As you might expect, this course is extremely writing intensive, and because writing fiction is so closely linked to reading fiction, there will be quite a bit of reading too. The details of what is expected of you, as students and writers, is detailed below. This course meets twice per week, and has been designed for maximum flexibility, but because student work is being exchanged, promptness on all due dates is required.

The Stories: Over the course of this semester, you will draft three separate stories of your own crafting. The first two stories will run between 3000-6000 words—that's between 8 and 20 pages each. These stories will be scored according to full, half, or no credit—most stories will receive full credit merely for turning in on time as long as they demonstrate the writer's efforts to develop a piece of fiction for the workshop. If your story is (a) less than the minimum word count, (b) sloppily thrown together, or (c) not written with standard grammar and mechanics in mind, you may receive half or no points at my discretion and your revision in the portfolio will be penalized. Stories not adhering to standard manuscript format will be penalized 10%. Late story drafts will result in penalties to the portfolio 10% per business day (not class day) Story 1 and/or 2 are late.

We will write the third story together during the Seven Segment Story activities—it is worth a total of 50 points—you will submit the first draft of all seven segments with your porfolio. You must complete drafts of all three stories in order to earn a C or better in the class.

Note that this course is about literary fiction. These are stories about the human condition, about the workings of the human heart in some respect. Science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and other types of genre fictions have their places, no disrespect intended—but those kinds of stories generally tend to be driven by plot with flat characters for a variety of reasons. The best stories contain character driven plots, which can be tough to achieve.

The Flash: You will write five pieces of flash this term, each of which is aimed at developing an aspect of the craft of fiction writing. We will workshop these short pieces both in small group workshops and by voting on Blackboard. Submission, distribution, and voting will all occur on Blackboard. Each piece of flash and vote is worth up to ten points. Neither late Flash assignments nor late votes will be accepted for credit.

The Workshop: A good portion of this class is based on a workshop model, which requires not only the dutiful reading of other people's stories, but also the willingness to think about and comment on those stories. Remember that in workshop, we talk about stories and not the writers, and all critique should be aimed at the work rather than the artist. It is because of the workshop model that your attendance and participation in discussions are crucial to your success in the course.

Keep in mind that we will be workshopping on a schedule throughout the semester, and deviation from the schedule puts us behind considerably. If you miss class on a day you are to be workshopped, we will workshop without you, which will negatively impact your grade for participation and social practices. For more about the workshop, see this page.

Critique Letters and Introductions: For each workshop, you need to bring copies of your written critique to class—one for each of that day's authors and one for me. Each letter should be a minimum of 300 words single-spaced. I won’t actually be counting the words you write, but I will be looking to see that you’ve read the stories and have given them consideration in terms of craft. I will collect copies of your critique letters at the end of every workshop. Late critique letters will not be accepted for credit. The critique letters altogether are worth 150 points. For more about the critique letters, see this page.

We will also need each story to be introduced. Each brief introduction is worth up to 20 points for a total of 50 possible points total. I will assign introductions as we progress through the semester. You can find more about introductions on this page.

Reading Responses: Over the course of the semester, you will respond to readings from the Ecco Anthology and from writings I provide you in class. These responses will vary in form according to what you select from the Reading Response Menu. I want you to keep up with the responses, but will collect them at the end of the term with the final portfolio. The Reading Response Menu can be found on this page.

Final Portfolio: At the end of the semester, you will turn in a portfolio of work containing at least 25 pages of revised fiction and a 600-1000 word reflection about your growth as a writer this term. For more details about the portfolio, see this page.

The Investigations: There will be several happenings throughout the term: readings, performances, exhibits and things of that nature. You are required to complete one investigation in which you attend one event in question and respond to the event in the form of a piece of flash or a spark for a future story. I am in the process of compiling the investigations, and will most likely add additional possible investigations for you to consider doing throughout the semester. Look for the scheduled investigations on Blackboard. The investigation is worth 40 points and I’ll collect it any time until the final portfolio is submitted. See this page for a list of possible investigations.

Final Reading: In lieu of a final exam, we will have a final reading where you will prepare a short reading of your work. Each student will read for approximately three minutes as we culminate the hard work you have done as a class in WRT 330.

The Writing Journal: I do want you to keep a writing journal for the semester (and hopefully beyond), but I will never ask to see it. In this journal, I would like you to record things of interest around you. Look for striking images or interesting turns of phrase. Eavesdrop on conversations and transcribe them if they are particularly juicy. This is different from keeping a personal diary, and it can be a wonderful tool for mining the world around you for ideas. John Gardner, in The Art of Fiction, says that exercises can be good jumping off points for a story. Moreover, I think that exercises are good practice for writers to strengthen the writing muscle, which atrophies if left to its own for too long. Use the Journal to mine the world around you for ideas and you'll have a place to go when the Muse decides she needs a vacation.