English: Intro to Creative Writing

Introductory course on techniques of writing poetry, short prose fiction, and creative nonfiction. Classes organized around discussion of student work; weekly writing assignments.

Open to Degree and PACE students

In this course, students will explore numerous traditions of creative writing, and discover how knowledge of these traditions can affect their self-expression. The class will examine both syllabic (haiku) and metric (sonnet) poetry, as well as free verse. Then it will move on to explore various forms of short fiction and the personal essay/memoir. By the end of the course, the student should not only be able to discuss the advantages and drawbacks of the various styles and forms we read about but also be able to incorporate the advantages into his/her own work. Our goals, during this course, will be threefold: First, students should be prepared to talk about assigned readings, which will serve as points of departure for discussions on craft. As primates, we learn by imitation. We learn to write well by reading excellent models. Second, students are expected to evaluate and critique their peers in a positive and constructive manner. Classes such as this represent a community in what is normally a solitary activity. Think of this class as your support system. And third, because good writing is not written so much as it is rewritten, students are expected to revise and revise, honing their craft to the best of their ability.