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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "CW 352"
COURSE NAME: "Creative Writing Workshop: Creative Nonfiction"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Fall 2025
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
William Schutt
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 10:00 AM 11:15 AM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisite: EN 103 or 105 with grade of C or above
OFFICE HOURS:
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This creative writing workshop is designed to help students develop their writing and editorial skills, as well as the reading habits necessary for the production of works of creative nonfiction. The class will focus upon the creative process and the generation of several different forms within the nonfiction genre including the personal essay, the memoir, travel writing, and the journalistic or magazine profile. Through the examination of superior examples of creative nonfiction, discussions, and critiques, students will become acquainted with the techniques and tools used to build an excellent portfolio of literary and journalistic pieces within the creative nonfiction genre.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course aims to help students refine their ability to write about reality by deploying tools from narrative and long-form journalism. Students will craft several subgenres of creative nonfiction, hone their interviewing skills for a profile story, and participate in a workshop in which they read and critique one another’s work. The course teaches students about the habits of creative writing and the implementation of techniques and forms gleaned from various contemporary and canonical essays.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
By the end of the course, students should be able to:
- research, write, and revise several different forms of creative nonfiction;
- prepare and conduct a good interview;
- explore the qualities and basic principles of narrative nonfiction, and understand issues concerning attribution, direct address, point of view, empiricism, genre and mode, objectivity and subjectivity, among others.
-and identify and articulate the qualities of compelling and principled nonfiction by reading the work of their peers with a critical eye, and giving and receiving constructive feedback.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Lyric Essay | A three-four-page essay that puts into practice the technique and craft related to our study of the subgenre. | 10 |
| Memoir Essay | A four-six-page essay that puts into practice the technique and craft related to our study of the subgenre. | 15 |
| Interview for Profile Essay | The recording of the interview with the subject of your profile story will be evaluated on the basis of the questions you ask and on how you handle the interviewing process. | 5 |
| Profile essay | A four-six-page essay that puts into practice the technique and craft related to our study of the subgenre. | 15 |
| Draft Final Feature Story | Draft (at least two-pages) of your final feature story | 5 |
| Final Feature | A six-eight-page essay that puts into practice the technique and craft related to our study of the subgenre. | 20 |
| Attendance | Students are expected to attend class on time. They are allowed three unexcused absences. After that, students automatically lose a letter grade for every three absences. Students more than 10 minutes late are marked as absent. Late arrivals (less than 10 minutes) are marked as such, and 3 late arrivals are counted as one absence. | 15 |
| Participation | Considerate observations of class readings, enthusiastic involvement in writing exercises, and constructive commentary (oral and written) on classmates' work that demonstrates preparation, thoughtfulness, and respect. All students are expected to keep up with the material and complete the assignments on a weekly basis. Your participation grade evaluates quality, punctuality and consistency in turning in assignments and contributing to class discussion. | 15 |
-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
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
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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.
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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.
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SCHEDULE
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Unit 1: Writing about Yourself
Week 1: Narrative Nonfiction
9/2: Definitions of creative nonfiction and its subgenres; syllabus review; in-class readings Why I Write
9/4: Read George Saunders, Thank You, Esther Forbes
Write a 500-600 word response to Saunders’ essay, reflecting on your own literary or artistic awakening. What books or stories or poems or movies or songs lit the fire? Be prepared to refer to it in class discussion.
Week 2: Voice and Distance
9/9: Read Joan Didion Goodbye to All That and Ryan Van Meter First
9/11: Read Vauhini Vara Ghosts
Write a 500-600 word response to any of the readings, reflecting on a relevant experience or two of your own. In other words narrate. Be prepared to share it in small-group workshop.
Week 3: Narrative Design and Tension
9/16: Read Brian Blanchfield Abasement and Elisa Gabbert Vanity Project
9/18: Read Dinty Moore Son of Mr. Green Jeans
Write a 500-600 word response to any readings this week, reflecting on a relevant experience or two of your own. Be prepared to share it in small-group workshop.
All students should upload a link to a Google doc of a 4-6 page personal narrative by Sunday 9/21 at 3 p.m. Material from your short responses may be expanded or combined to write your essay.
Week 4: Workshop
9/23: Workshop Group 1
Come to class with printed copies of essays by group members and 2 copies of your responses to them. You will hand one to your classmate and one to me at the end of the workshop.
9/25: Workshop Group 2
Come to class with printed copies of essays by group members and 2 copies of your responses to them. You will hand one to your classmate and one to me at the end of the workshop.
Unit 2: Writing about Others
9/26 (Make-up Class): What is the Profile? In-class readings
Week 5: Characterization
9/30: Read John McPhee Release and Susan Orlean Show Dog
10/2: Read Rachel Monroe #VanLife: The Bohemian Social-Media Movement
Write a 500-600 word response to any readings this week, reflecting on characterization in the profile. Begin thinking about people and/or types who would make good profile studies. Be prepared to share it in small-group discussion.
Week 6: Strong Opinions/Literary journalism and Interviewing
10/6: Read Ta-Nehisi Coates I’m Not Black I’m Kanye
10/9: Listen to Studs Terkel and Susan Orlean interviews
Come to class with a pitch for your profile. You should have a 1-page description of subject and a list of possible questions for them. Be prepared to share in small groups.
Week 7: Conferences
10/14: No class—midterm conferences
Upload minimum 30-minute interview with subject for your profile
10/16: No class—midterm conferences
**By Tuesday class time, all students should have conducted interviews of the subjects of their profile, transcribed at least 5 profile-worthy quotations, and made notes on physical features, mannerisms, impressions of subject and relevant contextual data.**
All students should upload a link to a Google doc of a 4-6 page profile essay by Sunday 10/19 at 3 p.m. Material from your short responses may be expanded and even combined to write your profile essay.
Week 8: Workshop
10/21: Workshop Group 1
Come to class with printed copies of essays by group members and responses to them. You will hand these to your classmates at the end of the workshop.
10/23: Workshop Group 2
Come to class with printed copies of essays by group members and responses to them. You will hand these to your classmates at the end of the workshop.
Unit 3: Writing about Place
Week 9: Tour Guides
10/28: Read Robert Macfarlane Ghost Species
10/30: Read from Henri Cole Orphic Paris and Rebecca Solnit City of Women
Write a 500-600 word response to any readings this week. Be prepared to share in small groups.
Week 10: Tourists
11/4: Excursion TBD
11/6: Read Natalia Ginzburg Winter in the Abruzzi and Zadie Smith You Are in Paradise
Write a 500-600 word response to the readings and/or excursion this week. Be prepared to share in small groups.
Week 11: Other Forms and Other Forms of Travel
11/11: Read Anne Carson Travels to Rome and Lydia Davis Dutch Scenes
11/13: Excursion TBD
All students should upload a link to a Google doc of a 4-6 page travel/place essay by Sunday 11/16 at 3 p.m. Material from your short responses may be expanded and even combined to write your essay.
Week 12: Workshop
11/18: Workshop Group 1
Come to class with printed copies of essays by group members and responses to them. You will hand these to your classmates at the end of the workshop.
11/20: Workshop Group 2
Come to class with printed copies of essays by group members and responses to them. You will hand these to your classmates at the end of the workshop.
Week 13
11/25: In-class readings on the essay form
11/27: No Class—Thanksgiving
Week 14
12/2: Revision and Final Portfolio discussion
12/4: Last day, last thoughts.
**In lieu of a final exam you will complete a final portfolio which includes a 2-page reflection on your work this semester. More instructions to follow.**
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