001 Instructor: Bachelder TR 12:30 PM – 1:50 PM
002 Instructor: Silfa TR 9:30 AM – 10:50 AM
001: This course is an introduction to the craft of short fiction with an emphasis on writing as well as careful reading. Students will read a variety of approaches to the short story and they will complete numerous brief exercises that imitate models and focus on specific elements of craft. Each student will write a complete short story and share it with classmates in workshop.
002: In this introductory workshop, you will play and tinker with stories and, in doing so, learn to recognize what makes a story work. You will begin the semester by reading various published pieces—including magical realism, soft sci-fi, queer fiction, and so on—to identify and familiarize yourselves with the craft elements that make them tick. Then, you will write your own stories using your acquired tools. Each student will provide two fictional narratives to the workshop, participate in ten-minute in-class writing exercises, and submit a final portfolio of revised writing at the end of the semester. Be prepared to share your work often.
“It is a happy talent to know how to play.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson.