ENG 90: Introduction to Fiction Writing
Sarah Frisch,
Office 320, Margaret Jacks Hall (Building 460)
“You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will. Writing is magic, as much the water of life as any other creative art. The water is free. So drink. Drink and be filled up.”
Stephen King, On Writing
“When I write I am trying to express my way of being in the world. This is primarily a process of elimination: once you have removed all the dead language, the second-hand dogma, the truths that are not your own but other people’s, the mottos, the slogans, the out-and-out lies of your nation, the myths of your historical moment—once you have removed all that warps experience into a shape you do not recognize and do not believe in—what you are left with is something approximating the truth of your own conception.”
Zadie Smith,
"Master your instrument, master the music, and then forget all that bullshit and just play"
Charlie Parker
In English 90,we’ll focus on exploring the craft of short fiction, getting to know ourselves and each other as readers and writers, taking creative risks, and growing artistically within a supportive community of fellow writers.We’ll read a variety of short stories and study craft elementssuch as character, conflict, dialogue, and structure. We’ll also complete in-class writing exercisesdesigned to explore the craft of fiction and help you draft and revise a short story by the end of the quarter. Coursework includes in-class writing exercises, discussions of published short stories, take-home exercises, a short story, and a revision of your work for a final portfolio. The writing workshop is an essential part of the course, and we will actively readand discusseach other’s work throughout the quarter. Whether you’re trying out creative writing for the first time or you’ve been writing your whole life, this class will allow you to learn new skills, grow your craft, and participate in a working creative community.
Texts and Materials:
- Course reader, available second week of class. (~$45)
- A journal or notebook for taking notes.
- A budget for making copies of your creative work (two short assignments and quarter project) for the entire class.
Course Requirements:
Class Participation (45%)
The success of a writing workshop depends onstudent participation. Your peers will be looking to you to engage with them in class and to read and discuss their work with thoughtfulness and generosity. Your participation grade will be based on the following criteria:
- Attend all classes and arrive on time.
- Participate fully in class discussions.
- Complete readings and writing assignments with real thoughtfulness and commitment.
- Write detailed response letters to other students and make comments in the margins of their manuscripts.
- Help create a thoughtful, supportive environment for sharing work.
- Thoughtfully respond to reading assignments and Creative Writing events onCanvas.
Your Creative Work (45%)
This class features two short writing assignments (1-3 pp.), and a short story (9-12 pp.) that we will workshop as a class. Revisions of the one of your short assignments and your short story are due at the end of the quarter. Your grade depends on your ability to complete all your creative work on time and to put real thought and energy into your drafts and revisions. I’d like you to push yourself to take artistic risks and therefor don’t grade on creative quality.
Readings Attendance (10%)
Attend three Creative Writing sponsored readings (poetry, fiction, or nonfiction) and post a brief response for each on Canvas. You may also attend an Art of Writing workshop or Poet’s House in lieu of one reading.
CLASSWORK
Reading Assignments:
We’ll read a variety of short stories over the quarter, discuss them in class, and post responses to them on the Canvas.Authors we will read include Chimamanda Adichie, James Baldwin, Russell Banks, Junot Diaz, Frances Hwang, Edward P. Jones, Jhumpa Lahiri, Ursula Le Guin, Ottessa Moshfegh, Alice Munro, Kirstin Valdez Quade, Lysley Tenorio, George Saunders, and Tobias Wolff.
Writing Assignments:
- Two short writing assignments (1-3 pp. double-spaced, copies for everybody in class)
- Your quarter project (9-12 pp., double-spaced, copies for everybody).
- Final portfolio: 1) A revision of one short assignment 2) A revision of your quarter project 3) A letter of reflection
Creative Writing Program Readings:
A list of readings can be found at and You can also attend a Poet’s House or Art of Writing workshop in lieu of one of the readings.
Online Discussion:
We’ll be posting some of the work for class on Canvas, including twice weekly responses to published short stories and Creative Writing Events. Responses to published stories will be due the night before class.
Final Portfolio:
Your final portfolio is due at the end of the quarter and includes revisions of your quarter project
and one of your short exercises, as well as a reflection letter. Revisions are major overhauls of
your stories using the feedback that you’ve received in class.
POLICIES
Attendance Policy:
Consistent, on-time attendance is essential for the success of our workshop. Two absences will affect your participation grade, and every absence beyond this will lower your final grade by a third. Students with five or more absences will be asked to leave the course. Every incidence of lateness beyond the first two will count as half an absence.
If you miss a class, you will need to obtain and complete the missed work before the next class. Please be in contact with me if you end up missing class because of illness or personal problems.
Late Assignments:
Any assignment (including Canvas posts) submitted after the due date will receive an automatic grade of “C” unless we have made other arrangements prior to the assignment’s deadline.
Formatting:
All manuscripts should be double-spaced in 12-point Time New Roman with
1.25-inch margins. Paragraphs should be formatted for print (i.e. not in web style, but with
each paragraph indented, no line breaks between them). Make sure that anything more than one page is stapled and your pages are numbered. Manuscripts may be graded down for poor formatting.
Laptop Policy:
Laptopsshouldn’t be used in class withtwo exceptions: you may use laptops to complete in-class writing exercises, and youmay take notes on your laptop when your story is being
workshopped by the class. All other notes should be taken by hand.
Cell phones and other electronics need to be silenced and placed out of sight during class.
CALENDAR
We will spend the first half of the quarter studying craft, completing in-class writing exercises, discussing readings, and giving and receiving feedback on short writing assignments. The second half of the quarter is spent workshopping students’ quarter projects. We’ll also continue to complete writing exercises and discuss the published stories we read. A detailed calendar will be available on the first day of class.
MISCELLANY
Office Hours:
My office hours are listed online and announced in class. I love talking with students about their work and look forward to seeing you in office hours. I’m also happy to schedule an appointment at another time if my office hours don’t work for you.
Academic Advising:
Academic advising is available throughout the year. Please stop by the Creative Writing office to learn more about the program or to ask questions or make suggestions. For this quarter's hours and location, visit
Creative Writing Listserve:
All students will be automatically signed up for the Creative Writing Events Listserve. If you aren’t receiving CW emails after a week, please go to and join “cw-undergrad”.
Students with Documented Disabilities: Students who may need an academic accommodation based on the impact of a disability must initiate the request with the Office of Accessible Education (OAE). Professional staff will evaluate the request with required documentation, recommend reasonable accommodations, and prepare an Accommodation Letter for faculty dated in the current quarter in which the request is being made. Students should contact the OAE as soon as possible since timely notice is needed to coordinate accommodations. The OAE is located at 563 Salvatierra Walk (phone: 723-1066, URL:
The Honor Code: The Honor Code is the University's statement on academic integrity written by students in 1921. It articulates University expectations of students and faculty in establishing and maintaining the highest standards in academic work. You can find the full text of the honor code at the following link:
Plagiarism: Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to, using ideas, information or quotes from published work or online sources without providing proper citations; copying all or part of an assignment from someone else; and turning in work you did for other classes.
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