Course Syllabus

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EWCU2: College Fiction Writing

Spring 2012

COURSE SCHEDULE

UPDATED WEEKLY; PLEASE REFER TO THE SCHEDULE REGULARLY

WEEK 1

Tuesday, 1/31

Introductory writing exercise: "You're a Character" (handout)
  • Pair up with somebody in the classroom you don't know and interview them, using the handout as a questionnaire; go for specific and interesting details that make you wonder about your partner's character; when finished, write a paragraph or two of narrative introduction that will intrigue the class.
  • When finished with your introductions, make sure to swap the handout questionnaires with your partner (so you have your own version of yourself) and staple it into your journal as your first entry.
GWW Writing Fiction textbooks to be check out to every member of the class; hold onto it for the entire semester.
Thursday, 2/2:
Read and discuss:
  • Selection from I Remember by Joe Brainard; read around in class (handout); respond to the reading in your journal
Writing exercise:
  • "I Remember"; write for 20 minutes in the style of Joe Brainard, starting each sentence with the words I remember and letting your imagination prevail, going for imagery and reflection
  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 1, "Fiction: The What, How, and Why of It"
WEEK 2

Tuesday, 2/7:

Read and discuss:
  • Selection from I Remember by Joe Brainard; read around in class (handout); respond to the reading in your journal
  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 1, "Fiction: The What, How, and Why of It"
Writing exercise:
  • "See the Seeds"" Voluntary readings from "I Remember" exercise; workshop members to take notes and point out seeds for storytelling
  • "I Remember" Stage Two: Plant the Seed; take stock of your exercise and plant the seeds--explore your story possibilities in another 20-minute timed exercise. Do an FFW going after images, characterization, and story.

 Read and discuss:

  • Tim O'Brien, "The Things They Carried" (handout); respond in your journal in terms of the author's listing technique.

Writing exercise:

  • Alexander Chee "Seeds" (handout); over the break, do a timed exercise exploring what you DON'T remember, starting with the following sentence in which you fill in the blanks and keep going: "I don't remember ________________, but I've been told___________________..."

Thursday, 2/9:

WEEK 3

Tuesday, 2/14

Read and discuss:

  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 2, Character: Casting Shadows: "The Beat of Desire," "Human Complexity" (traits) and "The Ability to Change"
  • Lorrie Moore "How to Become a Writer" (read aloud in class on Thurs, 2/9; read again and write a response entry in your journal)
Writing exercises:
GWW Writing Fiction: "Your Turn," p. 28: Think of a character and one driving desire. Be specific and concrete; "Your Turn," p. 32: Give your desirous character two contrasting traits; "Your Turn," p. 35: Bring your character to life, exploring the driving desire and his or her contrasting traits; put your character in a specific situation or scene and see where it goes--go on a "quest" and make sure to put some obstacles in the character's path.

Thursday, 2/16

Read and discuss:

  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 2, Character: Casting Shadows: "Where Characters Come From" and "Getting to Know Them"
  • Lorrie Moore, "People Like That Are the Only People Here" (master story handout)
  • Write at least one reader response entry to Moore's story (or, add to the FFW, done in class)

Writing exercises:

  • In the "Getting to Know Them" section of Ch. 2, answer questions from the bulleted lists on pp. 38-39 that help you flesh out your character (either the one that's growing from your desire/character traits exercise, or one from another exercise).
  • Chuck Wachtel "Starting With the News" (handout); find a story in a newspaper or periodical of interest to you with fictional possibilities and then cut it out (or print it out) and staple it into your journal above the exercise.

WEEK 4

Tuesday, 2/28:

Sign-up sheet for Workshop to be handed out. Prepare to pick a slot (we'll discuss two stories per class meeting). The first story drafts to be handed out on 3/1 to be discussed in the following class (Tuesday, 3/6).

Read and discuss:

  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 2, Character: Casting Shadows: "Kinds of Characters" and "Showing and Telling"; "Action," "Speech," "Appearance," and "Thought"
  • Katherine Anne Porter "Theft" (handout); response to the story in your journal
Writing exercise:
  • Chuck Wachtel, "Starting With the News" (handout)

Thursday, 3/1

Read and discuss:

  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 2, Character: Casting Shadows: "A Symphony of Methods," "Only Relevant Details," and "What's in a Name?," pp. 47-51
  • Raymond Carver, "So Much Water So Close to Home" (handout); respond to the story in your journal
Writing exercises (in your journal):
  • Chuck Wachtel, "Starting With the News" (cont.): bring in your article and be prepared to share if you didn't do so in the last class.
  • Alice Mattison, "Two People Come Out of a Building and Into a Story"
Workshop begins:
  • Discussion of Workshop rules, requirements, routines, and etiquette
  • First writers to hand out 22 copies of your story drafts, double-spaced, double-sided (to save paper), and stapled, for discussion on Tuesday, 3/6
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 3/6:
  • Jevan Rouzeau
  • Jillian Torres
WEEK 5
Tuesday, 3/6:

Read and discuss:

  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 5, Description: To Picture in Words: "The Five Senses," "Specificity," "The Best Words," pp. 104-114
  • "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver (short story in the Appendix of GWW Writing Fiction, pp. 270-284; response entry
Writing exercise:
  • Alice Mattison, "Two People Come Out of a Building and Into a Story (cont.); more volunteers to read aloud
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Jevan Rouzeau
  • Jillian Torres
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY, 3/8:
  • Nahyian Elias
  • Dana Gibbs
Thursday, 3/8:

JOURNALS DUE: I will be collecting your journals periodically this semester to check your work. You should have about least 10-12 entries so far, if not more. Make sure your journal writing includes regular, dated entries of the following kind: response entries, exercises, and experimentation with your characters and stories in development.

ead and discuss (carried over from Tuesday):

  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 5, Description: To Picture in Words: "The Five Senses," "Specificity," "The Best Words," pp. 104-114
  • "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver (short story in the Appendix of GWW Writing Fiction, pp. 270-284; response entry
Writing exercises:
  • Alice Mattison, "Two People Come Out of a Building and Into a Story (cont.); more volunteers to read aloud
  • Or, you can continue to develop a character from previous exercises with "Your Turn" on pp. 48-49, your character enters the waiting room of a therapist's office for the first time (read both exercises, pick one, and follow the instructions)
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Nahyian Elias
  • Dana Gibbs
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 3/13:
  • Chrysoulla Vasiliou
  • Liam Schwarz
WEEK 6
Tuesday, 2/13:

 In-Class Writing Exercise:

  • Robert Olen Butler, "Through the Senses"
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Chrysoulla Vasiliou
  • Liam Schwarz
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY, 3/15:
  • Natalie Cuomo
  • Mariuxi Yagual
Thursday, 3/15:
Read and discuss:
  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 5, Description: "Tricks of the Trade," "Telling Details," "Description Traps,"and "Description of Inner Life" pp. 114-125
  • Flannery O'Connor, "Everything That Rises Must Converge" (handed out in class last week); response entry
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Natalie Cuomo
  • Mariuxi Yagual
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 3/20:
  • Sylvia Guzikowski
  • Sabrina Hakim
WEEK 7
Tuesday, 3/20:
Read and discuss:
  • O'Connor, "Everything That Rises Must Converge"; response entry (handout; carried over from last week)
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Sabrina Hakim
  • Sylvia Guzikowski
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY, 3/22:
  • Farzana Rahman
  • Natasha Kung
Thursday, 3/22:
Read and discuss:
  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 5, Description: "Tricks of the Trade," "Telling Details," "Description Traps,"and "Description of Inner Life" pp. 114-125 (cont. from last week)
In-class writing exercise: 
  • Create metaphors as quickly as you can. Write down that one thing is another. Don't censor yourself--have fun. Start with a noun. (For instance, a house is a cake. A house is a flower.  A house is the wind. A house is a clock. A clock is a tyrant. A clock is a father. A father is a nose). You can stick with one noun the whole time and see how many things one thing can become, or vary as your imagination dictates. Feel free to repeat the exercise both ways. Some of your metaphors are bound to me striking and useful.
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Natasha Kung
  • Farzana Rahman
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 3/27:
  • Zeinab Hakim
  • Lucca Sciorra-Ortiz
WEEK 8
Tuesday, 3/27:
Read and discuss:
  • Anton Chekhov, "Gooseberries"; response entry (handout; carried over from last week)
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Farzana Rahman (cont.)
  • Zeinab Hakim
  • Lucca Sciorra-Ortiz
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY, 3/29:
  • Juan Morales
  • Jay In
Thursday, 3/29:
Read and discuss:
  • Anton Chekhov, "The Lady with the Little Dog" (handout); response entry: choose a significant detail or detailed description that informs you of something about character in the story
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Juan Morales
  • Jay In
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 3/29:
  • Kelvin Hualpa
  • Amanda Volel
WEEK 9
Tuesday, 4/3:
Read and discuss:
  • Anton Chekhov, "The Lady with the Little Dog" (cont.--response entry: see last week):
  • Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott: Introduction (xi-xxxi) and Chapter 1 "Getting Started" (pp. 3-15). Engage with and respond to this book as we read in terms of your own writing process and writing habits . . .
Writing exercises to be handed out for the break:
  • Eileen Pollack, "Look Backward, Angel" (handout): Read exercise carefully. Think of the most immoral thing you've ever done. Narrate the event in the first person, in the present tense.
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Kelvin Hualpa
  • Amanda Volel
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 4/17:
  • Brittany Armstead
  • Xavier Contreras
HANDING OUT FOR THURSDAY, 4/19:
  • Dana O'Brady
  • Kendra Ellis
Thursday, 4/5: NO CLASS--Parent-Teacher Conferences in the afternoon.
WEEK 10
Tuesday 4/17:
Read and discuss:
  • Sandra Cisneros, "Never Marry a Mexican" (example of a good story with an unreliable narrator)
  • Bird by Bird, chapters 2 and 3: "Short Assignments" and "Shitty First Drafts," pp. 16-27
Writing Exercise:
  • Eileen Pollack, "Look Backward, Angel": be prepared to share with the class
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Amanda Volel
  • Xavier Contreras
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY, 4/19:
  • Brittany Armstead
Thursday 4/19:
Read and discuss:
Bird by Bird, chapters 4-7 (pp. 28-53)
Workshop:
STORY UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Brittany Armstead
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON TUESDAY, 4/24:
  • Dana O'Brady (uploaded to Canvas)
  • Jevan Rouzeau
  • Jillian Torres
WEEK 11
Tuesday, 4/24:
Read and discuss:
  • GWW Writing Fiction: Chapter 6, Dialogue: Talking It Up, pp. 126-136
  • Bird by Bird, chapters 4-7 (pp. 28-53, carried over from last week)
  • Hemingway, "Hills Like White Elephants" (handout)
Writing exercise:
  • Schwartz, "Overcoming Writer's Block" (handout)
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Dana O'Brady (uploaded to Canvas)
  • Jevan Rouzeau (Workshop order repeats a 2nd time)
  • Jillian Torres
HANDING OUT FOR WORKSHOP ON THURSDAY, 4/26:
  • Nahyian Elias
  • Dana Gibbs
Thursday, 4/26:
Read and discuss:
  • Charles Baxter, "Gryphon" (handout)
Workshop
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Dana O'Brady
  • Nahyian Elian (started discussion)
  • Dana Gibbs (2nd draft of first story; carried over to next class)
HANDING OUT FOR TUESDAY, 5/1:
  • Jillian Torres (resubmission of 2nd story)
  • Chrysoulla Vasiliou
  • Liam Schwarz
WEEK 12
Tuesday, 5/1:
Read and discuss:
GWW Writing Fiction: Chapter 6, Dialogue: Talking It Up (cont.--read to end)
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Nahyian Elian (finish discussion)
  • Dana Gibbs (carried from last Thursday)
  • Jillian Torres (resubmission of 2nd story)
  • Chrysoulla Vasiliou
  • Liam Schwarz
HANDING OUT FOR THURSDAY, 5/3:
  • Natalie Cuomo
Thursday, 5/3:

Read and discuss:
  • Bird by Bird, chapters 8-10
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Chrysoulla Vasiliou
  • Liamn Schwarz
  • Natalie Cuomo
HANDING OUT FOR TUESDAY, 5/8:
  • Mariuxi Yagual
  • Sylvia Guzikowski
  • Sabrina Hakim

Reading Event After School:

Peter Cameron author visit and reading from his novel Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You at 3:45 p.m. in the BHSECQ Library. Attendance is required and a part of your class participation grade--the event will be over by approx. 4:45.

  • For extra credit, try to come up with a question to ask the author at the Q&A session after for reading
WEEK 13
Tuesday, 5/8:
Read and discuss:
  • Bird by Bird, Parts I & II (for Thurs, read through p. 130)
  • 2011 PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories, Publisher's Note, pp. ix-xi, and  Introduction, pp. xiv-xxvi; "Diary of an Interesting Year" by Helen Simpson, pp. 27-37; plus read author comments on pp. 365-366
  • Write a comprehensive response entry in your journal
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Mariuxi Yagual
  • Sabrina Hakim
HANDING OUT FOR THURSDAY, 5/10:
  • Sylvia Guzikowski (moved from today)
  • Farzana Rahman
Thursday, 5/10:
Read and discuss:
  • Bird by Bird, Part I (read through p. 94)
  • GWW Writing Fiction: Chapter 6, Dialogue: Talking It Up (assigned last week--finish)
  • Response entry
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Sylvia Guzikowski
  • Farzana Rahman
HANDING OUT FOR TUESDAY, 5/15:
  • Natasha Kung (handed out early in class on Tuesday)
  • Zeinab Hakim
MOVED TO HAND OUT ON TUESDAY 5/15:
  • Lucca Sciorra-Ortiz
WEEK 14
Tuesday, 5/15:
Read and discuss:
  • Bird by Bird, Part II (read Part II 95-130); response entry
  • 2011 PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories: "Melinda" by Judy Doenges, pp. 38-52; response entry
Writing exercise:
GWW Writing Fiction: Chapter 6 Dialogue: Talking It Up: after doing the two versions of your dialogue in YOUR TURN on p. 132, go ahead and--after reading the relevant parts of the chapter--do the YOUR TURN exercises on pp. 137-38 and 139, in which you develop and craft the dialogue as instructed. Follow each YOUR TURN closely, developing the same exercise and see how it evolves.

Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR WORKSHOP:
  • Natasha Kung
  • Zeinab Hakim
HANDING OUT FOR THURSDAY, 5/17:
  • Lucca Sciorra-Ortiz
  • Juan Morales
Thursday, 5/17:
Read and discuss:
  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 7: Setting and Pacing: "I'm Here Therefore I Am"
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR WORKSHOP:
  • Lucca Sciorra-Ortiz
  • Juan Morales
HANDING OUT FOR TUESDAY, 5/22:
  • Jay In
  • Kelvin Hualpa
WEEK 15
Tuesday, 5/22:
Read and discuss:
  • 2011 PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories: "The Black Square" by Chris Adrian, pp. 167-189; response entry
  • Bird by Bird, Part II (carried over from last week)
Writing exercises:
  • GWW Writing Fiction Chapter 7: Setting and Pacing: "I'm Here Therefore I Am": In your journal this week, do: YOUR TURN, p. 152: Pick up one of your favorite works of fiction and analyze the first few pages in terms of setting; YOUR TURN, p. 155: Return to a piece you've workshopped, revise relevant passages in terms of place and setting--don't choke your passages with too much, but bring in the necessary layers to flesh out your fiction (we started this as an in-class exercise on 5/17)
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR WORKSHOP:
  • Jay In
  • Kelvin Hualpa
HANDING OUT FOR THURSDAY, 5/24:
  • Amanda Volel
  • Xavier Contreras
Thursday, 5/24:
FINAL JOURNALS FOR THE SEMESTER DUE
Read and discuss:
  • "Sea Oak" by George Saunders (download from Canvas "Files" folder)
Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR WORKSHOP:
  • Amanda Volel
  • Xavier Contreras
HANDING OUT FOR TUESDAY, 5/29:
  • Brittany Armstead
  • Dana O'Brady
WEEK 16
Tuesday, 5/29:

Workshop:
STORIES UP FOR DISCUSSION:
  • Xavier Contreras (continued from last Thurs)
  • Brittany Armstead
  • Dana O'Brady
HANDING OUT FOR THURSDAY:
i

Course Summary:

Date Details Due