Creative Writing Courses offered in creative writing within the Arts Program are designed to teach technique and form from a professional point of view. These courses are designed both for those who wish to develop their skills and their appreaciation of the art of writing and for students intending to make theri careers in writing. English majors may elect a four course-concentration in creative writing as part of the major program. Students have majored in creative writing through the independent major program. Students should consult with the creative writing faculty to ensure admission to the appropriate range of courses.
Fiction writing is a quest into both the external world and one's internal landscape.
In this course, writing exercises, class discussion of classic and contemporary literature and the elements of process, and private conferences provide guidance for each student's unique exploration of content and style. Requirements include production of three or more stories, revision of one or more stories, and class participation. This course encourages the student to experiment with a broad spectrum of contemporary poetic strategies, both mainstream and avant-garde. In-class writing is designed to explore the creative process and techniques for revision. The assignments will emphasize the short forms and nontraditional approaches to the personal essay as a creative treatment of personal, ethic, or contemporary cultural experience and issues.