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Creative Writing 2nd Period. Narrative strategies; Mastering the Short Story
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Each one of you has an idea about something: some curiosity you can't stop exploring, some vision you just have to describe on paper, some issue you just have to talk about. It keeps you awake at night, it continually comes up in conversation, it fills your mind with images. In our class, we will explore short stories as a way to get those ideas out of your head.
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This course specifically addresses questions of narrative: what makes a good story? How does plot function? How do different genres work? This course will also focus on the many different aspects of writing that constitute fictional narrative: description, exposition, dialogue, action. The bulk of this course involves the production of three short stories. The final project will consist of rewritten drafts of these three stories accompanied by with a writer’s statement. There will also be smaller weekly assignments: in-class writing exercises, quizzes, and reader response essays. Class time will usually begin with a short lecture, and then segue to in-class writing exercises and peer editing. Students are also required to do weekly short story readings.
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Unit I: Microfiction and short short stories
1.Introduction to class
In class workshop: 55 fiction.
Homework: personal profile, personal questionnaire, descriptive essay
Read and respond: Raymond Carver, “Popular Mechanics.”
2. The elements of fiction
Due: personal profile, personal questionnaire, descriptive essay, Carver RR
Lecture: how to structure plot. 3rd person external narrator.
In-classs writing: draft a short short story. All external, all action
Homework: short short story first draft
Read and respond: Kate Chopin, “The Story of an Hour.”
3. Peer editing 1
Due: short short story first draft
In class peer editing + in-class writing
Homework: short short story final draft
Read and respond: Shirley Jackson, “The Lottery.”
Unit II: Essentials of Plot and Narrative Voice
4. The Classical plot and Plot Twists
Due: short short story final draft
In class discussion: what is plot? How to build a proper plot
In class exercises: loglines, A =>B plot summaries, plot diagrams
Homework: Select voice, develop plot summary into short story first draft
Read and respond: Ray Bradbury, “Sound of Thunder”
5. Peer Editing 1
Due: Short story first draft
In class peer editing + in-class writing
Homework: short story second draft
Read and respond: Roald Dahl, “Lamb to the Slaughter”
6. Peer Editing 2
Due: short story second draft, Dahl RR
In class peer editing + in-class writing
Homework: short story final draft
Read and respond: Elmore Leonard, “When the Women Come out to Dance”
Unit III: The Story Told in the First Person
7. Writing “I”
Due: short story final draft
In class peer editing + in-class writing
Homework: First person story first draft
Read and respond: John Updike: “A&P”
8. Peer Editing 1
Due: first person story first draft
In class peer editing + in-class writing
Homework: First person story second draft
Read and respond: J.D. Salinger, “For Esme: – With Love and Squalor”
9. Peer Editing 2
Due: First person story second draft
In class peer editing + in-class writing
Homework: First person short story final draft
Read and review: Charlotte Perkins Stetson, “The Yellow Wallpaper.”
Unit IV: Fantastic Tales
10. Fairy Tales and Fables
Due: First person short story final draft, Stetson RR
In-class writing exercises
Read and respond: Hans Christian Andersen, “The Ugly Duckling.”
11. Postmodern Sci-Fi
Due: Andersen RR
Get: First person short story final draft
In class workshop: review short story corrections
Homework: begin revision of stories for portfolio
Read and respond: Italo Calvino, “All at One Point”
12. Final Workshop
Due: Calvino RR
In class brainstorming and writing: “Why I Write”
Homework: finish portfolio, writer’s statement
13. Last Day of Class
Due: final portfolio
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Attendance (10%)
Attendance is mandatory. One unexcused absence will be allowed with no negative effect on your grade. Subsequent absences will be excused only if they meet the school policy for Certified Absences. Each following unexcused absence will reduce your final grade by 2%. Four or more unexcused absences means automatic failure of the class.
If you arrive in class after roll is called, you are likely to be marked absent. If you want to be marked present, is your responsibility to notify the professor after class of your attendance.
I do not usually penalize for lateness, but if it becomes a problem in class I may count lateness as ½ an absence.
Participation and minor writing assignments (20%)
Assignments generally consist of written responses to readings or small writing assignments on a predetermined topic. They are due in typed hard copy by the deadline. Assignments are not accepted in digital formats. Late work is not accepted.
3 major papers (45%)
Due at the beginning of class, in typed hard copy. Late work is not accepted. Emailed work is not accepted.
Final portfolio (25%)
Final work is judged according to the degree of improvement on original drafts. Portfolio will include both original and final drafts, and a writers statement, in typed, bound hardcopy. Late work is not accepted.
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