Course Description
Summary
What makes a poem a poem as opposed to a piece of fiction or an essay? Does every essay have to “tell the truth”? What about fiction that is purely autobiographical? This class will look at the various genres of creative writing and think about how, where, and why we draw lines between these modes. We will begin by studying the basic elements of poetry (line, image, stanza), move to lyric essay and consider the elements of fiction (setting, plot, character, theme). Students should be prepared to engage in creative writing activities both inside and outside of the classroom. They will also be expected to share their writing with their classmates in a workshop setting and provide constructive feedback. Writing assignments may include surrealist poetry experiments, constructing texts from found materials, creating multimedia digital textual designs, experiments with hybridity, linguistic sculptures / art objects and performance pieces. At the end of the term, students will organize a reading of their work.
