This unit contains mature or sensitive content and may not be suitable for some students.
Writing the Short Story
UndergraduateGRF-CWR1112025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
Craft short stories while taking into account themes, viewpoints and structure. Query short story genres. Take a look at your own writing process and look for ways to improve it. Examine the writing industry and ask how you can break into it.
Enrol today with instant approval and no entry requirements
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 6 July 2025
- Entry requirements
- No ATAR needed, No prior study
- Duration
- 13 weeks
- Price from
- $2,124
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Writing the Short Story
About this subject
At the completion of this subject you will be able to:
- recognise and understand theoretical and practical issues relevant to the craft of writing in the short story form
- analyse and discuss ideas relevant to creativity and creative/professional skills in their own work and in the work of others
- engage with the content of the subject through written skills, eg. in the production of an original creative folio (accompanied by exegetical writing) developed during the Study Period
- display critical judgment through reading and group discussion, eg. in an online discussion group based on subject readings.
- Introduction: what are short stories and what is writing process?
- How writing is produced and received: pre-writing/drafting/editing/the voice the audience hears/genre
- The short story anatomised: elements and history of the short story form
- How writing is narrated: narrative viewpoint
- Breaking out! Avant-garde short story writing/graphic forms and design elements
- How ideas are conveyed: theme, allegory and symbolism/action/the music, the beat, the emotion/imagery strands
- How writing is structured: structures for whole stories/structures for the prose sentence and paragraph/experimental structures/hypertext
- How writing uses setting: mood/atmosphere/symbolism/context for action/place, background, era, staging
- How writing creates characters and uses dialogue: the psychology of a character/the intimacy of dialogue/the pace and structure of dialogue
- Research and editing; the short story industry
This subject provides you with an understanding of technical aspects of writing in various genres, styles and viewpoints in the short story form. You will explore a range of practical, critical and editorial strategies. You will examine aspects of your own writing process in critical depth and also aspects of the nature of creativity and creative skills through reading acclaimed writers' works.
You will have opportunity to develop skills and understandings related to a variety of publishing outcomes and will be provided with a supportive environment for producing a folio of original work reflecting your development during the Study Period.
- Portfolio 1 (35%)
- Online Discussion (25%)
- Portfolio 2 (40%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
With a network of campuses spanning three cities in South East Queensland, Griffith University is committed to progressive multidisciplinary teaching and research and a valuable online provider with Open Universities Australia. Already attracting students from over one hundred countries, Griffith's dedication to academic excellence is available across Australia through OUA.
Learn more about Griffith University.
Explore Griffith courses.
- QS Ranking 2024:
- 18
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 20
Entry requirements
No entry requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Why study a single subject?
Bite sized study
Try studying a particular area to see if online study suits you, or upskill in just a few months with a single subject that you’re interested in.
Pursue a dream
With thousands of single subjects to choose from, you can find topics that get you on the path to your higher education goals fast.
Gain Uni credit
Most single subjects are part of a full degree. That means if you’re keen to keep learning, you can gain credit for the subjects you’ve successfully completed.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateGRF-ART-DEG
UndergraduateGRF-COM-DEG
Single subject FAQs
What’s a single subject?
Single subjects are the individual components that make up a degree. With Open Universities Australia, you’re able to study many of them as stand-alone subjects, including postgraduate single subjects, without having to commit to a degree.
Each of your subjects will be held over the course of a study term, and they’ll usually require 10 to 12 hours of study each week. Subjects are identified by a title and a code, for example, Developmental Psychology, PSY20007.
How can I use single subjects to get into a full degree?
First, find the degree that you would like to study on our website.
If that degree allows entry via undergraduate subjects, there will be information about this under the Entry Requirements section. You will find a list of 2-4 open enrolment subjects you need to successfully complete to qualify for admission into that qualification.
Once you pass those subjects, you will satisfy the academic requirements for the degree, and you can apply for entry.
Our student advisors are here to help you take that next step, so don’t hesitate to reach out when you’re ready! We’ve also made it easier to figure out the right way to get started on our pathways page.
Can anyone help me choose a subject?
Our student advisors are more than happy to help you plan your online study. Get in touch with an advisor by:
How do I pay for my subjects?
You can pay up front with your credit card, or you may be eligible for a HELP loan from the Australian government depending on your citizenship status and where you’ll live during your studies.
For more information about how to pay for your studies visit our fees page or contact a student advisor.
How do I enrol?
When you’ve made your choice, click ‘Enrol now’ on the relevant course page and follow the prompts to begin your enrolment. We’ll ask you to supply some supporting documentation, including proof of your identity, your tax file number, and a unique student identifier (USI) during this process.
Your university will get in touch with you via email to confirm whether or not your application has been successful.
If you get stuck at any time, reach out to us and we’ll talk you through it.
You can also take a look at our online self-service enrolling instructions.
When is the cut-off date for enrolling?
Close of enrolment times vary between universities and subjects. You can check the cut-off dates for upcoming study terms by visiting key dates.