Offers the opportunity to experiment with forms of poetry and fiction and to read and discuss from a writer's point of view contemporary writing in these genres. Students may write exercises on these aspects of fiction, write one or more short stories, and revise frequently. Students will also read representative stories and explore their use of particular fictional techniques. Through writing exercises, analysis of modern and contemporary poetry, and frequent revision of their own poetry, students learn the basic elements of poetry writing. Course assumes students know the basics of fiction.
Students work on writing short stories and reading a wide range of stories.
Students can expect to revise their work regularly. Designed to allow the student maximum freedom to develop his or her own style. Assignments grow out of contemporary problems, current readings, and the student's individual interests. Explores the relationship between writers' lives and the material they write with close attention paid to form, style, and the raw material transformed by the writing process. Readings can include various short stories, creative non-fiction works pertaining to writers' lives, essays written by writers about their texts, and critical studies about the genre.