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SYLLABUS Introduction to Creative Writing (ENGL 210-1) Fall 2009 Mon/Wed/Fri 9:00-9:50
Instructor: Alex Gang Classroom: Office: Wheatley 06-49 Office Hours: MWF 10-11 and by appt. E-Mail: alexgang001@hotmail.com
Required Text:
Burroway, Janet. Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft (2nd Edition). Penguin Academics, 2007.
Suggested Text:
Another Book Vol. 1. Temporary Press, 2009.
Course Goals: Words strung together by design hang with you; that is, the words that move you move you by design. This course has a design. We’ll look at words arranged to move us, and ask why we’re moved. Some of these texts I’ll supply, and some of them you’ll supply. We’ll read what successful word-arrangers have to say about arrangement, and learn terminology they use to describe what they see when they read, and do when they write. You’ll be asked to apply the approaches we study to your own creative work and you’ll be asked to write about why or why not you felt successful. You’ll be asked to share your work with others so that they might contribute to the dialogue between you and your work, and you’ll be asked to read your peers and contribute in a friendly supportive way to the dialogue they are having. You will complete in-class writing exercises and out of class assignments, including individual and group exercises, free writing, and formal assignments. By working in both poetry and fiction, and receiving feedback (in the form of written and oral critiques) from your peers and from me, you’ll develop a working understanding of how poetic and narrative techniques work. A focus on revision will help you explore ways in which to advance your work. We all have something unique to say about the world in which we live; this course aims to help you develop the skills to deliver your poetic and fictional expressions in an artful, engaging way.
Course Requirements:
Writing: You are responsible for one weekly out-of-class writing assignment, as well as in-class exercises as assigned. Most of your writing will take place out of class. These assignments will lead to a final portfolio of work that will include 5 poems and 2 complete stories, story beginnings or story fragments (6 – 15 pages total), all of which will go through at least one revision. Both original and revised versions of all creative work (poems and stories) are to be included in the portfolio, for a total of 25-50 pages of work. One revision of your choice must be a radical revision, which we’ll discuss at length later in the semester. While no individual poem or piece of fiction you hand in will be graded, the complete portfolio is a measure of your growth as a writer over the course of the semester. It’s good for writing to develop into a habit. As such, it’s important for both your grade and your growth as a writer to keep up with the weekly writing assignments.
Reading: You are responsible for weekly reading assignments from the text, as well as occasional hand-outs of fiction or poetry. You’ll also be asked to contribute published work that has been meaningful to you so that we may construct and use a meaningful class anthology. Please come prepared to discuss the assigned readings. You will be responsible for writing 1 response paper (2 - 3 double-spaced pages) over the course of the semester. A response paper is written in response to a poem or short story. They are not summaries of what the story or poem was about. Rather, these papers should engage with asking the question “how/why did the author do that?” Response papers will be graded.
Literary Reading Attendance: You are required to attend one fiction or poetry reading during the semester. There are numerous readings scheduled on campus throughout the semester; local bookstores, other universities, and literary organizations regularly sponsor readings around Boston. You’ll write a (2-3 page) response paper on the reading. This can be turned in at any point during the semester. Your paper should focus on your experience at the reading and making connections, if possible, to the craft elements (voice, image, character, etc.) we discuss in class. The paper will be graded.
Class participation: This is an interactive, discussion-based class. Your presence and participation are necessary and required. Aside from discussing the published pieces we read outside of class and completing in-class writing assignments, you’ll frequently be split into groups where you’ll be required to critically read and discuss your classmates’ work. You’ll also have the opportunity for your classmates to critically read and discuss your work. This will occur cooperatively in what’s called a “workshop” environment. Part of this process involves written critiques of your classmates’ work. You will be required to write 3 critique “letters” in response to the work of your classmates. Each letter will consist of at least one paragraph detailing what you think the strengths of the piece are, and one paragraph exploring the questions the piece raises for you, paying attention to Burroway’s suggestions on page xxvii of the Invitation to the Writer section of the Introduction. More specifics on critiques and workshop participation will be given later in the semester. These critiques will be graded.
Class participation also includes posting to the class website at least three times over the course of the semester.
Attendance: You are allowed no more than FOUR unexcused absences. You are responsible for making up any work you miss. Please exchange phone numbers or email addresses with someone in class to find out about a class you’ve missed. If you exceed SIX absences for any reason YOU RISK FAILING THE COURSE! Lates will be converted to absences at the rate of 3:1. Please don’t check messages or send texts during class.
Conferences: You will be required to attend two 15-minute progress conferences with me near the midway point and the end of the semester. You should bring all of your creative work from the semester to the conferences. We’ll discuss the state of your portfolio and address any specific questions you have about moving forward. Conferences are an important part of this course and will be graded, so don’t skip your conference appointments. As you will not be attending class during conference weeks, missing a conference is equivalent to missing 3 classes and will be counted as such. You may also schedule meetings with me at any point during the semester or come to office hours to discuss your work, progress, expectations, the readings, etc.
Grading:
You will not be graded on “talent” in this course. Rather, your grade will be a reflection of your growth and development as a writer as well as your adherence to the course requirements outlined above. To determine your grade, I will weigh the timely completion of creative assignments the growth displayed in your portfolio (first drafts to revisions), your critical responses to class readings, attendance at and response to a literary reading, responses to the work of your classmates, class participation and class and conference attendance.
Your grade will be determined as follows:
25% - Response Papers (2 reading response papers, 1 literary reading response paper) 25% - Portfolio (timely completion of all creative assignments, revision efforts, personal growth) 25% - Class participation/Attendance (preparedness, discussion, web-posting, etc.) 15% - Workshop (3 critical response letters; participation) 10% - Conferences
Quizzes may be given throughout the semester.
Students with Disabilities
If you have a disability and feel you will need accommodations in order to complete course requirements, please contact the Ross Center for Disability Services (M1-401) at 617-287-7430.
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty
All students are accountable to the definitions and the regulations concerning Academic Plagiarism is defined as the attempt to use or pass off as one’s own the ideas or writings of another. This includes copying from a friend, downloading material from the Internet and pretending it’s yours, or using passages either reproduced word-for-word or paraphrased from another’s writing without giving the author credit. If you’re confused about the right way to quote sources, please see me and I’ll be glad to clarify. Because plagiarism involves stealing someone’s ideas, it’s considered a serious matter in academic life. Anyone committing plagiarism risks failing the course. All students are accountable to the definitions and the regulations concerning Academic Honesty contained in the University of Massachusetts Boston “Code of Standard Conduct.” For more details see: www.umb.edu/student_services/student_rights/code_conduct.html
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