Tuesday, January 10, 2017

A Post about My Creative Writing Syllabus and My Writing Schedule and



Quick recap:  This blog focuses on my weekly reflections on what is working well or failing miserably in my creative writing class.  I haven’t taught it since 2008, and I am amped for this new year. 

Originally, when I was designing the syllabus, I told myself to cut the assignments in half.  However, since I recalled what I loved about writing, I remembered that when I took these classes in college both at undergraduate and graduate levels, I was more focused than ever on producing work.  In fact, I am one of those asshole writers that word vomits and produces masses amount of work in a short time, when I have time to write.  I want my students to develop that love of writing, no matter what their process is, and to experience a variety of writing.  

I am having my students write three short stories (including a piece of flash fiction) and 2 poems.  I am also requiring them read on a regular basis.  I chose an anthology edited by Junot Diaz, The Best American Short Stories and a poetry anthology, The Vintage Book of American Poetry edited by J.D. McClatchy.  Flash Fiction International is a supplementary text that I plan on scanning.  The main text is Bird by Bird by Anna Lamott.

The course is shaping up nicely, and the funny thing is that creating the syllabus went by quickly and didn’t feel like work at all.  I guess I needed a change, and also to align my writing and academic goals. 

That is all I have because I need to read fast with focus; I have this golden hour or half hour where my baby is asleep.   

Here is a link to my other blog.  I don't normally cross post, but I'm new to this writing regularly business, and my students will surely struggle with scheduling, too.


No comments:

Post a Comment