Writing, like most things in life, is a process; a process of examining, experimenting, learning, and among other things, being brave and dedicated enough to start over. To this end we will spend a great deal of time in this course examining and experimenting with the elements involved in crafting fiction: setting, point of view, character, imagery, dialogue, structure, plot, etc. We will also be discussing issues – such as inspiration, creative license, genre writing, and truth telling – that surround creative writing. To accomplish this we will read, write about, and discuss polished stories and commentaries by many contemporary writers, in addition to completing several short-writing exercises that focus specifically on an element of craft. Once we have the vocabulary to talk about fiction and an understanding of how to employ its comprising elements, each student will draft, workshop, revise, and complete one full-length short story. The goal of this course is to provide each participant with a solid place from which to draw when reading, writing, and talking about fiction.

Required Text:

The Contemporary American Short Story, B. Minh Nguyen and Porter Shreve