Creative Writing - Fiction
Providence, Thursdays 4:15-6:45 September 9 – December 9
Providence, Thursdays 4:15-6:45 September 9 – December 9
Instructor: Kathryn Kulpa
Office hours: Available after class or by appointment
E-Mail: kathrynka@yahoo.com
Quick Class Description: Creative Writing-Fiction is an introductory workshop that will focus on generating new work, reading and discussing students' short stories. Students will learn about craft elements (point of view, character development, voice, plot, etc.) by reading published stories and student work and through short writing exercises, in class and at home. You should finish the class with one or more completed, revised short stories or novel chapters you are proud of and would consider submitting for publication.
Format:
Every week, there will be short writing exercises (usually around 10-15 minutes), designed to provide practice in some area of fiction writing. Students will share these exercises, understanding that these are not meant to be finished, polished drafts (although some may grow to be). Students will also work on one or more fiction projects of their choice and share these with the group for close, critical reading. As you read, think about your honest reaction—what you liked, what you didn’t like or didn’t understand—and what the writer could change to make the story better. We will also read and respond to some published work, from classic to contemporary, looking at fiction from the writer’s point of view.
Texts:
What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter.
Other texts will be provided as handouts or online.
Work Requirements:
Thoughtful reading and creative criticism of student and published work, active class discussion, participation in class writing activities and writing on your own are all essentials of the course. As a student in this class, you will:
- Write short fiction exercises that you will share with the class, and revise and/or expand some of these
- Write and present to the group for critique at least one completed fiction piece (ideally a short story, because it’s easier to critique something that’s finished, but novel chapters are also acceptable), and revise this piece
- Read and discuss the work of other workshop students and provide them with constructive criticism through in-class discussion and written notes
- Participate in discussions of students’ and published stories and write short response pieces to some of these
Final grade: There is no final exam. In figuring your final grade, I will count:
- Class participation (writing exercises, discussion, story responses): 25%
- Midterm exam (includes short answers, story analysis and writing exercise): 25%
- Final portfolio (a selection of your work from the semester): 50%
Manuscript format: Stories for class discussion should be emailed to me, either as attachments in an easy-to-open format (Word .doc or .rtf), or they can be pasted in as plain text. I will post them on this blog. For longer pieces, double-spacing and page numbering is highly recommended. Weekly writing exercises should be brought to class, but if you miss a class, they can be e-mailed. These don't have to be typed, but if your handwriting is hard to read, it's recommended! All work included in your portfolio should be typed and should have your name on it.
Late/Incomplete work: As a part-time instructor I cannot assign grades of Incomplete except in cases of emergency, in which case it must be approved by the Department Chair and Dean.
Intellectual dishonesty: Great artists steal; bad artists borrow.--Bob Dylan
Plagiarism—any uncredited use of another's words and/or ideas will result in a grade of F. Creative (and credited) reworking of existing texts (such as parody and homage) are allowed.
Class Environment: People in the workshop will be sharing their own, uncensored creative work, which may be personal, honest and emotional. If, as a reader, you find something offensive, this can be an opportunity for discussion, but always differentiate between the writer and the work.
Illness Due to Flu
The H1N1 Flu Pandemic may impact classes this semester. If any of us develop flu-like symptoms, we are being advised to stay home until the fever has subsided for 24 hours. So, if you exhibit such symptoms, please do not come to class. Notify me at 401-225-4683 or kathrynka@yahoo.com of your status, and I will make sure you receive all reading and writing assignments by email. We will work together to ensure that course instruction and work is completed for the semester.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have posted simple methods to avoid transmission of illness. These include: covering your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing; frequently washing your hands to protect from germs; avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth; and staying home when you are sick. For more information, please view www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/habits.htm. URI information on the H1N1 will be posted on the URI website at http://www.uri.edu/news/h1n1, with links to the www.cdc.gov site.
No comments:
Post a Comment