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

This is an introductory course on the techniques of writing poetry, short prose fiction, and creative non-fiction. It is also an invitation to challenge your conception of “poetry” and “prose.” We will examine the work of contemporary poets and writers in order to further understand our own work and the creative process. We will also consider the role of creative writing in contemporary American culture. Texts include Eileen Myles’s Chelsea Girls, Justin Torres’s We the Animals, and Natalie Diaz’s Postcolonial Love Poem. The class is organized around student writing, and we will workshop on a weekly basis. A dedication to craft, aesthetic innovation, and risk-taking is expected of writers in this course. Vigorous and thoughtful class participation is required.