Instructor: Joe O’Connell.
Contact: Home phone 365-7390, M-TH afternoons I’m at 223-3367.
Email is josephoc@admin.stedwards.edu (I check it compulsively!)
Text:
The Truth of the
Matter: Art and Craft in Creative Nonfiction (Paperback) by Dinty
Requirements for
course:
You will need to write four creative pieces this semester, of approximately 5-10 pages (typed, double-spaced) in length. These will include pieces that you may submit to Austin Chronicle film/books editor Shawn Badgely. My hope is for you to write a personal essay, a piece on place, at least one piece for the Austin Chronicle and one that comes out of observing people (I'll explain that better later).
You will need to critique your fellow students’ pieces. You will turn in (one copy to me, one to the student being critiqued) a critique that notes “Things that work well, and “Things that work less well,” about one page typed notes with specific suggestions.
You can choose to revise two of your four pieces, with the possibility of raising the grade on those stories. Revisions should utilize in-class and instructor comments/suggestions.
Your grade will be based on an average of these five things: 20% each for the four creative nonfiction pieces (two of which may elevate in grade after revisions) and 20% for your work in doing the writing exercises, critiques, class participation, etc.
If you would like an individual conference with me, please let me know and we will arrange to meet.
Please bring in a file folder for me to use to hold your critiques. On your file folder, put your name, phone numbers, and email address.
We will be reading creative nonfiction pieces each session as well as working on some exercises.
SCHEDULE
We will meet on the
following dates from 6:50 to 9:40 p.m. on the third floor of the
09/06 Ikard Room
Read for class: Lott, 279; Schwartz, 286
09/27
Read for class: Chapters 1, 2 and 8; Sanders, 224; Gerard, 151; Drummond, 103; Gutkind, 167
Complete: Exercise 1 (craft into a personal piece)
10/11
Read for class: Chapters 3, 4, 5, 6; Dillard, 140 and 276; Hoagland, 184; Kincaid, 200; Lott, 207
10/25
Read for class: Chapters 7 and 9; Tall, 109; Kidder, 276; Sedaris, 229; Nye, 220
Complete: Chronicle piece or place piece
11/08
Read for class: Chapter 10; Jakela, 105; Beard, 127; Cofer, 132; Hemley, 174; Selzer, 236
Complete: Chronicle piece or place piece
11/20
Read for class: Sheilds, 243; Tan,
253, Martin, 107;
Complete: Chronicle piece or "observing people" piece
12/06
Read for class: Grealy, 157; Iyer, 189; McPhee, 211; Williams, 257