Dr. Alison Umminger Syllabus for Creative Writing 3200
M/W – 12:30-1:45, Humanities 208
Introduction to Creative Writing (Fiction & Poetry)
OFFICE HOURS: TLC 10-12 a.m. & 2-3 p.m. M/W or by appointment
“Imagination is More Important than Knowledge” – Albert Einstein
Course Description:
3200 is an introductory level course in the writing of Poetry and Fiction. This course is designed to make you better readers of poetry and fiction, as well as competent writers in both genres. In this class we will discuss poetry and fiction writing, and use assigned materials as well as in-class exercises to discuss the basic problems (and solutions) in writing poetry and fiction. These discussions and in-class exercises are for your benefit, and might lead to stories and poems that you never expected. Creative writing involves dedication, imagination, and hard-work. No matter what your “skill” level entering this course, you will do well if you put in obvious effort and keep an open mind.
My assumption in teaching this course is that each of you takes your writing seriously, and that you would like to be treated as artists-in-the-making. I expect for you to be dedicated to what you are doing and to yourselves. I will trust you to read & keep up with coursework. If I do not feel that trust is deserved, I will quiz you on material & the like. Please, please keep up.
Course Goals:
· Students will learn to write in the genres of poetry and short fiction and become conversant with issues of technique in both disciplines.
· Students will develop an understanding of the defining characteristics of both genres
· Students will become more adept readers and writers as they consider model texts from a writer’s perspective
· Students will learn to offer and receive constructive criticism in a public forum.
Course Texts:
Bowman, Catherine. Notarikon
Chin, Marilyn. The Phoenix Gone, The Terrace Empty
McGrath, Campbell. Spring Comes to Chicago
Young, Kevin. Most Way Home
Addonizio & Laux. The Poet’s Companion
Stern, Jerome. Making Shapely Fiction
Charters, Ann. The Story and its Writer
Grade Breakdown:
20% -- Participation (includes participation in discussions, workshops, weekly responses, in-class writing,
and take-home assignments, as well as your Journal)
30% -- Drafts of Poems and Story (15% poetry, 15% Fiction)
50% -- Portfolios (25% Poetry; 25% Fiction)
On the “micro” level – poems and short stories are graded on a “check system” as you write them. Checks should serve as progress markers, and do not “equal” grades in that checks are not static like grades: you have a chance to improve your checks with each revision. Only checks on final, portfolio drafts translate into exact points:
Minus: Technically incomplete (did not meet requirements of assignment)
CheckMinus: Technically complete, but minimally so: clearly undeveloped
Check: Meets requirements of assignment, shows understanding of basic W103 concepts
CheckPlus: Well developed, successful execution on multiple levels, effort is obvious
Plus: Superior; usually reserved for revisions
Portfolio: Your grade will reflect not only the quality of the final draft as it reflects concepts taught in 3200, but the obviousness of your effort as well J
Short Project: Each of you will write five short poems, and one longer poem in the style/spirit of either McGrath or Bowman – we will discuss this at length during the semester.
The only way to flunk an assignment is to PLAGIARIZE. If you attempt to pass off the work of another writer as your own, you will receive NO CREDIT for that portion of the class – no make-ups, no exceptions. If you do the math, you will see that the class will then become very hard for you to pass. So turn in your own work – no matter what.
“I merely took the energy it takes to pout and wrote some blues.” Duke Ellington
Student Writing:
First and Foremost: Late work of ANY KIND will not be accepted. If you are having a problem completing an assignment, notify me well in advance of the due date. I may or may not grant you an extension.
Everything you turn in as a formal assignment MUST be typewritten in a standard font. If your story or poem is being critiqued, you are responsible for making copies for all of your classmates. When the stories and poems are received, they should be read well in advance of class. You should come to class with your copy of the student work marked up (critiqued), ready to provide helpful commentary for the writer.
Participation:
The success of this course depends on your participation. Take an active role in your artistic development. Class participation in discussions and in workshop is very, very important. A portion of your grade will be based on this participation. Try to make at least one insightful comment per class.
With regard to attendance: Any student missing more than three classes will see their grade affected negatively.
Conferences:
My office hours are for your benefit. I will have mid-semester conferences with each of you. At any other time, you are welcome to set up a conference to discuss any questions or concerns you might have about your writing.
Final Portfolio:
At the end of the semester you will turn in a portfolio comprising all drafts of your stories and poems. You should also keep in-class exercises in a folder for me to look at, as well as copies of your critiques. It is VERY IMPORTANT that you have ALL drafts of your work in this portfolio, as it will help me monitor your effort and improvement (which are the basis of this class & progress as a writer). Effort and improvement count more than perfection.
Workshopping:
We will critique everyone’s writing at some point during the semester. When making suggestions or critiques, remember that the comments should be helpful. Remember that you are making your classmates into stronger writers, not advancing your career as a colorful critic. I would never want you to hold back any sincere criticism that you wish to make. We cannot have a class if everyone is too shy or overly cautious in their comments. But remember your purpose in making any critiques: to lend help to your classmates. And don’t be afraid to emphasize what you LIKE about someone’s work as well.
“Creativity cannot be comfortably quantified in intellectual terms. By its very nature, creativity eschews such containment. In a university where the intellectual life is built upon the act of criticizing – on deconstructing a creative work – the art of creation itself, the art of creative construction, meets with scanty support, understanding or approval. To be blunt, most academics know how to take something apart, but not how to assemble it.” Julia Cameron
SCHEDULE:
Jan 8th -- Intro to Class
Jan 14th -- READ: “Poetry of Place” (PC) and Marilyn Chin (15-42)
Jan 16th-- READ “Writing and Knowing” (PC) and Marilyn Chin (45-end)
POEM #1 DUE – Self-Introduction in style of Chin
Jan 21st -- MLK Day – NO CLASS
Jan 23rd- In-class exercise/ Discussion.
POEM #2 DUE IN SECTION (Poem should be imitative of “Clear White Stream”
Repeat some line at the start of each stanza)
Jan 28th -- VOICE AND DRAMATIC SITUATION: Read “Witnessing” “Voice and Style” (PC)
Kevin Young (1-51)
Jan 30th -- POEM #3 DUE IN SECTION (Poem about a Dramatic Situation or relative – should cover one brief scene or moment in time)
Feb 4th -- Read “The Music of the Line,” (PC) and
Kevin Young (51-end)
Feb 6th -- POEM #4 DUE IN SECTION – Write poem that makes creative use of line breaks
Feb 11th-- REPETITION AND RHYTHM: Read “The Family, Inspiration and Obstacle”
& “Repetition, Rhythm, and Blues” (PC) and “Meter, Rhyme and Form”
Also – Bowman (Part One – entire)
Feb 13th-- POEM #5 – ABC poem, or Blues Poem – something imitative of Bowman
Feb 18th-- RE-SEEING THE WORLD: “The Shadow,” “Stop Making Sense” in (PC)
And Campbell McGrath (1-55)
Feb 20th-- Read Campbell McGrath (55-end)
Discussion of Longer Poetry mini-project)
Feb 25th POETRY OF PRAISE: Read “the Energy of Revision” (PC) and
Catherine Bowman (Parts II & III)
Feb 27th -- IN CLASS EXERCISE
March 3rd -- Reading of Longer Poems! -- Mini-Project Due!
March 5th -- INTRO: Charters anthology – Read Chekhov “the Darling” and
Related commentary, and Cisneros.”The House on Mango Street”
Read Stern – (61-76)
March 10th -- Read all Flannery O’Connor and related commentary
Skim Stern – The Shapes of Fiction (5-57)
March 12th -- O’Connor discussion -- continued
MINI ASSIGNMENT: Write a “short short” – one or two pages, paying attention
To language but using the conventions of
prose – tell a little story or scene.
MARCH 17TH & 19TH – SPRING BREAK!!!!
March 24th-- POINT OF VIEW – First Person –Read Stern (79-100)
“Cathedral” (Carver), “A&P” (Updike), and “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere”
(Packer)
March 26th-- Discussion, in-class writing (Character Exercise) – SETTING/DIALOGUE
Read “Where are you Going, Where have you been” (Oates) & “The Hills Like
White Elephants” (Hemingway), Stern (100-128)
MINI-ASSIGNMENT: Write 3 pages in First Person – possible story opening
March 31st -- CHARACTERIZATION: Read Stern (128-166); Also “The Things
They Carried,” (O’Brien) “What we talk about when we talk about love” (Carver)
MINI-ASSIGNMENT: Write 3 Pages in 3rd Person – possible story opening
April 2nd -- NO CLASS HONORS CONVOCATION
(Skim the rest of Stern)
April 7th--- Discussion of Stories
Read “Miles City, Montana” (Alice Munro)
FIRST FIVE PAGES OF STORY DUE _- 4 copies, in class workshop
April 9th PLOT, THEME –“The Lottery” (Jackson), “Everyday Use”
(Walker) – FIRST STORIES HANDED OUT FOR WORKSHOP
April 14th-- WORKSHOP
April 16th -- WORKSHOP
April 21st-- WORKSHOP
April 23rd-- WORKSHOP
April 28th -- WORKSHOP
April 30th-- EVALUATIONS/ READING
FINAL PORTFOLIOS DUE TO ME May 2nd by NOON!
(Please note that all activities are tentative, and subject to revision)