ENGL 210 Creative Writing
Fall 2006
MWF 9:05-10:00
PC 3215
Instructor: Berwyn Moore, Associate Professor of English
Office: Palumbo Academic Center, Room 3240
Phone: 871-7504
Email: moore001@gannon.edu
Office hours: MWF 12:15 - 2:00
TT 11 - 12
Text
Burroway, Janet. Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft. Second Edition. New York:
Longman, 2007.
Course Description
Creative Writing will introduce you to the elements of craft, including image, voice, character, setting, and story, that are used to create poetry, fiction, drama, and the creative essay. You will also learn effective invention, drafting and revision strategies. You will work on creative exercises in and outside of class that will spark your creativity, give you practice using specific techniques, and provide you with the foundations of poems, stories, plays, and essays.
In addition, you will learn how to "workshop" each other’s creative work; that is, to critique and discuss drafts submitted for class review. You will also read and analyze the creative work of published authors as a way of learning how these writers achieve unity of content and form.
Outcomes
This course will help you to:
Course Requirements
Exercise/Response Folder
During the first half of the semester you will write creative exercises and responses to your choice of works in the book. You are to keep these assignments in a folder which will be turned in for evaluation at midterm. Please follow the instructions on the attached sheet.
Workshop
During the second half of the semester, you will write drafts of a creative essay, a short story, and a poem, which you will submit to classmates for feedback. The written and oral feedback you receive on these drafts will help you to revise them for your final manuscript.
Participation and Attendance
This course is highly interactive; that is, minimal lecture time is augmented by activities such as exercises, peer workshops, and discussion. In short, attend every class and be prompt. The success of this course requires all students' careful preparation of reading and writing assignments and active participation.
In addition to general, daily participation, students will pair up to lead the class in a collaborative exercise. You may choose from the exercises throughout the book or you may design your own.
You are allowed two absences without penalty. Absences above two will warrant a meeting with me to discuss consequences, including possible dismissal from the course. (If extenuating circumstances prevent your attendance, please let me know.)
Manuscript
At the end of the semester, you will turn in a manuscript of revised work: a creative essay (about 1500 words), a short story (about 1500 words), and a poem (one to two pages). Your manuscript should reflect the culmination of your work in each genre and will be evaluated on the criteria of quality writing explored in class and on improvements made during revision. Your manuscript should also include a one-page assessment of your writing strengths and weaknesses. You will receive specific instructions on a separate handout later in the term.
Assistance and Academic Integrity
You may seek help from the Writing Center or from other individuals with your writing assignments, but you must acknowledge all help. You may also schedule a conference with me for assistance with any of your assignments.
Plagiarized work will result in an F for the course. Please refer to the university's "Academic Integrity Policy" in your handbook for information regarding cheating and plagiarism.
GRADING
Exercise/Response Folder 25%
Participation 15%
Workshop/Peer Feedback 30%
Manuscript/Self Assessment 30%
Course Schedule
Please come to class on Mondays having read all the assigned pages for the entire week. Unless otherwise noted, you should read the entire chapter except for the plays. (Chill − they are brief and wondrously interesting!) Doing so will allow our discussions to move freely through each chapter. Remember to turn in your exercise or response on Monday or Wednesday.
W 8/23 Introduction to course
F 8/25 Warm-up exercises
“Invitation to the Writer,” xxi - xxviii
M 8/28 Habits / Process / Feeding the Muse
In-class exercises
Begin folder work
W 8/30 Video: Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival
Be inspired!
Unit 1: Elements of Craft
9/1 Ch. 1, “Image,” 3 - 34: Read every page attentively! Read them again! Mark striking or unsettling passages. Note any questions you have. Be ready to discuss! Do all this for every reading assignment!
9/4 Labor Day: Labor at home, not at school.
W/F 9/6-8 Ch. 1, “Image,” continued
Friday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and _________
MWF 9/11-15 Ch. 2, “Voice,” 37 - 76
Friday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and _________
MWF 9/18-22 Ch. 3, “Character,” 79 - 128
Friday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and _________
MWF 9/25-29 Ch. 4, “Setting,” 131 - 160
Friday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and _________
MWF 10/2-6 Ch. 5, “Story,” 163 - 205 Friday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and _________
M 10/9 Ch. 6, “Development and Revision,” 207-235
Folders due
10/11-15 Midterm break
Unit 2: Genres / Workshops
Time to plan a poetry reading!
MWF 10/16-20 Ch. 7, “Creative Nonfiction,” 237-272
Wednesday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and ________
Friday: In-class writing: creative essay
MWF 10/23-27 Creative essay workshop (small groups)
Bring 4 copies of 3 - 5 pages of in-progress essay to class*
MWF 10/30-11/3 Ch. 8, “Fiction,” 273 - 306
Wednesday: Creative exercise led by: ________ and ________
Friday: In-class writing: short story
MWF 11/6-10 Fiction workshop (small groups)
Bring 4 copies of 3 - 5 pages of in-progress story to class
MWF 11/13-17 Ch. 9, “Poetry,” 309-334
Wednesday: Creative Exercise led by: ________ and ________
M 11/20 In-class writing: poem
11/22-26 Thanksgiving break
MWF 11/27-12/1 Poetry workshop (small groups)
Bring 4 copies of poem draft to class
MWF 12/4-8 Revision workshop
Preparing manuscript
W 12/13 Manuscript due by 1:00 p.m.
(Deliver to Palumbo 3240 or 3227.)
* You may make your own copies or ask Sue, English department secretary, in Palumbo 3227, to make copies for you. You must ask her at least one full day before you need the copies.
Merry Christmas! Metaphors be with you!