English 100F - Winter, 2016

Creative Writing: Fiction

Class Information

Instructor: Liontas, Annie
Time: TR 10:30-11:50
Location: 248 Voorhies

Description

Raymond Carver urges, “Tell everything on yourself.” In this class, students will engage in rigorous, honest storytelling shaped by an evolving understandings of craft. Students will explore essential elements of fiction by writing and revising their own stories, as well as reading from varied published works. In addition to contemporary voices—such as Etgar Keret, George Saunders, Karen Russell, James Baldwin, Kirstin Valdez Quade, Justin Torres, Sharon Millar, and Alice Munroe—we will consider the great Russian classics. Discussion topics include character development, voice, dialogue, scene vs. summary, tension, and structure. Students will develop a greater critical vocabulary towards literary citizenship, enabling them to critique one another’s work, as well as integrate a more objective eye into their own creative practice.

Students are expected to write, revise, and workshop their fiction. Students may be asked to lead discussions on readings, as well as write a craft paper that critically considers a technique or approach relevant to their own work. There will be readings assigned throughout the quarter, as well as writing exercises meant to address blind spots. The course will introduce editing strategies, as significant revision is required.

Grading

TBA

Texts

Course Reader