ENGL 60 - Creative Writing: Fiction

Transfer Status

CSU

Unit(s)

3.00

• Lecture: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)
• Total: 51.00 Contact hours/102.00 Out of class hours/153.00 Total hours/3.00 Unit(s)

Course Description: This course develops an awareness of literary fiction as an art form both through the reading of short works of fiction and writing of exercises and complete stories. Emphasis is placed on the development of essential elements necessary for the writing of fiction and on the workshop format as a method for developing understanding and analysis of fiction. The assignments are interconnected in order to help students incorporate the skills they are practicing into increasingly difficult pieces. Graded only.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Analyze works of fiction both canonical and original, identifying elements of plot, character, dialog, setting, point of view, and style.
2. Identify forms of figurative language and style in their readings of published short fiction and apply these terms accurately to new works, including those by students in the class.
3. Develop ability to employ figurative language and an artistic voice in their own original work.
4. Participate in workshops in which students provide each other with critical estimations of their work.
5. Begin and complete projects of complexity and length -- for example, two short stories or chapters of a novel.
6. Develop the ability to use elements of fiction such as scene, plot, dialog, character, setting, and point of view in their original exercises and longer works of fiction.

Topic Titles / Suggested Time Topic

Lecture

1. Class Activities
2. Collaborative Group Work
3. Group Discussions
4. Homework: Students are required to complete two hours of outside-of-class homework for each hour of lecture
5. Lecture
6. Reading Assignments
7. Writing Exercises

1. Quizzes
2. Portfolios
3. Oral Presentation
4. Class participation
5. Class Discussion

Reading Assignments

1. Read the assigned short story, analyzing the element of plot. The analysis should be submitted in a formal paragraph which quotes the text at least twice and applies two of the following terms: conflict, crisis, and climax.
2. Lead the critique of a story by one other student in the class. Start by giving an overall evaluation of the story, indicating what elements of story the author wrote well, and suggest improvements in at least two elements. End by posing a discussion question about the story to the rest of the class.

Writing Assignments

1. In an at least 300 word exercise, structure a scene between two character with at least five exchanges of dialogue, using action attribution. and share with the class.
2. Write and submit for critique a short story of at least six pages where setting is a strong element affecting character, plot, and mood.

Out-of-Class Assignments

1. Attend one fiction reading during the semester and write a review of the author's work, including a short plot summary and discussion of character, setting, point of view, and style.
2. Using a short story not previously assigned from our assigned text, choose ten terms from our glossary and apply the terms accurately to situations in the story.

Ford, Richard. (2009). The Granta Book of the American Short Story: Volume Two. Granta Books, N/A. 9781847080400.

Steele, Alexander, ed. (2003). Gotham Writers’ Workshop: Writing Fiction. Bloomsbury USA, 1st. 9781582343303.

Burroway, Janet. (2019). Writing Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 10th. 978-0226616698.

English (Masters Required)