Instructor: Joe O’Connell.
Contact: Home phone (will be on syllabus handed out in class)
Email is josephoc@stedwards.edu (I check it compulsively!)
Texts:
Creating Fiction edited by Julie Checkoway
Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern
For advanced students only (in addition to the other two texts)
The Sincerest Form by Nicholas Delbanco
Requirements for
course:
You will need to write three pieces this semester (advanced students will write four short stories), of approximately 7-14 pages (typed, double-spaced) in length. These may be short stories or novel chapters. See the General Notes on Fiction Writing Handout and Manuscript Critiques handouts for some basics on writing stories.
One of the three stories will involve your second teacher in this class: a fiction mentor of your choosing. You will read at least six stories by the author as well as two author interviews (these can easily be found on the Web).
You will need to critique your fellow students’ stories. You will turn in (one copy to me, one to the student being critiqued) a critique that notes “Things that work well in this story, and “Things that work less well in this story,” about 1 page typed notes with specific suggestions.
You can choose to revise two of your three stories, 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: 25% each for the three short stories (two of which may elevate in grade after revisions) and 25% for your work in doing the writing exercises, critiques, class participation, etc. For advanced students, it will be 20% for each story and 20% for the rest.
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.
I will provide you with handouts every week as well as exercises aimed at leading you toward story ideas and practicing craft. Advanced students will turn in reading responses to each of the chapters in Delbanco’s book.
SCHEDULE:
9/08 Intro to course. Hear short story on tape.
9/22 Workshop four stories (handouts). Your first story is due.
Read: (CF): Garrett, 2; Spark, 13; Johnson, 34; Barth, 126
MSF: 3-57
Write: Exercises 1-3 and Introduction
ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY: (SF): Chapters 1-3
(With reading response)
10/6 Workshop student stories. Must distribute copies of story by your fiction mentor for discussion next time.
Read: (CF): Brown, 28; Edwards, 44; Wetherell, 57; Checkoway, 148
MSF: 61-76
Write: Exercises 4-6
ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY: (SF): Chapters 4-6 (With reading response)
10/20 Workshop fiction mentor stories. Second story due.
Read: (CF): Russo, 67; Hemley, 81; Chang, 135; Miner, 96
MSF: 79-126
Write: Exercises 7-9
ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY: (SF): Chapters 7-8 (With reading response)
11/3 Workshop second story. Third story due.
Read: (CF): Miller, 107; Williams, 115; Baxter, 182; Watanabe, 197
MSF: 127-164
Write: Exercises 10-12
ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY: (SF): Chapters 9-10 (With reading response)
11/17 Workshop third story. Fourth story due for advanced students.
Read: (CF): McElmurray, 207; Brown, 219; Smiley, 244; Rios, 256
MSF: 165-219
Write: Exercises 13-14
ADVANCED STUDENTS ONLY: (SF): Chapters 11 and 12
(With reading response)
12/01 Workshop fourth story (advanced students’ stories). Turn in revisions of first two stories.
Read: MSF: 220-255