Eng 321 Course Calendar – Please Bring to Each Class
Revised 1/20/05
Week 1
1/18 Syllabus. Fiction and the Studio Model. “The Wig”
1/20 Read Burroway Chapter 1 (through “Shitty First Drafts”)
Familiarize yourself with website for the course: www.unm.edu/~gmartin
Write: A typed response to the following questions:
· What draws you to short stories and short story writing?
· What do you look for in a short story?
· Describe your writing process: Do you write in Cafes? Must you have absolute silence? Are you a procrastinator? Do you snicker to yourself? Forego bathing and hygiene to lock yourself up in the world of your imagination? Are you comfortable in pajamas at two in the afternoon? How do you remove yourself from the “real world”?
· What are the stories and books that have made you want to write?
In Class: Introductions.
Week 2
1/25 Read: Burroway Chapter 2. (through page 46)
Read: “The Use of Force.”
Read: The Reading Response (web handout)
Write: Reading Response for “The Use of Force”
A) What’s your initial reaction to the story? What are your impressions?
B) Respond to Questions 1-4 on p. 51.
C) How does this story influence your thinking about your own writing?
Write: Exercise #1
In class: swap reading responses
1/27 Class Cancelled. Martin in Elko with Cowboys and their Poetry.
Week 3
2/1 Read: Carver’s “Cathedral” (YGRT)
Write: Reading Response for "Cathedral" (see Agenda for specifics for part B)
Write: Exercise #2
In class: Swap reading responses. Devise Workshop Calendar.
2/3 Discuss Craft Exercises.
Week 4
2/8 Read: Burroway Chapter 3.
Read: O'Brien's "The Things They Carried"
Write: Reading Response for "The Things They Carried" (see Agenda for specifics for part B)
In class: Swap reading responses.
2/10 Story Drafts Due to distribute to Small Groups
In Class Revision: Mess Up the Pretty Copy
Week 5
2/15 Read: Workshops (web handout)
Read: The Peer Response (web handout)
Write Peer Responses
2/17 Read: "Helping" (YGRT)
Write: Reading Response
In class: Swap reading responses.
Week 6
2/24 Workshop #s1-3
#s4-9 Distribute Drafts to Class
Week 7
3/1 Workshop #s4-6
3/3 Workshop #s7-9
#s 10-15 Distribute Drafts to Class
Week 8
3/10 Workshop#s 13-15
Week 9
Spring Break
Note: Assignments DUE on the date listed.