En 275 - Introduction to Creative Writing

Syllabus and Schedule - Spring, 2005

Syllabus For

EN-275: Introduction to Creative Writing

Thomas Eaton, Instructor, Southeast Missouri State University Dept. of English. 318-K Grauel BLDG. Office Hours 10-12 , Monday and Wednesday. Office Phone: 651-2019.     

Text: Burroway, J: Imaginative Writing: the Elements of Craft-  Southeast Bookstore.

E-mail contact: tmeaton@semo.edu                                   

Objective: The objective of this course is to introduce students to techniques and practices of creative writing through both fiction and poetry avenues focusing less on literary analysis and more on practical tools of application in generating fiction and poetry. Students will be able to develop characters and settings through a study of imagery and narrative techniques. More than 30 writers “tools” will be employed during the course as this course addresses both creative writing and teaching techniques to meet its dual-audience needs. Students will be expected to generate a quota of pre-established work and to present that work through workshop socialization practices. Evidence of study of the techniques and applications of these techniques will be measured through classroom discussion, portfolio presentation, workshop analysis and assessment testing. Primary success in the course will generate from steady production of creative writings and reviews of that production. Technical aspects of this course are present and students will need to be able to define pertinent vocabulary and approach techniques to enhance creative writing skills.

• Students are to attend all classes. This is highly important as this class meets only once a week. This course is practicum-based in the workshop format. A practicum cannot be “made up” nor substituted but demandthe presence of the student writer. While attendance itself does not affect grades in a statistical manner, failure to attend, because of the particular nature of the course, will likely result in missed information, participation, and background knowledge necessary for success in this course. Students must notify the instructor prior to missing a class via e-mail.

• All cell phones and electronic devices are to be turned off unless accompanied by certification from the Learning Enrichment Center that such devices assist in overcoming a learning disability.

• Assignments are due on the day required. Any assignments not completed, without prior approval by the instructor for extensions, on the day they are due will not be accepted.

• In line with the university’s policy guidelines regarding student behavior, any acts of student belligerence, threats, hostility toward other students or instruction staff, misuse of language or offensive behavior will be immediate grounds for dismissal from the class without return until a hearing is established in line with university mandates regarding petitions or hearing procedures as is outlined in the student handbook.

• Students are responsible for all course materials. Assignment sheets will be employed by the instructor and devices including e-mail and traditional mail will be used. However, it remains the students’ responsibility to keep up with all work.

 Scoring:

Because of the Practicum nature of this course, both in degrees of concept development and writing development, overall scoring is done holistically meaning a blend of statistical outcome and quantitative analysis within the following areas.

Weekly production/participation......…………… = 30%

Workshop/ Analysis, In-class participation………= 30%

Portfolios (Poetry and Fiction)..………………….= 30%

Closing Exam…………….………………………= 10%

      This system allows for weaknesses in one area to be compensated by other areas. Absenteeism has been proven to be harmful to all of these areas. You are evaluated here much as you are on the job. Educating yourself is your job. Performance, behavior, initiative, contributions to coursework and preparedness all constitute this scoring method.

 Assignment sheets: Assignment sheets will be provided for each formal assignment. These include the two portfolios, the technical/biographical article review and a study guide for the closing exam. These sheets will indicate specific expectations, direction and purpose of each written assignment. They will also indicate deadlines for material completion. Grades will not be posted or available as students know roughly what range they are in and because the holistic qualitative approach cannot supply a final grade until the term is over.

 Closing: This course rewards critical thinking, willingness to challenge and question readings and respectful debate. It demands clear and concise writing practice in which guidance will be supplied.  It invites and welcomes innovation and experimentation. This course does not reward passivity, purposeful mediocrity, excuses, attitude or blame.

 About the Instructor: Thomas Eaton is currently completing his doctorate in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis with a focus in organizational definition and program operatives. He possesses a Master’s in Rhetoric & Composition, a BA in English and a BS in Secondary Education. Eaton also teaches general composition and literature, and creative writing for Southeast Missouri State University . Eaton is a four -time literary award winner from Southeast and an Honorable Mention recipient from the 2001 National William Faulkner Short Story Competition. He has been published in The American West, Outer Darkness, the Scavenger’s Newsletter, and Westering Magazine. Eaton has published book reviews in Big Muddy and the Denver Post and has recently been commissioned to write two encyclopedia entries on American bluesmen in the Encyclopedia of Southern Culture, Oxford , Mississippi . Formerly represented by Jody Rein Literary Agency, Eaton has completed two short story collections, Cathouse Red and A Safe Place for the Boys as well as two novels, The Last Quiet day in Mission County and The Mission County Asphalt Company. He has completed his third novel, The Mission County Yarn Society and will complete his third short story collection Joy of Mosquitoes in June of 2005. He is also marketing his poetry collection, Fishing in Estrogen. Eaton is a fourth generation Wyoming native residing in Missouri since November of 1995.

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  Week 1:

• Introduction to Syllabus

• EXPLORATION: general writing questions

• ANALYSIS: The self in writing – determining writer anxieties

• CONCEPTS: Elbowian writing, concept mapping: (trigger inventions)

• KNOWLEDGE: Imagery chapter in text, Chapter 1

 Week 2:

• FEEDBACK: Response to Imagery reading

• CONCEPTS: Points of View approaches to work, (3), five primary elements of the short story.

• DIVIDE: Five elements in ordering – the drama curve

• EXPLORATION: General writing questions

• SOCIALIZATION: micro-group divisions: discussion in small groups of writing techniques and difficulties (15 minutes)

• ASSIMILATE: Poetry: Bees – word play and multiple meanings.

• ASSIGN:  First Workshop, 3-5 pages focusing on 1 of the 5 elements

• KNOWLEDGE: Chapter 2 – Use of voice.

 Week 3:

• FEEDBACK: Q+A discussion of word play, multiple meaning forming textuality

• RECALL: Connection to imagery (interspersion of image scenes with word choice.

• DEMONSTRATE: Degree words (love, hate, beauty- class discussion)

• DISCUSSION : Chapter 2 -Voice

• Call for first drafts and discussion of critique process

• APPLICATION Workshop 1: Provide guidance rules for critique – group work.- 30 points

• ASSIGN  -Two page additional development and repair of critique, Chapter 3, Character.

 Week 4:

• MODELING: Fundamentals of Fiction – Power point

• DISCUSSION: Writers Questions/concerns/progress – Chapter 3

• APPLICATION: Workshop over 5 pages (3 repaired, two additional)

• KNOWLEDGE: Chapter 4: Setting

• SOCIALIZATION: Critique review of 5 pages – decision to abandon or develop --  second overlay focus (images or voice or setting) – submit to portfolio.

 (At this point, five pages, students may abandon or continue with existing project – written analysis of      reasons for abandoning must be included in portfolio)

• ASSIGN – Three new pages or three additional pages to existing work focusing on setting, imagery or narrative voice focus.

Week 5:

• MODELING: Theme in Fiction- power Point 2

• DISCUSSION –Decisions to continue/abandon & Discussion of Setting (reading)

• KNOWLEDGE: Chapter 5, Story

• SOCIALIZATION: Workshop – new pages.

• ASSIGN – Three additional pages

 Week 6:  

• MODELING – Ordering in fiction –Power point: Highlight of four primary character distances in development.

• DISCUSSION: Setting, Chapter 5

• VISUAL: Rumblefish – (cuts) – surrealism in written description – distances + setting.

• HANDOUT: Midterm Portfolio Expectation and Assessment

• KNOWLEDGE, Chap. 6 & Chap 8

• ASSIGN: Begin preparation of fiction – One week.

 Week 7:  

• FINAL PRODUCT – FICTION – Turn in

• DISCUSSION: Poetry Stereotypes

• KNOWLEDGE – Chapter 9 – Poetry

• FOCUS: Poetry Vocabulary, Part 1:

• ASSIGN: Three poems for following week

 Week 8:

• DISCUSSION – Chap. 9 – Poetry - General questions: concerns in writing

• EVALUATION: Response to writing poetry – self analysis

• LECTURE: Go over definitions list – The poem as form. (terminology – Next 10)

• ANALYZE: Discuss poems; Plath, Rich, and Carver

• CONCEPT: Criticism Journal – keeping trak of comments

• SOCIALIZATION: workshop 3 poems – track comments (students to have 3 pieces, 3-4 copies – maintain for portfolio)

• ACTIVITY:  Perspective shifting POV, (3) p. 272 text – facilitator-led.

• ASSIGN: three poems for workshop plus two revisions (from original three)

• KNOWLEDGE:  Nabokov’s Invitation to a Transformation (p. 63 – text) – focus on the poetic voice, the Who’s who of poetry economics.

 Week 9: Spring Break

 Week 10:

• DISCUSS: Nabokov’s …. Transformation)

• INQUIRY: General discussion of difficulties - experiences

• LECTURE: The Narrative structure poem

• ASSIGN: Tennyson’s Ulysses, Ginsberg’s Vow (nts: p. 460), 3 new poems.

• ACTIVITY: 1: Narrative of Visual “scream” (painting) Group activity: line by line. (points)

• KNOWLEDGE: New vocabulary, the poem as form cont…

• SOCIALIZATION – Workshop -  criticism journal for final portfolio (points)  

 Week 11:  

• VISUAL: Narrative Cuttings from “The. Majestic” (scene with Carey in Courtroom) and “A Lion in Winter” compared to “Vow and Ulysses” respectively).

• DISCUSSION: The Narrative Structure/single-effect emotional response – predicting and guiding reader.

• KNOWLEDGE. Roethke’s I knew a woman (p.115), Soto’s Black Hair, Trowbridge’s Kong looks back…(p.77)

• SOCIALIZATION: Workshop new poems.

  WEEK 12:  

• DISCUSSION: Assigned works

• LECTURE: Structural – Shift from the “I” to the Impression – 3rdlimited -3^rd omni P.O.V.

• ANALYSIS – Dunn’s My Brother‘s work (p. 116), Wab’s Old Man Hansen…, (p. 117), Jennings’, Flesh, Fairchild’s Old Men…(118) and Hirch’ Portrait of a Writer (119)

• ASSIGN: (3 new works – focus on impression – alternate P.O.V. -  2 articles, one technical, one biographical, on Poetry style or poet.

  WEEK 13:

• DISCUSSION: discussion of poems,-- impression style

• SOCIALIZATION– workshop on new works –

• INSTRUCTION: handout on portfolio II expectations and assessment.

• REVIEW: Semester end exam – vocabulary, criticism technique, style

Week 14:

• ASSESSMENT: Exam over ficition/poetry elements

• DISCUSSION – Business aspectds of creative writing (powerpoint)

• SOCIALIZATION – Final workshop review of intended Portfolio submissions

     Week 15:  

• ASSESSMENT: Turn in Portfolios

• DISCUSSION: Closing statements.

•  -- Course completed --