In this creative writing class, we will explore three genres: poetry, short story and drama. Although we will not have enough time to explore these in depth, we will cover the basics and discuss the techniques that connect all three: personae, imagery, dialogue, figurative language, structure, and pace. Your text for this class will be Abrams' Glossary of Literary Terms available in the Clark College bookstore. Office hours: by appointment.

The course requirements are simple: try to use the techniques listed above, present your creative work to classmates, offer constructive commentary on your classmates' works, and complete drafting and revision work according to the schedule.

Course Schedule:

Week One: Short Story analysis

Week Two, Three and Four: Short Story Critique

Week Five-Seven: One-Act Play Critiques

Week Eight: Poetry Analysis

Week Nine and Ten: Poetry Critique

Final Exam on 3/16 at 7:30 p.m. Your will read either your poetry, your short story, or perform your play for your classmates. We will meet in the Foster Auditorium

Portfolio: At the end of he final exam you will turn in your portfolio: revised poems, revised short story and a revised one-act play.

Course goals include:

• developing critical reading skills so that you may constructively comment on creative works,
• developing creative writing skills which include elements of critical thinking, audience awareness, development and theme structure,
• improving confidence in presenting your work to others,
• working with reviewers and editors by using their constructive commentary to revise your creative work,
• improving your ability to manage your time in order to meet strict deadlines.

Secondary abilities that will be developed or improved:

• uploading and downloading files to a server,
• using email to correspond with your classmates and your teacher,
• searching the Internet for academic information,
• navigating the Internet with a web browser,
• using a chat room and a discussion board to share information
• copying and pasting word documents to email and to discussion board posts.

These primary goals and secondary abilities emphasize Clark College's six campus-wide abilities; in particular, critical thinking, communication, and information retrieval, in this case utilizing the latest technology.

Next, you should review the assignment schedule located in course information: poetry schedule, short story schedule, one-act play schedule.

Course Assignment Schedule

Week One: Class begins Monday at noon. Final discussion of sample works due by Sunday at noon.

Procedure One: During the first two days of class present your explanation of the sample text, respond to four other students' responses: two for sample text, then by Friday post your final response based on the responses you receive to your critique. Your discussion thread should look like this:

"Riprap" posted by Gerard Smith ------------------------------the thread's beginning.

Re: "Riprap" posted by "Your name"---------------------------your response to the discussion.

Re: Re: Riprap posted by "Student One"-----------------first student response to you.

Re: Re: Riprap posted by "Student One"-----------------second student response to you.

Re: Re: Re: Riprap posted by "Your name"-------your response to them.

Week Two-Four: Student work for critique due on Monday by noon, and critiques of work due by Friday at midnight.

Procedure Two: During the first day of class, if you are on the schedule, present your original work to the class, then respond--offering revision suggestions--to all the other students' work; then by Friday post your final response to only those students who have offered you revision suggestions.

"The Title of Your Work" posted by "Your name---------------------------the thread's beginning.

Re: "- - -" posted by "Student"----------------------a critique of your work.

Re: "- - -" posted by "Student"----------------------a critique of your work.

Re: "- - -" posted by "Student"----------------------a critique of your work.

Re: "- - -" posted by "Student"----------------------a critique of your work.

Re: Re: "---"posted by "Your name"---------your response to them.

Week Five: Discussion of sample one-act plays due by Friday at midnight.

Follow Procedure One

Week Six-Eight:  Student work for critique due on Monday by noon, and critiques of one-act plays due by Friday at midnight.

Follow Procedure Two

Week Nine-Ten: Discussion of one-acts due by Friday at midnight.

Student work due for critiuque by Monday noon, and critiques due by Friday at Midnight.

Follow Procedure Two

Final Reading 3/16/ at 7:30 P.M. in Foster Auditorium

You read or five-ten minutes from your work.

Portfolio due by 3/16 by 9:30 P.M.

A folder with revised, final copies of your poems, ready for submission to a publication: editorial marks affect your final grade, so check your grammar and mechanics!