Introduction
to Creative Writing
A-ENGW 2300
Instructor: Joe O'Connell
Phone: You can catch me at the ACC Learning Lab after
3 p.m. M-Th at the
Email: joconne@austincc.edu
Web site: www.austincc.edu/joconne
TEXT
Three Genres (8th Edition) by Stephen Minot
Copies of your written works for all classmates
The bulk of the class
will be spent on writing pieces in the four genres covered: fiction, creative
nonfiction, play/screenwriting and poetry. The course will be taught as a
workshop and you will be responsible for giving honest, fair feedback to your
classmates. This workshop should be a safe place where no egos are threatened,
just constructive criticism given.
Like an athlete or
musician in training, you will also work out regularly. This will involve a
series of exercises you must complete by the deadlines. They should be fun and
stress-free and give you ideas for your stories as you learn technique.
Just as important, you
will read a number of written works, most included in
LATE WORK
Part of being a writer is doing the work, therefore I expect everyone to keep up with weekly deadlines. Late work will be docked a minimum of one letter grade. Missing workshop with a late piece will also affect your participation and critique grades.
PLAGIARISM
It's illegal and unethical to steal someone else's ideas. However, copying another writer's style is different from copying their words. As writers we LEARN by experimentation through copying styles and forms. That said, if I catch you engaged in plagiarism, I will follow the most punitive sanctions allowed under university regulations.
ACCOMMODATIONS
If you have any disabilities, whether physical or learning, please notify me at the beginning of the semester so I can make arrangements to meet your needs. I will deal with these situations confidentially.
TALK TO ME
I am here to help you succeed in this class. Please call me at the Learning Lab to ask questions or discuss writing problems. Don't be intimidated; talk to me if you need help or are confused about any course requirements.
FROM THIS COURSE, YOU
SHOULD:
1. Understand and employ the basic techniques of the four genres in your exercises, class discussions, peer critiques, and major written pieces. In particular:
Structure Characterization/Characters
POV (point of view) Conflict and Connection
Plot Voice
Scene Tension
Details and Immediacy Showing versus Telling
Place/Setting Imagery
2. Through experimentation and risk-taking, discover your voice and have a better understanding of structure and plot.
3. Understand structure and the options available to work with plot, character, theme, conflict and connection.
4. Demonstrate your understanding of how a written work is put together and the devices used and to what effect through course discussion and your own work.
5. Gain a greater understanding of writing’s history and possibilities through exposure to a wide range of forms, and develop your analytical and critical skills through class discussions.
6. Develop the ability to read as writers; learn how to write (better) by studying other writers.
7. Understand and utilize writing exercises and class discussion to foster story ideas and to master techniques.
8. Develop a solid work ethic about revision, recognize the function of revision in the writing process, revise often both at a deep level and a fine-tuning level, understand and apply the various revision techniques, and evaluate your own work objectively through your work on exercises, short stories and story analysis.
9. Have fun.
GRADING:
C work is "competent." In other words, it fulfills the assignment, does not have an excessive number of errors, exhibits an average grasp of literary technique, but may contain cliché situations and characters. Lacks originality, depth of character or dramatic tension.
B work, in addition to meeting the requirements of the C, but shows more ambition. It may show mastery of techniques, but the fictional situations may be too contrived, the characters may be flat, uninteresting and unchanged.
A work is at the level that it could be published in a literary journal. It has a skillful writing style, contains no errors, exhibits mastery of literary techniques, and includes well-drawn characters, dramatic tension and an intriguing plotline.
On the down side, D work falls below the C in some way. Excessive errors, a poor understanding of the techniques of fiction, a sub-standard writing style, or other problems could result in this grade.
An F suffers even more seriously from these problems. Several D-level problems or a single such problem taken to an extreme could result in an F.
Calculating your
grade:
Peer critiques 10 percent
Participation/reading 10 percent
Creative nonfiction piece 15 percent
Stage/screenplay section 15 percent
Three poems 15 percent
Short story 15 percent
Portfolio (including 20 percent
major revisions of work)
Portfolio
This is the chance for you to select what you consider to be your best work of the semester for final grading; it is worth 20 percent of your overall grade. You will revise your short story, creative nonfiction essay and stage/screenplay section and provide me with copies of all work done during the semester. lease spiral or hot bind your portfolio, or you may put it in a nice three ring binder. Make sure you have tabbed dividers, clearly labeled, as well as a table of contents. Put your name and Introduction to Creative Writing Portfolio (along with a title if you'd like) on the outside of your portfolio, along with the date.
Your portfolio will have four sections, in the following order:
1) Letter of Assessment: at least a two-page narrative that:
(A.)Examines/discusses/reflects on what you've learned this semester.
(B.) Includes at least one paragraph about each piece you've included in your portfolio and discusses the creative and revision process for the piece.
2) Selected Work: The revised pieces. You should complete substantial revisions to them, not merely correcting grammar. Give them a thorough working over.
3) Your Work. Please include all the exercises you've generated for the semester.
COURSE SCHEDULE
TG=Three Genres
09/19 Introduction to course. Intro paper assigned.
09/26 Fiction: Read Chapters 6-15, 17-18, 20-24 (TG). Intro paper due. Exercise 1 due.
10/03 Short story due in email to classmates (class does not meet)
10/10 WORKSHOP short story
10/17 Creative nonfiction: Read Chapters 1-5. Exercise 2 due
10/24 Creative nonfiction piece due in email to classmates (class does not meet)
10/31 WORKSHOP creative nonfiction
11/14 Play/screenwriting: Read Chapters 37-49 (TG). Exercise 3 due
11/21 Film treatment due in email to classmates (class does not meet)
11/28 WORKSHOP TREATMENT; Read Chapters 37-42; Exercise 4 due
12/05 Poetry Read Chapters 25-36 (Expect to write some poetry in class)
12/12 WORKSHOP
poetry (you will give out in
class)—Portfolio due