ENGL220-26S2 (C) Semester Two 2026

Creative Writing: Storymaking and the Short Story

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 13 July 2026
End Date: Sunday, 8 November 2026
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Sunday, 26 July 2026
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Sunday, 27 September 2026

Description

In this course students explore storymaking with a focus on the short story. The course is structured into three modules: ‘the beginning’, ‘middle’, and ‘end’, and each includes diverse readings, guided writing exercises, and discussion. Students explore character, place, plot, structure, voice, meaning, resolution and editing, and the weekly workshops offer space for supportive feedback and experiment. By the end, students will have drafted, re-crafted and completed a short story, developed their fingerprint storytelling voice and style.

This course can be used towards an English major or minor. BA students who major in English would normally take at least two 100-level 15 point ENGL courses (which must include at least one of the following: ENGL117, ENGL102 or ENGL103), at least three 200-level 15 point ENGL courses, and at least two 300-level 30 point ENGL courses. Please see the BA regulations  or a student advisor for more information.

Learning Outcomes

  • In this course you will learn:
  • to examine the short story in detail as a genre with the purpose of establishing its various modes;
  • to examine the various techniques by which short stories may be written and the ways in which they may be discussed;
  • to encourage the writing of original short fiction by class members;
  • to encourage useful, constructive criticism of fiction written by class members;
  • to examine professional aspects of the creative writing process.
    • University Graduate Attributes

      This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:

      Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award

      Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.

      Employable, innovative and enterprising

      Students will develop key skills and attributes sought by employers that can be used in a range of applications.

      Globally aware

      Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions on their discipline and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.

Prerequisites

Any 15 points at 100 level from ENGL; DISC101 or DISC102; or any 60 points at 100 level from the Schedule V of the BA.

Restrictions

Equivalent Courses

Timetable 2026

Students must attend one activity from each section.

Lecture A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Monday 15:00 - 17:00 Rehua 102
13 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
Workshop A
Activity Day Time Location Weeks
01 Wednesday 14:00 - 15:00 Psychology - Sociology 213
20 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
02 Wednesday 15:00 - 16:00 Psychology - Sociology 213
20 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
03 Thursday 13:00 - 14:00 Psychology - Sociology 307
20 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
04 Thursday 14:00 - 15:00 Psychology - Sociology 307
20 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct
05 Wednesday 13:00 - 14:00 Karl Popper 508
13 Jul - 23 Aug
7 Sep - 18 Oct

Course Coordinator / Lecturer

Vana Manasiadis

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage 
Short Story - Part 1 15%
Short Story - Part 2 20%
Short Story - Final 40%
Workshop 25%

Course links

Library portal
(Image:
From Unsplash.)

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $948.00

International fee $4,263.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see Humanities .

All ENGL220 Occurrences

  • ENGL220-26S2 (C) Semester Two 2026