Creative Writing I
The Art of Writing
J. Aguiar
Course Description: Creative Writing I focuses on developing the commitment to writing within the writer. Designed as an introductory course to the forms of writing, the course explores many different genres, looking at pre-existing work as well as our own created work. This workshop course will require a large amount of personal commitment to the pursuit the art of writing, students motivating themselves and developing their own work ethic. In exploration, students will find an appreciation for the various forms of writing we will encounter, and, by the end of the semester, begin their own forays into their preferred fields of writing.
Course
Materials:
Texts: All materials will be provided. We will use excerpts from various novels and poetry anthologies. There will also be readings from “How-to-write” books, using exercises and different perspectives as tools to facilitate growth in our own writing.
Sharing: You will be required to share your work with others at some point in the course. Only through this sharing can we be given constructive feedback to increase the quality of our products. If this makes you uncomfortable, please come see me outside of class.
Grading: Due to the nature of the course, grading will be done differently than a standard course. Participation will be a major component but grading the quality of product will not. In now way will your writings be graded as “good” or “bad.” What will be graded is your ability to meet deadlines, stay on-task, etc…
Detail Syllabus (1st 9 Weeks)
|
Day
1 |
Introduction: Syllabus,
Getting to Know You, Information Sheet Introduction to Writing:
What are the origins of writing as an art form? What purpose does writing
serve? HW: Why I
Write |
|
Day
2 |
Development of
Writing Art is…What is considered
art? What are its
properties? |
|
Day
3 |
Freewriting: How do you do it? Why? Sharing: What do we
do? |
|
Day
4 |
Freewriting Exploration |
|
Day
5 |
Sharing Our
Discoveries |
|
Day
6 |
Autobiography, The Power
of the Self: How do our experiences translate into our work? What can I do with my
life? Why I Write due |
|
Day
7 |
Telling Our Stories, Using
Personal Stories as Springboard Storytelling |
|
Day
8 |
Journaling: What does it mean? Why should I do
it? Autobiography |
|
Day
9 |
Journaling/Autobiography:
Continuing the work. |
|
Day
10 |
Share Why I Write (Small
Groups) Freewriting |
|
Day
|
Personal Stories,
Developing the Voice: How can we tell others about our lives? What does it mean to have a
voice? |
|
Day
12 |
Personal
Stories |
|
Day
13 |
Personal
Stories |
|
Day
14 |
Computer
Lab |
|
Day
15 |
Computer
Lab |
|
Day
16 |
Labor Day |
|
Day
17 |
Story Shares (Small
Groups) Critique/Evaluate: What do
you like/not like? What are
some ways to give positive, constructive
feedback? |
|
Day
18 |
Story Shares (Small
Groups) Critique/Evaluate |
|
Day
19 |
Story Shares (Small
Groups) Critique/Evaluate |
|
Day
20 |
Reflection/Response: What
was it like to have your life critiqued? How did it feel? What did you draw from the
experience? Freewriting |
|
Day
21 |
Fundamentals of
Fiction: What makes a work
fiction? What makes good
fiction? Elements of Fiction:
Character |
|
Day
22 |
Elements of Fiction:
Character |
|
Day
23 |
Elements of Fiction:
Character |
|
Day
24 |
Elements of Fiction:
Character |
|
Day
25 |
Elements of Fiction:
Character Freewriting |
|
Day
26 |
Elements of Fiction:
Theme |
|
Day
27 |
Elements of Fiction:
Theme |
|
Day
28 |
Elements of Fiction:
Theme |
|
Day
29 |
Elements of Fiction:
Theme |
|
Day
30 |
Elements of Fiction:
Theme Freewriting |
|
Day
31 |
Developing Style: Now you
have some things to do and places to go, but how
do you do it? Elements of Fiction:
Plot |
|
Day
32 |
Elements of Fiction:
Plot |
|
Day
33 |
Elements of Fiction:
Plot |
|
Day
34 |
Elements of Fiction:
Pace |
|
Day
35 |
Elements of Fiction:
Pace Freewriting |
|
Day
36 |
Inspiration, Capturing the
Moment: What is
inspiration? How do I use
it? What about writer’s
block? How can I capture the
moment? |
|
Day
37 |
Snapshots: Short stories, poetry,
plays |
|
Day
38 |
Inspiration: What do you
see? What do you hear? How do you
feel? |
|
Day
39 |
Beginning Poetry: But I
can’t write poems… |
|
Day
40 |
Freewriting Poetry
Exercises |
|
Day
41 |
Playing with
Poetry |
|
Day
42 |
Playing with
Poetry |
|
Day
43 |
Playing with
Poetry |
|
Day
44 |
Playing with
Poetry |
|
Day
45 |
Computer
Lab |
|
Day
46 |
Reflection/Response: Where
are you now? How did you get
here? Short Story/Poems
Due End of Grading
Period |