone your skills to perfection.
In this comprehensive course, you’ll receive a full introduction to fiction writing, and gain an overview of practical considerations such as copyright law and how to get your book published. You’ll study the art of analysing and writing short stories, as well as writing for TV, radio, or film. Moving on, you’ll delve into themes, plots, and creating believable characters and dialogue. Finally, you’ll discover how to write your very own novel, focusing on genre, structure, and how to craft your own personal style. So, what are you waiting for?
What you'll learn
You’ll kick off by learning exactly what it takes to become a good writer, as well as everything you’ll need to do to fully engage with your course. Next, you’ll examine the basic principles of fiction writing, how to find ideas when inspiration is lacking, and the importance of considering the reader as you write.
As with all things in life, there are certain practicalities to consider before you begin writing. How can you make sure you keep the licence to all your work? How can you ensure you don’t fall foul of defamation laws? How can you keep all your records in order, and get your work published? In unit two, you’ll cover all this, and more.
If you’re planning on writing a novel, it’s a great idea to start with the short story first. In unit three, you’ll discover how to study and analyse short stories, as well as receive a full reading list which will help you increase your writing knowledge. Moving on, you’ll learn how to study the market before you begin writing in order to appeal to readers, and how to present your finished manuscript.
Why restrain your talents to short story and novel writing? Here, you’ll cover everything you need to know to write for radio, TV, or film, and you’ll discover how each script should be presented depending on your intended medium.
In any story, a theme creates an important underlying message for the reader. In this unit, you’ll discover how to carefully craft different emotions, whether to write in the first or third person, and how to make sure your language and style identify with your intended audience.
What’s the most important component of any story? The plot! That’s why it’s crucial you get it spot on. In this unit, you’ll discover how to create credible and convincing narratives that will keep your reader hooked.
It’s tougher than you think to create convincing characters. In unit seven, you’ll be taken through everything you need to consider to make your characters come alive, including psyche, motives, names, and mannerisms. You’ll also discover how to craft convincing heroes and villains, while avoiding stereotypes.
So, you have your idea, you have your plot schema, you have your characters and you have your target audience – now it’s time to get something down on paper. Unit eight will guide you through the best habits to get into when writing, how to introduce your characters, how to develop your plot and handle transitions, and how to craft a satisfying ending.
A lot of people think that the choice of title is only a minor detail. However, it can actually make or break a good story, and it can certainly sell one. In this unit, you’ll discover how to choose the perfect title, as well as how to make sure your dialogue is convincing and fluid.
Writing a novel might seem like an impossible task, however, by this point in the course, you’ll be fully prepared to take on the challenge. In unit ten, we’ll run through everything you need to consider as you write; how to craft a killer opening, stick to a structure, choose a genre, how to present your work to publishers, and more
Extra info
Awarding Body
With a heritage stretching back over 150 years, NCFE is one of the largest awarding bodies in the UK. Last year, NCFE awarded certification to over 340,000 students.
NCFE Customised Qualifications are bespoke, unregulated qualifications developed to meet the specific needs of learners. These courses fit in where there are no other regulated qualifications available. This means you can achieve recognition from a well-respected awarding body, even if there isn’t a pre-existing qualification in a certain subject area.
Course Outcome
At the end of this course, successful learners will receive an NCFE Customised Qualification and a Learner Unit Summary (which lists the details of all of the units you have completed as part of your course). Read more about NCFE.
How is this course assessed or examined?
Each unit is followed by a written tutor-marked assignment (TMA), which is submitted and then marked by your tutor. You will not be required to take an external exam.
Entry requirements
While there are no strict entry requirements for this level three Fiction Writing, it is strongly recommended that you have the ability to effectively read and write in English.
