JCU Logo
JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "CW 205"
COURSE NAME: "Creative Writing Workshop: Mixed Genre"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Fall 2022
SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Elizabeth Farren
EMAIL: [email protected]
 HOURS: TTH 1:30 PM 2:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES: Prerequisite: EN 103 or 105 with grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS: TBD by appointment only
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course provides an introduction to the creative practice of writing fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and stage/screen writing, while probing major issues of literary aesthetics. This course does not satisfy the General Distribution requirement in English Literature.
SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This class consists of writing workshops, peer reviews, lectures, discussions of assigned readings, in-class writing exercises, and possible excursions to literary events. The readings will correspond to the writing genre of interest, and will provide a foundation and model for the writing assignments themselves. The workshop process allows students to develop critical thinking skills, editorial awareness, and pushes students toward self-improvement along with the adaptation of literary techniques. The workshop process assists students with the discovery of their own aesthetic sensibilities and principles, and allows students to hone in on their writing strengths, their weaknesses, and the way their work and words are interpreted by their contemporaries. 
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Upon completion of the course, students will be familiar  with writing techniques specific to the production of fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. Students will learn the habits of daily writing, will gain ability and fluency in the creation of ideas, will have improved their imaginative reach, their editorial skillset, as well as their critical thinking abilities. Students will learn about the necessity of revision, and they will gain in confidence as they improve their knowledge of the foundations of three different genres of writing. 
TEXTBOOK:
Book TitleAuthorPublisherISBN numberLibrary Call NumberCommentsFormatLocal BookstoreOnline Purchase
Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft, 4th EditionJanet BurrowayPearsonISBN-13: 978-0134053240   The Almost Corner Bookstore 
REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
NONE
GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
AssignmentGuidelinesWeight
Final PortfolioDetailed weekly assignments are given in class. Students are expected to meet deadlines and produce drafts (whether fiction, nonfiction, poetry, etc.) that meet the assigned word or page count. Students must provide their work for peer reviews; drafts will be revised and polished for the final portfolio. NB: Students must submit a Final Portfolio to receive a passing grade in the class, regardless of whether they produced work or participated in workshops. See portfolio guidelines on Moodle for information on extensions and the grading policy for late portfolios.60%
Participation and Conscientiousness of in-and-out of class peer reviewsParticipation is extremely important. Students are required to participate in daily discussions about the readings, as well as offer considered and thoughtful critiques during the workshops, with the aim of helping to improve each writer's unique style and capacity.15%
Conscientiousness of self-editingStudents must revise their work over the course of editing several drafts. Students must be able to show evident development from one draft to the next; changes cannot merely be in proofing or grammar, but rather must show evidence of thoughtful alteration and progress. 15%
Homework & In-Class WritingPart of the assessment will include completed homework assignments and reader responses to the assigned readings, as well as in-class writing prompts that will be ungraded but compulsory. 10%

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY

This course provides an introduction to the creative practice of writing fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and stage/screen writing, while probing major issues of literary aesthetics. This course does not satisfy the General Distribution requirement in English Literature. Students who are more than 15 minutes late may be counted as absent. Students who use their phone during class may be counted as absent. Laptops are permissible if the course is hybrid.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.
STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
SCHEDULE

Session

Session Focus (All subject to change--for final syllabus, see Moodle)

Reading Assignment (All subject to change--see Moodle)

Other Assignment (All subject to change--see Moodle)

Meeting Place/Exam Dates

Week 1

INTRODUCTION: Introduction to the course; introduction to microfiction and short fiction

Janet Burroway's Elements of Craft, read Image (pgs 15-28)

Corin, Davis, Eggers, Kincaid, Saunders stories (links below);

Ernest Hemingway “A Very Short Story” (EOC pgs 279-280)

 

Micro Fiction Assignment; Preparation of Peer critique

TBD

Week 2

FICTION We will discuss elements of craft in fiction, including story structure (plot) and setting; first in class workshop of microfiction

Burroway’s EOC:Fiction (pgs 259-270); Setting (pgs 135-148)

Tobias Wolff: “Bullet in the Brain “ (pgs 34-37EOC)

Patricia Lockwood “The Winged Thing”

David Foster Wallace: "Incarnations of Burned Children" (pgs 179-181)

 

Begin work on Fiction Assignment

Longer Fiction Assignment and prepare oral and annotated critiques of microfiction

TBD

Week 3

FICTION: focus on character, dialogue, and characterization through details. We will do an in-class writing assignment.

 

Burroway's Elements of Craft: Character (pgs 94-108)

Jhumpa Lahiri "Mrs. Sen's"

Denis Johnson"Emergency"

Prepare critiques with oral and annotated comments of final microfictions; longer fiction assignment due

TBD

Week 4

FICTION: focus on voice and content in fiction.; workshop of longer fiction assignment

EOC Voice (pgs 47-61); EOC Story (pgs 166-179)

Tillie Olsen "I Stand Here Ironing"

Preparation and submission of revised draft; prepare peer critiques

TBD

Week 5

FICTION: focus on language, musicality, and sentence and paragraph structure; continued workshop of longer fiction assignment

EOC: Development and Revision (pgs 195-208)

Raymond Carver "Viewfinder"

Toni Morrison's "Sweetness"

Prepare peer critiques on fiction

TBD

Week 6

NONFICTION: focus on introduction to creative nonfiction. We will discuss the personal essay, finding your voice, the “I,” and being theprotagonistof yourown work. We will read Jo Ann Beard's "In the Current" and we will have an in-class writing assignment.

Creative Nonfiction EOC (pgs 225-236)

Joseph Mitchell "Professor Seagull"

Alice Walker: "Beauty: When the Other Dancer Is the Self"

 

Tiny nonfiction assignment; preparation of peer critiques

TBD

Week 7

CREATIVE NONFICTION: focus onthe idea of fact vs truth, how to sculpt a nonfiction narrative using techniques from fiction, how to establish a consistent tone in our writing; continued examination of tiny nonfictions

David Foster Wallace: "Consider the Lobster"

Prepare for discussion of peer tiny nonfiction

TBD

Week 8

CREATIVE NONFICTION: Guest Lecture; continued nonfiction workshop

Nora Ephron "On Maintenance"

Joan Didion "At the Dam" EOC (pgs 148-150)

Be prepared to discuss tiny nonfiction; longer creative nonfiction assignment due

 TBD             

Week 9

MIDTERM MEETINGS: individual midterm conferences during class; sign up sheet to be made available in Week 8.

Reading for pleasure

Continued writing and revision of fiction and creative nonfiction.

TBD

Week 10

POETRY: introduction to poetry; form vs free verse poetry; in class writing assignment

Poetry in EOC (pgs 297-317)

Tony Hoagland "There is No Word" (pgs 320-1)

Sharon Olds "The Language of the Brag" (pgs 324-5)

Sharon Olds "Topography"

Michael S. Harper "Grandfather"

Preparation of first poem; prepare peer critique

TBD

Week 11

POETRY: focus on imagery, sounds, and lines; workshop of first poem

Amiri Baraka "An Agony. As Now."

Allen Ginsburg "Sunflower Sutra"

Jack Gilbert "Alone"

Robert Lowell "Sailing Home from Rapallo"

Sylvia Plath "Fever 103º"

First poem due; prepare peer critiques

TBD

Week 12

POETRY: focus on formal poetry schemes, in particular, we will focus on the construction of the sonnet. We will also talk about metaphor, musicality, density, and intensity;

continued workshop of poetry

Elliot Coleman "Sonnets on the Roman Light"

Denis Johnson "Heat"

Mary Jo Salter "Half a Double Sonnet for Ben"

William Shakespeare "Let me not to the marriage of true minds"

Edna St Vincent Millay "What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why"

Second poem due; prepare critiques

TBD

Week 13

POETRY: focus on line editing, the imaginative possibilities of poetry, revision, discussion of final portfolio preparation and organization, workshop of third poem, time allowing

Donald Hall "Kill the Day"

Louise Gluck "Averno"

Linda Gregg "Trouble in the Portable Marriage"

Tracy K. Smith "Declaration"

Third poem due; prepare peer critiques

TBD

Week 14

POETRY: final workshop and portfolio due

In Class Reading of Student Work; please select an excerpt of your work (length TBD) for a final class reading on May 2nd. Practice reading out loud.

FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE

TBD
SessionSession FocusReading AssignmentOther AssignmentMeeting Place/Exam Dates
Week 1INTRODUCTION: Introduction to the course; introduction to fiction; introduction to the elements of craft; focus on image and setting; in class writingTBAMicro Fiction Assignment; Longer Fiction assignment 
Week 2FICTION: focus on voice and character; introduction to the workshop; first in class workshop of microfictionTBAContinue writing Longer Fiction Assignment and prepare oral and annotated critiques of microfiction 
Week 3FICTION focus on dialogue and characterization through details; in class dialogue assignment; continuation of microfiction workshop TBAPrepare critiques with oral and annotated comments of final microfictions; longer fiction due 
Week 4FICTION: focus on story, structure, and plot; workshop of longer fiction assignmentTBAPreparation of revised draft; prepare peer critiques 
Week 5FICTION: focus on language, musicality, and sentence and paragraph structure; continued workshop of longer fiction assignment TBAPrepare peer critiques  
Week 6FICTION: focus on close reading and close analysis; reading and re-reading; final fiction workshop TBATiny nonfiction assignment 
Week 7CREATIVE NONFICTION: introduction to creative nonfiction; voice, the “I,” and being the protagonist your own work; in class writing assignmentTBAPrepare for discussion of tiny nonfiction 
Week 8CREATIVE NONFICTION: Form, Fact vs Truth; continued tiny nonfiction workshop TBABe prepared to discuss tiny nonfiction; longer creative nonfiction assignment due 
Week 9CREATIVE NONFICTION: focus on the use of fictional techniques to enhance non-fiction; workshop of creative nonfiction pieceTBAPrepare peer critiques; revision of creative nonfiction 
Week 10CREATIVE NONFICTION: student readings and discussion of oral performance of the written word TBAMIDTERM PORTFOLIO DUETBA
Week 11POETRY: introduction to poetry; form vs free verse poetry; in class writing assignmentTBAPreparation of first poem 
Week 12POETRY: focus on imagery, sounds, and lines; workshop of first poemTBAFirst poem due; prepare peer critiques  
Week 13POETRY: focus on metaphor, literary techniques, music, density, and intensity; continued workshop of second poemTBASecond poem due; prepare critiques 
Week 14 POETRY: focus on line editing, the imaginative possibilities of poetry, revision, discussion of final portfolio preparation and organization, workshop of third poem, time allowingTBAThird poem due; prepare peer critiques 
Week 15POETRY: final workshop and portfolio dueTBAFINAL PORTFOLIO DUETBA