[ENG 203] Creative Writing I

Introduction

This course will give students opportunities to try out new ways of literary writing and reading within a supportive community of like-minded creative artists. Often creative writing is seen as different from other kinds of writing. For example, some believe that the kind of essay writing done in composition classes is all about following strict formats with little creativity, while the writing of stories and poems is all about free and open expression. Essay writing should be creative, and by the same token, creative writing should be well-crafted, with well-made sentences, well-made paragraphs or lines, well-made images and descriptive details. In any work students want to do seriously and well, there are going to be practices and forms to grasp; there are going to be others who have done it before; there are going to be ongoing discussions about quality. Entering any art means entering a community of informed judgments and values, and this class belongs to one such community--that of literary writers. This means that students will explore and develop judgments about a certain style--literary style. Here, students will be introduced to the particular community of literary creative writing.

Description

UW Colleges Catalog Course Description for ENG 203: Creative Writing I - 3 credits. Chiefly devoted to writing and studying one or more of the following: fiction, poetry and drama. This course fulfills the UWC requirement for Application and Performance (AP).

Prerequisites: ENG 102 or consent of instructor.

In Creative Writing I, students will be expected to show development and progress in writing skills and literary craft, in their exploration of literary style and creative process, and in understanding creativity within literary communities. In addition, students are expected to actively engage in the class throughout the term.

Proficiencies

Institutional proficiencies assigned to this course

Successful completion of this course will enhance students' ability to

• read, observe, and listen with comprehension and critical perception;
• communicate clearly, precisely, and in a well-organized manner;
• demonstrate a large and varied vocabulary;
• recognize and use a variety of communication forms and styles;
• use computer technologies for communication.

Department-specific proficiencies assigned to this course

By completing this course, students will

• engage with and critically reflect on works of creative expression;
• discuss their engagement with and critical reflection on works of creative expression.

Requirements

Software

• Microsoft Word.

  Word will be needed for attached documents and assignments, and there may be times when we use special features in Word, such as the comment feature for peer group critiques. The most current edition of MS Office (containing MS Word, Excel and other valuable programs) is available to University of Wisconsin students at discounted prices through the Wisconsin Integrated Software Catalog.

• It's always a good idea to have an Adobe Acrobat Reader and Real Player available when using the web, in case some websites have items available as PDF files or streaming audio. RealPlayer is free and can be obtained through real.com. Adobe Acrobat Reader is freely distributed software that lets you view and print Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) files. To download Adobe Acrobat Reader visit http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

About the Instructors

• Joel Friederich
  Assistant Professor, English
  BA, St John’s College, Santa Fe, NM
  MFA, University of Montana