Creative Writing Program

All students, including majors and non-majors, must take one 200-level Intro (either 270, 271, or 272) before advancing to Intermediate 300 level workshops in prose or poetry. The same is required of non-majors who wish to take creative writing workshops, though some professors may choose to waive this requirement for junior and senior non-majors. The requirement is never waived for majors. Note that 300-level workshops in Playwriting and Screenwriting do not require any pre-requisite.

Students who have completed the 200-level requirement may move into any Intermediate workshop.

A 300-level intermediate course is a prerequisite for an advanced course. Students who wish to take an advanced course must receive a positive assessment of readiness from their intermediate instructor in order to enter advanced workshops.

Please see http://www.creativewriting.emory.edu/students/index.html for more information about the Creative Writing Program requirements.

CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM COURSE ATLAS
FALL 2012

Permission is required to enroll in all creative writing classes. Students must fill out an application, which can be printed out from the website at http://www.creativewriting.emory.edu/students/courseapp.html or picked up at the Creative Writing Program office (N209 Callaway Center). Please bring your completed applications to the Creative Writing Program office.

E-mail submissions will NOT be accepted with the following exceptions: if you are not on campus this semester (i.e., study abroad, a semester off, at Oxford College, etc.) or are mobility impaired. Those students may e-mail their applications to pvitari@emory.edu.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

~~Applications~~ must be returned to the Creative Writing Program office by 5 p.m., Tuesday,
March 20, 2012. This is the deadline for ALL students.

Late applications will be accepted until the end of add-drop for both available spaces in open courses and for the waiting list. Please e-mail Paula Vitaris at pvitari@emory.edu to inquire about open courses. ***OPUS is NOT an accurate picture of availability*** as students who have been accepted into a class may have not yet pre-registered or added in.

The list of accepted students will be posted online at: http://www.creativewriting.emory.edu/students/acceptedstudentslist.html

If you have been accepted into a Creative Writing workshop, you must request a permission number from Paula Vitaris at pvitari@emory.edu. You may also call (404-727-4683) or go to the Program office in N209 Callaway Center to obtain the permission number.

ENGCW 191: Creative Writing: Freshman Seminar: Poetry and the Muse of History Trethewey Tuesday 2:30-5:30 p.m. MAX: 15

Content:

A freshman-only workshop for students who have had little or no experience in creative writing. Not a prerequisite for other courses in the program. The course will take an in-depth look at poems that seek to engage and document our stories--those histories both public and private, real and imagined. We will discuss the ways that some poets have used personal and public history in their work, define some strategies for using information gathered from our research, and begin writing some poems that engage those histories to which we have some connection or by which we are compelled to investigate. In all of this, we will focus on cultivating the craft of poetry with particular emphasis on what makes a poem work--metaphor, image, musicality, voice, etc. We will work to develop the critical language necessary for discussing each other's work and for critically approaching our own poems during the crucial process of revision. Students should budget for photocopying.

Texts:

Persons Unknown, Jake Adam York
Memories of the Future: the Daybooks of Tina Modotti, Margaret Gibson
Kyrie, Ellen Bryant Voigt
Macnolia, A. Van Jordan
Dismal Rock, Davis McCombs
In a Time of Violence, Eavan Boland

Assessment:

Students will be evaluated on writing, and critical reading skills, and their ability to grasp the basic elements of poetry. Writing (including exercises, drafts, and revisions) will make up 60 percent of final grades; critical reading skills (shown through reading responses and critiques of student work), 20 percent; class participation, 20 percent.

Extracurricular Activities:

Students are required to attend on-campus readings and colloquia sponsored by the Creative Writing Program outside of class time, and are encouraged to attend any other activities sponsored by the Program.

ENGCW 271: Introduction to Poetry   Three sections MAX: 15

Brodak Monday 1-4 p.m.
Trethewey  Tuesday 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Brown   Wednesday 2-5

Content:

Brodak's section:

An introduction to the study and practice of writing poetry. Students will write and revise their own poetry, participate in a weekly workshop of evaluation and criticism (using Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process), read and analyze contemporary poetry in context, develop critical response skills and vocabulary, explore the elements and techniques of poetic craft, and learn to write reflectively on their own aesthetics and goals as writers. Students should budget for photocopying.

Trethewey's section:

An opportunity to read, discuss, and write poems. We will focus on cultivating the craft of poetry with particular emphasis on what makes a poem work--metaphor, image, musicality, voice, etc. In a workshop setting, we will work to develop the critical language necessary for discussing each other's work and for critically approaching our own poems during the important process of revision. Students should budget for photocopying.

Brown's section:

An opportunity to generate new work while helping to engender in one another new ideas about writing. As there is a profound relationship between reading poetry and writing it, we will read, discuss, and even recite the work of several poets whose example might lead us to a further honing of our craft. In each workshop, we will read and discuss students’ poems in order to examine the relationships between the poet's intentions and ideas and the phrases and images used to embody them. As we explore the genre of poetry in the United States, students will learn the meanings and uses of poetic terms, as well as the work of major American poets. As poetry always has, this course deals with material meant for mature audiences and adult discussion. Students who do not wish to think or study, should reconsider their enrollment in this one. Students should budget for photocopying.

Texts:

Brodak's section:

Writing Poems, 8th ed., Michelle Boisseau and Robert Wallace, eds.
One book of contemporary poetry of the student's choice

Trethewey's section:

The Poet's Companion, Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux, eds.
What the Living Do, Marie Howe

Brown's section:

Legitimate Dangers, Michael Dumanis and Cate Marvin, eds.
Contemporary American Poetry, 7th ed., A. Poulin and Michael Waters, eds. (NOTE: The 7th edition of Contemporary American Poetry is out of print and will not be available at the Emory bookstore. You can purchase second hand copies from Amazon at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Contemporary-American-Poetry-7th-2000/dp/0618042997)

Assessment:

Brodak's section:

Students will be evaluated on four key components of the course: (1) Final Portfolio, which will be comprised of revised poems along with additional reflective writings and drafts which show a thoughtful revision process (50%), (2) Essays: two short academic essays will be required, one will be an explication of a poem, the other an evaluation of a book of contemporary poetry (20%), (3) Journal, in which students will respond to prompts and issues related to class discussion (15%), and (4) Participation, which will be determined by discussion, written comments, group work, and other activities (15%).

Trethewey's section:

Students will be evaluated on writing, and critical reading skills, and their ability to grasp the basic elements of poetry. Writing (including exercises, drafts and a revision) will make up 60 percent of final grades; critical reading skills (shown through reading responses and critiques of student work), 20 percent; class participation, 20 percent.

Brown's section:

Students will be evaluated on their writing and critiquing skills though the following expectations:
Essay on personal poetics I: 5%
Invocation (recitation of at least seven lines of a poem): 5%
Presentation/Review: 15%
Presentation Discussion: 20%
Workshop Participation: 20%
Workshop Discussion: 20%
Revisions: 5%
Essay on personal poetics II: 10%

Extracurricular activities:

Students are required to attend on-campus readings and colloquia sponsored by the Creative Writing Program outside of class time and are encouraged to attend any other activities sponsored by the Program.

Pre-requisite: None

ENGCW 272: Introduction to Fiction Four sections MAX: 15

Armour-Hileman Monday 1-4
Grimsley Tuesday 2:30-5:30
White Wednesday 1-4
White Thursday 2:30-5:30 p.m.

Content:

Monday section

TBA

Grimsley's section:

An introduction to the writing and critical reading of reality-based short fiction for students beginning to write in this genre. Where stories come from—recognizing and developing material—will be emphasized, as well as a thorough grounding in the elements of a fiction writer’s craft, from scene writing and dialogue to the building of authentic worlds and characters. Students will write a series of short pieces showing particular elements of short fiction as preparation for writing, and revising, a story draft. This course will prepare students for intermediate-level workshops in fiction. Students should budget for photocopying.

White's sections:

This workshop serves as an introduction to the writing and critical reading of short fiction for beginning students. Emphasis will be placed on “reading as writers,” i.e. looking closely at how authors craft their text. Particular attention will be paid to point of view, voice, setting and dialog. In addition to writing responses to the stories they read, students will write several short creative pieces, each focusing on one element of craft. Students will also write a draft of a complete short story (15 page minimum), and significantly revise that draft for the final exam. As part of the revision process, students will have their stories discussed and critiqued by their fellow classmates, in a constructive workshop setting. This course will prepare students for intermediate and advanced workshops in fiction. Students should budget for photocopying.

Texts:

Monday section:

TBA

Grimsley's section:

No texts.

White's sections:

Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
One Writer's Beginnings, Eudora Welty
Stories on e-reserve. These will serve as the primary text for the class. Students are required to print and bring them to class.
Two lightweight notebooks.
Copies of student stories for workshop.

Assessment:

Monday section:

TBA

Grimsley's section:

Students will be assessed on their writing skills, critical reading skills, and ability to create a coherent narrative. Class participating, including careful critique of the work of fellow students, will constitute one-third of the grade. Writing assignments during the semester will count as one-third of the grade. One-third of the grade will come from the final writing assignment due in lieu of a final exam.

White's sections:

Reading responses: 10%; Writing journal: 10%; Writing assignments: 40%; Participation: 40%.

Extracurricular activities:

Monday section and Grimsley's section:

White's sections:

As part of their participation grade, students are required to attend on-campus events in the Creative Writing Program’s Reading Series each semester. Students must attend at least one event (the formal reading or the colloquium) for every writer who participates in the semester’s Reading Series. Extra credit will be given for attending off-campus author readings in the greater Atlanta area.

Pre-requisite: None

ENGCW 370R: Creative Writing: Intermediate Fiction Two sections MAX: 15

Williams Tuesday 2:30-5:30
Neal Wednesday 2-5

Content:

Williams' section:

A workshop in the creation of one longer work of short fiction, a single story of approximately 30 pages. Students will workshop the fiction piece while it is in progress, will rewrite the story during the course of the semester with feedback from the workshop sessions, and will polish and revise the story for final submission at the end of the semester. The workshop will be structured around the elements of fiction as they relate to the construction of longer works. Work will include reading short stories and writing short papers in response to them, and attendance and response to readings in the Creative Writing Program's Reading Series. Students should budget for photocopying.

Neal's section:

This workshop will provide additional training in fundamental concepts and techniques used in writing short fiction. You’ll come up with multiple story ideas, write and revise two short stories, give feedback on others’ work, execute in-class exercises, learn techniques from Writing Fiction, and engage in close analysis and discussion of published and peer writing—all with the aim of helping you think like a creative writer. Students should budget for photocopying.

Texts:

Williams' section:

Stories on Reserves Direct

Neal's section:

Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft, 8th ed., Janet Burroway and Elizabeth Stuckey-French, eds.
No Animals We Could Name: Stories, Ted Sanders (forthcoming, July 2012)

Assessment:

Williams' section:

Students will be assesssed on their use of the elements of short fiction, their ability to write and revise short fiction, and their critical reading skills. Writing will be 60% of final grades; critical reading skills (demonstrated in critiques of published work and student work), 20%; class participation, 20%.

Neal's section:

Students will be assessed on their ability to act like a writer. Critical self-assessments and papers on published stories account for 30% of the final grade. Class participation is 30%. Final portfolios that include multiple revisions of each story are 40%.

Extracurricular activities:

Students are required to attend readings or colloquia by visiting writers in the Creative Writing Reading Series outside of class time, and are encouraged to attend any other activities sponsored by the Program.

Pre-requisite: Any 200-level Creative Writing workshop.

ENGCW 371R: Creative Writing: Intermediate Poetry Two sections MAX: 15

Brodak Wednesday 2-5
Rathburn Thursday 2:30-5:30

Content:

Brodak's section:

As an intermediate-level poetry workshop, students will focus primarily on writing and revising their own poetry through participation in a weekly workshop of evaluation and criticism. Students will also read, analyze and respond to contemporary poetry in context, explore advanced techniques of poetic craft (including translation), learn about publishing poetry in print and online, and learn to write reflectively on their own aesthetics and goals as student writers. Students should budget for photocopying.

Rathburn's section:

The intermediate poetry workshop is an opportunity to write and revise new poems and to receive feedback on those poems from peers. Since poetry is not written in a vacuum, the course is also an opportunity to build a community of writers – something every poet needs – by responding to peers’ drafts, engaging with contemporary poetry in books and journals, attending readings, and participating in discussions of the poetic craft. Students should budget for photocopying.

Texts:

Brodak's section:

The Vintage Book of Contemporary American Poetry, J.D. McClatchy, ed.
The Eye of the Poet: Six Views of the Art and Craft of Poetry, David Citino

Rathburn's section:

Meadowlands, Louise Glück
Lighthead, Terrance Hayes

Assessment:

Brodak's section:

Students will be evaluated on three key components of the course: (1) Final Portfolio, which will be comprised of revised poems along with additional reflective writings and drafts which show a thoughtful revision process (60%), (2) Essays: two formal academic essays will be required, one will be an explication of a poem, the other an essay on a specific issue of poetic form of the student’s choice (25%), and (3) Participation, which will be determined by discussion, written comments, group work, and other activities (15%).

Rathburn's section:

Students will be evaluated on their writing, their critical engagement with contemporary poetry, and class participation. A final portfolio containing initial and final drafts as well as a discussion of the revision process will make up 60 percent of the final grade; critical responses (two papers responding to contemporary poetry) will compose 20 percent; and class participation (demonstrated through workshop discussions, written feedback to peers, and an informal presentation on a literary journal) will make up the final 20 percent.

Extracurricular activities:

Pre-requisite: Any 200-level Creative Writing workshop.

ENGCW 372R: Creative Writing: Playwriting Grimsley/Paulsen Thursday 2:30-5:30 p.m. (Crosslisted with THEA 372R, Playwriting) MAX: 15 (ENGCW: 10/THEA: 5)

Content:

An introduction to the craft and art of playwriting. No previous experience necessary in playwriting, acting, or theater. This course is co-taught by a playwright and a theater artist and will focus on writing exercises and a final project that will allow students to experience first-hand the creative process, from finding inspiration to the fundamentals of playwriting (character, dramatic action, dialogue) to the exciting collaboration implicit in presenting the play to an audience. Students should budget for photocopying.

Note: This is a permission-only course and all students must apply through the Creative Writing Program. Applications are available at the Creative Writing Program office (N209 Callaway) or may be printed out from the Creative Writing webpage at http://www.creativewriting.emory.edu/students/courseapp.html.

Texts:

Reading list chosen from a selection of full-length, one-act and ten-minute plays from playwrights such as: Edward Albee, John Patrick Shanley, Arthur Miller, Jose Rivera, Suzan-Lori Parks, David Mamet, Sarah Ruhl, John Guare and Paula Vogel.

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their ability to write clearly and with proper grammar, the shaping of a stageable drama, the logic and artistry of their dramatic choices, and their basic understanding of theatrical process. Highest grades will be given to writers whose work is without need of major overhaul or who make extraordinary progress in their writing over the course of the semester. Writers who need substantial correction either in the use of language, the shaping of a play, the logic of a story, or the meeting of class deadlines will receive lower grades. Failing grades will be given to students who fail to meet substantial class objectives.

Pre-requisite: None

Extracurricular Activities:

Students are required to attend on-campus readings sponsored by the Creative Writing Program outside of class time, and are encouraged to attend any social activities sponsored by the Program.

Pre-requisite: None

ENGCW 376R: Creative Writing: Non-Fiction Williams Thursday 2:30-5:30 MAX:15

Content:

This is a workshop in the writing, and critical reading, of the personal essay, what Scott Walker has called "the way a writer (finds) to an individual expression of a personal truth." Students will work to find their own best material from experience and memory, and discover how fictional techniques (scene writing, dialogue, methods of characterization) can enhance the essay form. Workshop participants will write a series of short pieces, and write and revise two longer essays (10-15 pages) over the course of the semester. Students should budget for photocopying.

Texts:

TBA

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their critical reading, and writing, of creative non-fiction. Writing will be 70% of final grades; class participation (in all its aspects), 30%.

Extracurricular activities:

Students are required to attend on-campus readings and colloquia sponsored by the Creative Writing Program outside of class time.

Pre-Requisite: Any 200-level Creative Writing workshop

ENGCW 379R: Creative Writing: Special Topics: The Art of the Scene Skibell Wednesday 2-5 MAX:15
Crosslisted with FILM 373/THEA 389R, Special Topics) MAX: 15 (ENGCW: 5/FILM: 5/THEA: 5)

Content:

Good novels, stories, films and plays are made up of good scenes. The class, for writers of all disciplines, will examine the art of the scene: what makes a good scene? And what makes a great scene? We'll look at scenes from all disciplines of narrative work and students will write and analyze their own scenes in an interactive and improvisatory workshop setting with the occasional guest speaker. Students should budget for photocopying.

Note: This is a permission-only course and all students must apply through the Creative Writing Program. Applications are available at the Creative Writing Program office (N209 Callaway) or may be printed out from the Creative Writing webpage at http://www.creativewriting.emory.edu/students/courseapp.html.

Texts:

Play the Scene: The Ultimate Collection of Contemporary and Classic Scenes and Monologues,
Michael Schulman and Eva Mekler
Great Scenes and Monologues for Actors, Michael Schulman and Eva Mekler

Assessment:

Students will be assessed on their writing and critical reading skills. 50% of the grade will come from the students’ written work (15% for the first two assignments and 20% for the final assignment) and 50% from class participation (discussions, reading, written critiques of classmates’ work).

Extracurricular activities:

Students are required to attend on-campus readings and colloquia sponsored by the Creative Writing Program outside of class time.

Pre-requisite: Any one course from the following list:

Any Creative Writing 200-level introductory workshop
ENGCW 372R/THEA 372 Playwriting
ENGCW 378R/FILM 373 Screenwriting
FILM 270 Introduction to Film
THEA 100 Introduction to the Theater

ENGCW 491R: Creative Writing: Honors Faculty

Permission required: Honors students only.

Pre-requisite: Written approval of project by honors thesis director. Please review honors application guidelines at http://www.creativewriting.emory.edu/students/HonorsProgram.html