Course detail

Creative Writing 1

FaVU-1TVuP1Acad. year: 2026/2027

The Creative Writing 1 literary seminar introduces students to approaches to creative writing in prose, poetry, and experimental writing. Selected examples from contemporary literature, film, and visual art provide inspiration for students’ own texts, in which they reflect primarily on their lived experience.

Students’ own writing is always preceded by a guided group discussion of examples from contemporary Czech and international literature, film, and visual art. During these discussions, students identify the creative strategies employed and subsequently apply them in their own writing. The discussions are complemented by short lectures on literary theory and history, which introduce students to tools for analysing literary texts.

Students’ own writing begins with an effort to understand the creative strategies employed by each author studied and subsequently adapt them to the needs of their own narratives. Students present their texts to the whole group through readings of their work. Collective reflection on the texts also introduces them to analytical tools for examining literary narrative. Over the course of the semester, students develop their ability to provide feedback, interpret their own and others’ writing, and identify artistic connections within it.

The final part of the winter semester emphasises working in pairs or groups. Students take on both editorial and authorial roles. The opportunity to gain critical distance from their own work supports the deliberate development of their individual writing style.

Language of instruction

Czech

Number of ECTS credits

2

Assignment to study programme types

Bachelor's

Mode of study

Not applicable.

Entry knowledge

None.

Rules for evaluation and completion of the course

Successful completion of the course is based on attendance, active participation in seminars, and completion of assignments.

Course requirements include active participation in classes, involving the production of texts or work in other media, as well as independent preparation and study outside class. Students must also complete assignments in the form of short literary pieces. Up to three unexcused absences are permitted; however, all assigned work must be submitted. Missed classes may be made up by completing an additional assignment.

Aims

The course aims to help students develop their own narrative strategies and writing style when producing literary texts. Students will also acquire the basic principles of an editorial and critical approach to literary writing. They will develop a stronger feel for dramatic narrative structure, establish a regular writing practice, add a range of texts to their portfolios, develop their critical thinking about literary narrative, and become familiar with analytical tools for writing, reading, and editing texts.

A key objective of the winter semester is to familiarise students with the process of transforming lived reality into a literary work through which it can be communicated. Students will learn to use literary writing to reflect on their own lived experience in relation to contemporary social issues.

Study aids

Not applicable.

Prerequisites and corequisites

Not applicable.

Basic literature

Barthes Roland. Roland Barthes o Rolandu Barthesovi. Praha: Fra, 2015
Bělíček, Jan. V chapadlech murmuru: Jak číst literaturu krize. Praha : Paseka, 2022
Didion, Joan. Let me tell you what I mean. New York: Kopf, 2021.
Fabuš, Palo. Svoboda, Luboš. Od počítače nelze odejít. O imaginaci digitalita. Čtrnáctideník A2, 06/2022.
Glücková, Louise. Zimní recepty, kolekitv autorů. Praha: Argo. 2022
Houllebecq, Michael. Eseje. Praha: Vyšehrad. 2020.
Levé, Eduard. Autoportrét. Praha: Rubato. 2015.
Louis, Édouard. Kdo zabil mého otce. Praha: Paseka. 2021.
Queneau, Raymond. Stylistická cvičení. Praha: Jazzová sekce, 1985.
Sontag, Susan. Against interpretation and other essays. New York: Picador, 2001.
Tiqqun - podklady pro teorii Dívky. Praha: Display. 2019.
Vandermeer, Jeff. Kniha divů : ilustrovaný průvodce psaním imaginativní prózy. Praha: Fragment. 2019.

Recommended reading

Not applicable.

Classification of course in study plans

  • Programme DES_B Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
    2 year of study, winter semester, elective
  • Programme VUM_B Bachelor's 2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional
    2 year of study, winter semester, compulsory-optional

Type of course unit

 

Seminar

26 hours, compulsory

Teacher / Lecturer

Syllabus

1. Deník jako nástroj
2. Téma a jeho podstata
3. Skutečnost, na které mi záleží
4. Řeč a její možnosti
5. Dokumentární přístupy v tvorbě
6. Vtipy, memy, umění zkratky
7. Text v konceptuálním umění
8. Storytelling
9. Otevřená forma a text
10. Umění spolupráce
11. Manifest a fikční svět
12. Serialita v literatuře
13. Návod