Climate change, global warming, plastic pollution, sinking cities, drought. The world around us is in crisis and we, implicated as we are in its destruction, can often feel helpless in the face of impending catastrophe. There is a growing body of literature that, even since the industrial revolution, has tried to warn us of the dangers of human encroachment on the natural world, from manufacturing to deforestation. This creative writing course will enable students to understand the tools of persuasive and intelligent environmental writing that has the potential to change hearts and minds. It will encourage students to give voice to environmental concerns through a variety of genres while equipping them with the political and theoretical tools to take action with writing. At the same time, it will continually remind them that a single story can change the world. It is, in essence, a course about hope.

• Demonstrate an understanding of current trends in environmental writing.
• Demonstrate an awareness of the fundamental terminology and concepts of ecocriticism.
• Produce relevant writing on a consistent basis and read and discuss it in a workshop context.
• Write reflectively about their own craft.
• Respond constructively to their peers’ writing and gain self-awareness regarding their own.

There will be two-hour meetings once a week (20 contact hours in all) which will include discussions, exercises, craft lectures and workshops. Learners will be encouraged to read texts introduced and obtain feedback from the tutor and other members of the group. Online provision will be made available through Learning Central with relevant links to resources and class handouts and PowerPoint presentations. Learners will produce children’s literature in various genres, as well as reading and discussing the work of published writers. The university’s Virtual Learning Environment, Learning Central, provides a useful resource for course materials, lecture slides and additional reading.

• The ability to respond sensitively and constructively to peers’ writing.
• The ability to develop self-awareness around writing strengths and creative process.
• The ability to communicate ideas and experiences with vividness and clarity.
• The ability to communicate ideas and arguments effectively in written and verbal form.
• The ability to work effectively with others in groups and to learn collaboratively through discussion and interaction.
• The ability to use information technology resources to assist with portfolio presentation.

Critical Commentary       20%      Critical Commentary to accompany the portfolio. Students will be encouraged to keep a reflective journal throughout the module. Entries in this journal will form the basis of a critical commentary (c. 300 words) to accompany the piece(s) in the portfolio.  Ongoing throughout the module. Submission shortly after end of the module

Portfolio     80%    Environmental Writing  Portfolio

The basis of assessment will be a portfolio of environmental writing consisting of each student’s best work produced on this module (up to 1500 words). This portfolio may consist of a range of genres or one piece of up to 1500 words, in agreement with the tutor.  Ongoing throughout the module. Submission shortly after end of the module

The module will be based around workshops, which will include regular peer and tutor feedback. Sessions will include:

• Creative writing skills: fundamental terminology and concepts relevant to environmental writing.
• Exploration of contemporary trends, styles and developments in environmental writing and ecocriticism.
• Discussion of published examples of environmental literature and creative non-fiction.
• Revision, feedback, and reflection.
• Publishing environmental writing.

Students will be provided with a range of extracts from environmental literary texts and creative non-fiction.

D’Avanzo, Charlene. "Climate Fiction as Environmental Education." Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America 99.4 (2018): 1-3.

Garrard, Greg. Ecocriticism. Routledge, 2011.

Mies, Maria, and Vandana Shiva. Ecofeminism. Zed Books, 1993.

Morton, Timothy. Ecology without nature: Rethinking environmental aesthetics. Harvard University Press, 2007.