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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "CW 450"
COURSE NAME: "Advanced Creative Writing Workshop: Fiction"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Summer Session I 2015
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
George Minot
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
MTWTH 11:00 AM 12:45 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisites: Junior Standing and two previous Creative Writing courses with a grade of B or higher
OFFICE HOURS:
By appointment
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This workshop aims to develop advanced creative, editorial, and reading habits needed for the production of literary fiction; to develop self-editing skills; and to foster an aesthetic sensibility for use in writing literary fiction. Students will read both contemporary literary fiction and materials related to analyzing and editing literary fiction and participate in a traditional creative writing workshop through in-class writing exercises, reading classmates' fiction, and producing and workshopping their own fiction. Students will compile a portfolio of the work they produce during the term. Students completing this workshop course will be familiar with the advanced skills needed to produce literary fiction, to self-edit work in progress, and to discern the characteristics that make quality literary fiction.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
This course is about the writing process. Commitment to the process is the focus. Daily output, and progress within the process.
In the first week there is a new assignment or exercise each day. Get the wheels moving. Results are discussed.
In the following weeks we share works in progress on a set, rotating schedule. Work is submitted to all in the class - by email, and also printed-out copies are handed out in class out the day before the work is discussed. Students read and make notes in advance on each piece to be discussed. Participation in these class discussions is urged and required - and often becomes spontaneous - the vital heart of the mutually generated workshop experience.
Each student will produce four finished pieces - short stories or equivalent installments in a single longer piece.
Students will also demonstrate (partner plan) their daily agreed output.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Student writers will learn their strengths and weaknesses as writers - and as readers, editors and interlocutors.
Student writers will learn by experiencing full-on the rigorous discipline and vital necessity of a regular writing habit.
Student writers will learn to refine their insights and other thoughts on submitted pieces of fiction, as well as how to better understand and explain their gut reactions, by repeatedly exploring and identifying, in class discussion, the various technical (and also the more elusive) elements of "the fictive dream" --- what works, what doesn't work, and why.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments |
| The Art of Fiction: Notes on Craft for Young Writers | Gardner, John | New York: Vintage, 1991 | 9780679734031 | | |
| Reading Like a Writer | Francine Prose | London: Union Books, 2012 | 9781908526076 | | |
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Four completed pieces of fiction: Degree of progress in the writing of each piece will matter - in assessing the grade - as much as the "quality" of the final pieces: | Students will continuously work on composing and revising pieces of fiction. The final portfolio will comprise four finished - revised, polished - pieces. | 70% |
| Class participation in discussions: effort, initiative, development of extemporaneous critical ability and responsiveness: | Improve one's own writing and self-editing by learning to evaluate and speak discerningly of others' work. | 20% |
| Write 500 words a day | | 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 cours
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 is required. Three unexcused absences are allowed.
Please refer to the university catalog for the attendance and absence policy.
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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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Week 1 - Points of view: How Your Parents Met: Describe the moment - setting, scene, tone, detail, dialogue, action - your parents met. Each day a different point of view (hers; his; third person, etc.). Focus on voice: build on the points of view by creating a distinct voice for each piece.
Week 2 - Fiction as combination of personal truths and invention: Two Truths and a Lie. Create a story based on two true personal facts or occurrences and a third invented fact or occurrence. Let the 'lie' serve as a portal to freedom in the process of conception and development. Use real memories, details, etc. in conjunction with invented ones. Or: Instead of telling what happened, imagine: 'What if?... And flesh that out.
Week 3 - Original stories: compose new pieces. Follow a conception, image, or 'sense' of a beginning into a scene; develop toward fullness with dialogue, action, conflict rising. Utilize elements developed in the first two weeks.
Week 4 - Plot development: build on previous pieces. What future plot arcs or outcomes inhere in the material already written? Revise, expand, edit, refine.
Week 5 - Fresh final pieces: with no prompts, use lessons learned till now to create a well-rounded short story or fully formed section of a larger piece.
After Week 1, in a scheduled workshop rotation, three students will read their pieces each class, followed by in-depth discussion. They will pass out printed copies the class before, so all students can read and write detailed comments on them, which will be handed back to the authors after feedback and discussion in class.
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