BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
Directed Writing: Short Fiction
ENG 109B-1
Michelle Hoover ~ Spring 2014
Class Time & Location: Thursdays, 2-4:50pm
Office: Rabb 231 Office Hours: Thursdays 11:45-1:45 & by appointment T & TR
Cell: 617-947-8272 (please use instead of office phone) E-mail:
Course Website: Brandeis LATTE
Course Description & Goals
This workshop will focus on short fiction. We will use writing exercises, assigned readings, and essays on craft to discuss structure, character development, point of view, and other elements of fiction. While appropriate for all levels, this workshop might be of special interest to writers who want a secure foundation in the basics.Students are expected to compose and revise original stories, complete typed critiques of each other’s work weekly, and discuss readings of published short stories and essays on craft both within the classroom and outside of it. A high level of both verbal and written student participation is required. Craft talks and writing exercises are intended to spur fresh work while challenging students to rethink and develop work already in progress. The overall goal of the course if for students to write work of lasting merit and become more astute readers of fiction. Offered exclusively on a credit/no credit basis. Admission by submission only, with instructor’s consent.
Learning Goals
· To develop and revise works of fiction, with an eye towards enhancing the writer’s unique vision and voice.
· To expand technical and critical vocabulary in order to better identify and employ the “tools” of a fiction writer.
· To read fiction as writers, furthering the ability to analyze short and longer works both as a whole and in part.
· To gain an understanding of other issues relevant to aspects of craft and the writing life.
Required Text
The Stuff of Fiction by Douglas Bauer. Available in the Brandeis bookstore.
Requirements
All of the work below is required in order to pass the course:
· Submission of two short stories, 3-15 pages each, for a minimum of 20 pages total, to be workshopped in class. The pieces you workshop must be unique from each other and complete (beginning to end) stories.
· Typed critiques of at least one page for each student workshop submission, for a total of 28 critiques. One printed copy of your critique will be given to the writer and one to the instructor.
· At least one individual conference in the week following each of your workshops, for a total of two meetings. Bring your response to the workshop experience, your questions, and ideas for revision to this meeting.
· Nine revisions of a single short story, of increasing length depending on weekly assignments. The product of these revisions will become your final short story workshop submission at the end of the semester. Bring these revisions to class typed and ready to share and submit to the instructor by the end of class.
· Completion of assigned readings and participation in in-class discussions of student stories, published examples, and craft essays.
· Weekly participation in online forums (on LATTE) in response to assigned readings.
· A final portfolio of two revised workshop submissions and a 1-page reflection. Submitted by email to the instructor at the end of the course.
Submission of Original Work
Students must submit their stories by email to both the instructor and other students by midnight of the day of their deadline. If you do not submit by the date and time of your deadline, you will lose your chance to workshop your story. Individual students are then responsible for printing out submissions for reference during our workshop discussions. No laptops are allowed during workshop discussions.
Critiques
Students are required to complete 1-page (minimum) responses to all work submitted to workshop. Bring two printed copies of your critiques, one for the student and one for the instructor. Methods for writing your critique will be discussed on the first day of class. If a workshop student doesn’t submit his/her story/chapter to you over email by their deadline (save for technical issues), you are released from your responsibility of reading and critiquing the story.
Individual Conferences
Through the SignUpGenius link on our class website, students are required to make an appointment with me for a ½-hour individual conference to discuss the workshop and your writing progress in general. These conferences should take place during the week following your workshop, generally on a Tuesday or Thursday. You can also use the SignUpGenius link for any additional meetings you may want in order to discuss the class, your work, or questions about the writing life in general.
In-Progress Story Revisions
For the first nine weeks of class, I will give you a specific revision assignment for the 500-word story that you bring in on the first day of class. These revisions will lengthen and become more complex as the semester continues. For each of these, bring in your assigned revision typed and ready to share with the class. The first half of these revisions will be read aloud to the full class for quick feedback. The second half will be read aloud and discussed in small groups. If you do not attend a particular class, your story revision is still due to me on that class day over email. All of these revisions are a required part of class.
Online Forums about Readings
Except for assignments from the Bauer book, all of our professional readings will be available online on our website. Beginning with the second week of class, you are required to participate in an online forum about our fiction and craft essay readings. The questions for these forums will change somewhat every week, but will be in line with the following:
· For the stories, what does the author accomplish in the work that you hope to accomplish in your own? Does the story do anything that you would hope to avoid?
· For the essays, what did you find most illuminating and useful in terms of the writing process? What did you find confusing?
· In addition (optional), what connections might you make between the stories and the essays?
I will open the forum immediately after the previous class session and close the forum 24 hours before the start of class. Your responses to the questions may be as short or long as you wish but should total at least 150 words (and go easy on the long as well—we don’t want essays here, or rants). I encourage you to respond to and answer other student responses if you wish, rather than simply offering your own independent view, though either kind of response is acceptable. I will use your responses to spur our class discussions of the readings.
Final Portfolio
Your Final Portfolio is due during Finals Week (exact date TBA). The portfolio must contain the following:
· Comprehensive revisions of your two workshop submissions
· A one-page reflection of what you have learned during the course and how the work in your portfolio reveals this progress.
Combined, the two revisions and new work-in-progress should contain a minimum of 25 pages. Portfolios must be submitted as a single document to the instructor over email. Late portfolios will not be accepted.
Absences & Late Work
In this class, there is no difference between an excused or unexcused absence. You are allowed to miss one class during the semester for whatever reason you choose. I recommend that you save this absence for possible emergencies or sickness, as such circumstances will not grant you additional absences. If you miss more than one class, you will not receive credit for the course.
Whether or not you are in class, you are still expected to submit your work on time. If you have a workshop submission due that day, you are expected to email your submission by the deadline or you will lose your workshop slot. Make-ups are not allowed. You are expected to keep up with other assignments as well, including the online discussions of our readings and the in-progress story revisions. The latter must be emailed to be by the original deadline. Late portfolios will not be accepted for any reason.
Computers & Smart Phones
Except for assignments from the Bauer book, all of our readings will be available online on our website or are submitted over email by your fellow students. For our fiction and craft essay readings, you may bring your laptops in order to reference the work during our discussions. Otherwise, you should bring a printed-out copy of the stories or essays. If I find that a student is using his/her laptop for any other reason, the class as a whole will lose laptop privileges and must print out all work to prepare from that day forward. Laptops are not allowed during our workshops of student work. Please have them closed or put them away altogether. You must bring printed out-copies of these workshop submissions to class to reference during our discussions.
You are not allowed to use your smart phones in class or have them on the table or in your laps to view. If you do so, I will count you absent from class and/or require you to give me your smart phone at the beginning of every class, to be returned at the end.
Grading
The course is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis. If you miss more than one class, you will not receive credit for the course. No exceptions. If you come to class unprepared or late, fail to share and submit your stories-in-progress revision assignments, fail to complete the readings and participate in both in-class and pre-class online discussions, and fail to submit your critiques, you will be marked absent. If you final portfolio is incomplete or disappointing, you will not receive credit for the course. Class begins promptly at 2:00pm and ends at 4:50pm. You are required to be in attendance for the entire class meeting.
Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability on record at Brandeis University and wish to have a reasonable accommodation made for you in this class, please see me immediately.
Academic Integrity
You are expected to be familiar with, and to follow, the University’s policies on academic integrity. Please consult Brandeis University Rights and Responsibilities for all policies and procedures. All policies related to academic integrity apply to in-class and take home projects, assignments, exams, and quizzes. Students may only collaborate on assignments with permission from the instructor. Allegations of alleged academic dishonesty will be forwarded to the Director of Academic Integrity. Sanctions for academic dishonesty can include failing grades and/or suspension from the university.
Privacy
This class requires the use of tools that may disclose your coursework and identity to parties outside the class. To protect your privacy you may choose to use a pseudonym/alias rather than your name in submitting such work. You must share the pseudonym/alias with me and any teaching assistants as needed. Alternatively, with prior consultation, you may submit such work directly to me.
Communications
Outside of class, all class communications will take place on LATTE and/or through email. Though I seldom make changes to the syllabus, any changes will be communicated in class and through LATTE or email. If you miss class, make sure you have turned in the required work both to myself and to the students being workshopped. Otherwise, use the syllabus as a guide for what is due the following week.
Course Materials
The only book required for this class is Douglas Bauer’s The Stuff of Fiction. Otherwise published short stories, essays on craft, and student original stories will be handed out or emailed by the instructor, other students and/or made available for download on our online website (LATTE). If you are missing a reading handout, go to our website first and look for uploaded documents. If you didn’t receive a workshop submission from a student, be sure to email that student ASAP. It is your responsibility to attain coursework in a timely manner to keep up with the work of the class.
COURSE PLAN
Week One
Jan. 15 Writing
Writing Assignment Due: In-Progress Story Revision #1: Your Story
Readings
Craft Essay Readings Due: “The Author-Narrator-Character Merge” by Rick Reiken
In-Class
Craft Discussion: Narrative Distance & Point of View
In-Class Writing Exercises: POV
Sharing Writing Assignment (full class)
Writing Assignment for Next Week: In-Progress Story Revision #2: Choose a new POV
Week Two
Jan. 22 Writing
Workshop Submissions Due: 1, 2
Writing Assignment Due: In-Progress Story Revision #2: Choose a New POV
Readings
Craft Essay Readings Due: “Point of View I & II” by Adam Sexton
Story Readings Due: “Heavenly Flame” by Tolstaya & “Big Me” by Dan Chaon
Online Forum Responses Due for Above Readings: January 21, 5pm.
In-Class
Craft Discussion: Developing Characters
In-Class Writing Exercises: Character Questionnaire, Letter, & Psyche
Sharing Writing Assignment (full class)
Assignment for Next Class
In-Progress Story Revision #3: Character/Age
Week Three
Jan. 29 Writing
Workshop Submissions Due: 3, 4
Writing Assignment Due: In-Progress Story Revision #3: Character/Age
Readings