Creative Writing Workshop I: Emory Continuing Education (Fiction)

Phase Two: Creative Fiction workshop I

Phase two is where the real fun begins. In this phase you will start submitting written pieces for your instructors and classmates to critique. This phase can be a little scary, because you are putting yourself and your work out in the open for others to judge. In my next post I  will discuss my very first workshop experience and post my submitted piece along with my classmates and instructor critiques.

Course description:

In Workshop I, you will begin the process of developing original ideas into publishable manuscripts. Learn to write, revise, and write again as you practice completing short stories or the opening chapters of your novel. You will learn the essential elements of narrative structure, including techniques of plotting stories, novels and novellas.

Learning Objectives:

 Workshop I

• Learn the writing workshop process

• Learn to read with an analytical eye

• Learn to give and receive constructive criticism

• Learn to discuss and develop basic concepts of narrative

• Identify writing techniques employed by successful authors through

   Supplemental reading

• Complete the first draft of a short story or novel chapter

Course Structure

Each class includes a combination of lecture, discussion and workshop. The schedule of

lectures and homework assignments is subject to change as we see necessary.

Writing Submissions

Students will take turns submitting written assignments each week for workshop. The schedule of submission will be determined in the first class. Submissions should be between 1,000 and 4,000 words unless the instructor has given prior approval for longer or shorter selections. Students may submit short stories or chapters from a novel in progress, but please, no poetry or creative nonfiction.

All written work for the class must be typed, double-spaced and in 12-point font (Times New Roman or Arial, please). Please save the submission as either a PDF (.pdf) or Microsoft Word document (.doc) and name the file with your last name and the week of your submission. (Example: butler.week2.doc)

Writing submissions should be emailed to the class by Thursdays at noon prior to the discussion of the piece on Monday. This deadline is a courtesy to your classmates. Submissions received later may not give the instructor or your classmate’s adequate time to provide feedback on the work.

Readers should print out the submission, read it, make notes in the margins and be prepared to give critiques in class. You will hand your marked-up copy of the piece back to the author. Your written comments and remarks during class should be constructive criticism. Disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated. The work shopping process requires no small amount of vulnerability on the part of the writer. It’s the goal of the instructor to create a learning environment that’s supportive, sensitive and comfortable for everyone.

Textbooks

Koch, Stephen, "The Modern Library Writer’s Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction"

(Modern Library, 2003) 

For more information please see link below:
http://ece.emory.edu/creative_writing/fiction.html