ENGL 260: Introduction to Creative Writing (Neuenfeldt, Spring 2017)

ENGL 260 (-05): Introduction to Creative Writing

Spring 2017

Professor Neuenfeldt                                                            

Description:

This introductory creative writing course will focus on poetry and fiction, with the goal of helping students become better readers and writers of both. Students will study and practice a range of genres of poetry and short fiction, and they will experience the processes of beginning and completing works of creative writing. Our workshop will be a supportive environment where writers can try new techniques and approaches to creative writing, and workshop participants can begin to think about how to improve the next draft.

Readings:

• We’ll examine the craft of fiction and poetry in Jerome Stern’s Making Shapely Fiction and Mary Oliver’s A Poetry Handbook.
• We’ll study short stories and poems by contemporary writers like Stephen Gutierrez, Jhumpa Lahiri, Lorrie Moore, Ai, Ocean Vuong, and more.

Assignments:

Short creative writing exercises, one short story, various poems, and a portfolio of revised work.