271 Course Outline

Jan            9                  
--why creative writing
--introductions: My Life and My Writing
--syllabus

--introduction: image, narrative, sound, issue, language

--think like a writer or, why I am glad I’m not writing another essay

--guided exercise #1

--beginnings and principles for strong writing

            16                                    
--poetry models: lyric free verse, imagist, narrative, concrete/visual, sound poetry, “language,” procedural,                                                                         political poetry

--self-editing checklist & examples of editing work

                                               

            23                                    
--poetry workings: line, paragraph, space, breath

--tropes & figurative language

             30                                    
--fiction & script models: short story, novel, creative nonfiction, realist, psychological, magic realism,                                                                                     mystery, pulp genres (mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, thriller, romance), stageplay, tv, and film scripts

                                               

Feb            6                                    
--prose workings: time management, tension/crisis, closure, action, dialogue, description, disequilibrium

 --script workings: stage direction, camera direction, dialogue authenticity

            13                                    
--persona, diction, language types, tone, & voice

 --guest author

--draft due

            20                                    Break

                                               

            27                                    
--narrative structures—plot success

--workshopping principles; workshopping beings

March             5                                    
--postmodern writing

--online writing

--workshopping

            12                                    
--guest authors

 --workshopping

            19                                   
--guest authors
--workshopping

            26                                    
--guest authors

 --workshopping

 --ecoliteracy field trip (depending on weather)

April             2                                    
--publishing

 --how to conduct a reading

--class reading and party

 --finished portfolio