Fees-free is available for eligible first-time tertiary learners. Find out if you’re eligible at feesfree.govt.nz
Unleash your potential
The diploma will consolidate your understanding of genres and guide you to write for different audiences as you work on novels, scripts, collections or non-fiction texts. You will also learn about writing for online outlets, how to hone your editing skills and how to self-publish.
NorthTec offers qualifications up to level 7 in applied writing:
This diploma has a team of specialist tutors who cover a range of genres. The team includes Dr Susan Pointon who has over 40 years’ experience in the film industry both here and in the USA, internationally-published author Zana Bell, well-known journalist and author Rae Roadley and leading freelance editor Lesley Marshall.
What you will learn
Through studying this programme, you will learn a range of specialist writing skills and strategies that will enable you to apply professional principles and practices to produce original writing outputs that meet the specific requirements of creative industries.
In this programme you will learn to:
-
Apply theoretical and specialist knowledge of creative writing skills, strategies, and processes to develop and produce original outputs for a selected audience, platform or purpose.
-
Analyse problems and generate solutions, as applicable to the creation of targeted outputs for the creative industries.
-
Work independently or as part of a team to critically evaluate their own work and that of others.
-
Leadership and professional business practice to manage projects/briefs and maintain currency of industry knowledge in order to work within the creative writing industry.
Courses in this programme
| Compulsory Courses |
Level |
Credits |
|
6001 - Long Texts
Aim: To analyse elements, strategies and process to produce a long text excerpt fit for audience and purpose.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically analyse and evaluate elements and structures of a range of long texts.
- Integrate elements and strategies to construct original long text outputs.
- Critically evaluate a long text output against a specified purpose and audience.
Indicative content:
- Genre range including novels, memoir, biography, self-help
- Elements
- Structure
- Format
- Story arcs e.g. Vogler’s hero’s journey, Ingermanson’s snowflake method
- Genre conventions including world building and characters
- Subjects
- Issues
- Backstory
- Voice / voices
- Style
- Themes
- Meaning
- Relevance
- Solution focused problem solving
- Critical reflection
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Publishing options
|
6 |
15 |
|
6002 - Short Fiction
Aim: To analyse elements, strategies and processes of short fiction and produce a range of creative outputs fit for purpose and audience.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically analyse key elements and structures within a range of short fiction texts.
- Constructively integrate key elements to produce a range of short fiction texts.
- Critically evaluate short fiction texts against specified purposes and audiences.
Indicative content:
- Genre range including short stories, flash fiction, children’s books
- Short story forms including slice of life, detective, twist, linked etc.
- Key elements of short fiction
- Structure and function
- Modes of telling including postmodern, unreliable narrator, linear etc.
- Voice/s and style
- Literary techniques including dialogue as a form of action, juxtaposition, foreshadowing, cliff-hangers
- Themes and relevance
- Word counts
- Solution focused problem solving
- Critical reflection
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Publishing options
|
6 |
15 |
|
6003 - Short Non-fiction
Aim: To analyse and produce a range of short non-fiction.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically analyse elements and structures of a range of short non-fiction texts.
- Constructively integrate key elements, strategies and structures to produce original outputs.
- Critically evaluate creative outputs against audience and purpose.
Indicative content:
- Genre including feature articles, creative, non-fiction, essays, advertorials Structure/layout
- Identifying markets
- Genre conventions
- In-depth research
- Integrating key elements
- Themes, issues and arguments
- Voice and style appropriate to genre
- Solution focused problem solving
- Critical reflection
- Giving and receiving feedback
|
6 |
15 |
|
6005 - Online Writing
Aim: To establish a personal online presence to present creative writing outputs.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Investigate and analyse a range of online creative writing platforms.
- Integrate online conventions and personal practice to construct a significant online presence.
- Critically evaluate own online presence against a set of specified criteria.
Indicative content:
- E-books
- Social Media
- Website
- Blogs and Vlogs
- Platform conventions
- Branding
- Audience
- Maintaining an online presence
- Solution focused problem solving
- Critical reflection
|
6 |
15 |
|
6006 - Publishing
Aim: To evaluate a range of publishing options and requirements relevant to specific creative outputs.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically evaluate a range of publishing options, modes and methods.
- Analyse legal financial and ethical obligations associated with publishing.
- Critically investigate a range of funding options for publishing.
Indicative content:
- Self-publishing
- Trade
- Third party
- Hybrid
- Magazines
- Competitions
- Guest blogging
- Publishing responsibilities including cover, editing, layout, design, marketing, distribution
- Contracts and Copyright
- Protecting intellectual property
- Small business skills
- IRD compliance and obligation including GST
- Funder capture
- Grants, residencies
|
6 |
15 |
|
6007 - Editing
Aim: To critically evaluate and edit own and others creative outputs.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Compare and contrast the role, function and method of a range of editing modes and tools.
- Edit a range of texts applying alternative modes.
- Critically edit, critique and feedback within a team environment.
Indicative content:
- Proof-reading
- Copy editing
- Substantive/line editing
- Editing conventions / marks
- Pacing
- Relevance
- Evaluation of appropriate match for genre/audience
- Editing software
- Working collaboratively
- Negotiation and compromise
- Critical reflection
- Giving and receiving feedback
|
6 |
15 |
|
6008 - Becoming Professional
Aim: To critically evaluate a range of professional business practices within the creative writing industry.
On successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Design a project to fulfil a specified brief.
- Implement and manage project in compliance with professional business practices.
- Critically evaluate own professional knowledge, skills and practices relevant to working within the creative writing industry.
Indicative content:
- Professional Practices
- Copyright law
- Defamation law
- Privacy act
- Intellectual property
- Interpreting briefs
- Setting, managing and redefining objectives and outcomes
- Budgets
- Timelines and deadlines
- Strategies, sources and approaches
- Synthesising and refining
- Leadership skills and styles
- Project management strategies
- Critical reflection
- Negotiation and feedback
- Ethics and social responsibility
- Problem identification
- Creative problem solving
|
6 |
15 |
| Electives – Choose ONE |
Level |
Credits |
|
6009 - Poetry
Aim: To analyse and apply principles and processes of poetry writing to interpret and construct texts.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of poems and poetry criticism.
- Research, plan and apply knowledge to construct original poems and poetry criticism.
- Construct, revise and create poems and poetry criticism.
Indicative content:
- Genres of poetry
- Principles and processes
- Genre histories
- Implied speakers, dramatic monologue, dialogue
- Performing and recording poems
- Poetry writing techniques
- Imagery and figurative language
- Subtext and themes
- Readership, audience and market
|
6 |
15 |
|
6010 - Short Scripts for the Screen
Aim: To analyse and apply principles and processes of scriptwriting to construct texts.
On successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
- Analyse and evaluate a range of short scripts and short films.
- Research, plan and apply principles to construct an original script.
- Construct, revise, resolve and create a short film script.
Indicative content:
- Script conventions and screenplay format
- Principles and processes
- Visual storytelling
- Characters and dialogue
- Plot, structure, arc
- Subtext and theme
- Performance length/intention
- Audience and market
|
6 |
15 |
Entry Requirements
Applicants under the age of 20
Applicants 20 years of age and over
English language requirements
All applicants must have a level of English sufficient to be able to study at this level. Those students whose first language is not English should have:
Special Entry
In exceptional circumstances, an applicant who does not meet the full entry requirements, may be granted admission to the Programme on the approval of the Head of Department or delegate if he/she is confident of the applicant’s ability to undertake the Diploma with a reasonable likelihood of success.
Qualification gained
New Zealand Diploma in Creative Writing (Level 6)
Courses and programmes may be cancelled, postponed or have their content or configuration changed from time to time (including during the academic year) at the discretion of NorthTec. Fees are an indication, include GST and apply to domestic students only. View terms and conditions
From 1 January 2023, all NorthTec learners will be part of Te Pūkenga. Please note that these programmes of study are currently under review as part of the reform of vocational education training and may be subject to change.