To learn the fundamental techniques of creative writing.
Course Prerequisites
nessuno
Teaching Methods
In addition to lectures, we will address, with practical exercises and collective discussions, some obstacles that can be encountered in writing, in order to learn how to deal with them.
Assessment Methods
An individual written paper should be prepared for the exam. The writing will go to a group of other students for review and selection. It will eventually result in a single paper from the group.
Step by step: - everyone will write a story, original and unpublished, with a plot and narrative structure; - the writing must be between 6000 and 8000 characters long, including spaces; - it is necessary to organize in groups of 4-6 people (maximum).Share the stories (common or individual readings), comment on them together and choose the most promising one or produce a new one in the group work; - finally editing the final story and re-sharing it with the whole group.
To take the final exam, you will need to email only the final story, with the names of all authors (written in the text file), to the teacher at least 8-10 (eight to ten) days before the exam. All the members of the group must present themselves at the exam together, each one with the print-out of their own individual story: the examination will focus on the final story and on the procedure adopted by the group starting from the various initial stories, which will eventually be analyzed during the exam. The score will be assigned individually but to all members of the group. Those who don't accept, will be able to repeat the exam (with a new paper), joining another group. The exam is the same for students and non-attendees. It is therefore recommended that non-attending students join a group that has at least one attending student (or see the lectures recorded on the platform).
Texts
Stephen King, On writing. Autobiografia di un mestiere. Milano, Frassinelli, 2015.
Guido Bosticco e Giovanni B. Magnoli Bocchi, Controcomunicazione. Sopravvivere all’intelligenza artificiale. Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2025.
Guido Bosticco e Giovanni B. Magnoli Bocchi, Come i social hanno ucciso la comunicazione. Milano, Guerini, 2020.
Andrea Bocconi e Guido Bosticco, Raccontare il viaggio. Dalla scrittura all’immagine. Milano, Touring Club Italiano, 2017.
Guido Bosticco, Riempire i vuoti. Un manuale (soggettivo) di scrittura e comunicazione. Como-Pavia, Ibis, 2007.
Contents
Among the skills needed by communication experts, we intend to develop a program dedicated to creative writing, suitable for different fields (publishing, press offices, cultural planning, journalism, web, social media...). The course program will be flexible according to the needs of the group.
Program 1. Starting points: key words. 2. Creativity is a muscle. How do you train it? 3.Tips for starting a scene. 4. Style and approach. 5. Activators. 6. Tools (plot, characters, dialogues, description, flashbacks, etc.). 4. Style and approach. 5. Activators. 6.Technical tools (plot, characters, dialogues, description, flashbacks, etc.). 7. Focus: Sensory Writing 8. Transforming Perceptions into Words and Stories 9. Different Texts – Examples of Creativity 10. Genres, Styles, and Narrative Possibilities
Course Language
Italian
More information
Since the course is highly interactive, attendance is recommended.