Creative Writing: Fiction and Prose
Essential Questions:
- How does prose differ in its intent and effect from poetry?
- What is a "story?" What does a piece of prose need to function as a "story?"
- How do sentences work to affect the overall mood and tone of a piece of writing?
- How does the structure of a piece of writing affect its narration?
- What makes for effective character creation?
Habits Of Mind:
- Openness to all sorts of prose
- Ability to give and receive criticism constructively
- An enthusiasm for revision
- A sense that great works of art are never really finished
- Acceptance that others' opinions of our work are usually more clear-eyed than our own opinions
- A somewhat thick skin
Content:
- The Story and its Writer
- Selected stories and handouts
Skills and Processes:
- Manipulation of sentence length, syntax, and imagery to achieve desired effect
- Manipulation of structure to achieve desired effect
- Learning how to achieve a certain tone of voice
- Learning how to recognize (and deviate from!) one's own style
- Revision and drafting
- Constructive criticism
Assessment:
Assessment will be based on completion of assignments by due dates; attainment of assigned length; revision and re-drafting of work; participation in workshop in a constructive manner; attendance to class and timeliness of arrival
Multicultural Dimension:
Students will read work from a variety of cultures and contexts