Multi-genre Creative Writing

Course Description

This course provides in-depth and comprehensive coverage for all major creative writing genres (fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and scriptwriting) organized with a dual structure that emphasizes both "genres" and "elements" of writing. This course does not assume a hegemonic "craft-based" aesthetic, but rather aims to expose students to emerging viewpoints in the field such as diverse aesthetic traditions, critical creative writing, and changing industry practices. We will also discuss notable new directions in the field -- hybrid and experimental work; digital and new media; and genre fiction, YA, and graphic writing. Crucially, creative writing will be situated within the larger framework of contexts, institutions, and communities that ground craft practices and aesthetic outlooks; without understanding the histories, debates, and meanings generated by these frames of reference, most "craft" dictums may seem arbitrary, inflexible, or misleading. Moreover, by interrogating the methods of varying workshop models, students will explore new pedagogical approaches beyond the standard "Iowa" workshop model, explaining the relevance and applications of each. We will read from a multicultural anthology of contemporary pieces that directly connects with the genres and elements we survey. Letter grade only.

Code

ENG 473

Credits

3

Subject

ENG

Programs That Include This Course

• Undergraduate Certificate Undergraduate Certificate in Creative Writing