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Intermediate Fiction Writing Spring 2005 Tom Kealey |
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News: May 11th, 2005 New Schedule
Monday, May 16th
- Conferences and Group Work Monday, May 23rd - Story Collection Presentations, Group 3 - Adam B., Dani, Jasmine; and Group 4 - Adam S., Jared, Kent
Wednesday, May
25th - Story Collection Presentation, Group 5 (Kristin, Ayla, and Sam)
and Group 2 (Samuel, Angus, and Jia-Jia)
April 11th, 2005 Workshop Schedule: Monday, April 18 –
Ayla, Sam Monday, April 25 –
Casey, John… Writing Topic, Group 2 Monday, May 2 –
Jared, Jia-Jia, Kristin Monday, May 9 – Adam, Adam… Writing Topic, Group 5
Final
Third of Class Schedule:
April 4th, 2005 Latest Schedule Wednesday, March 30th – First Day, Introductions, in-class writing Monday, April 4th – “Floating Bridge” by Alice Munroe, “The Shawl” by Louise Erdrich… Notebook writing exercise... Stern: Character, Description, Dialogue, Exposition, Plot, Scene, Short Story, Showing and Telling Wednesday, April 6th – “The Burning House” by Ann Beattie, “Who’s Irish?” by Gish Jen… Select groups… story dialogue exercise… Story Collection talk... Stern: Advice, Ambiguity, Atmosphere, Beginnings Monday, April 11th – Stories Due… talk about Fiction topic presentations… in-class exercise… figure workshop schedule… Wednesday, April 13th – Group work… “A Temporary Matter” by Jhumpa Lahiri… “The Littoral Zone” by Andrea Barrett
April 3rd, 2005 Rosters and contact information
April 2nd, 2005 Reading Schedule, Spring 2005
March 30, 2005 Class Syllabus
Intermediate Fiction Writing Stanford University, Winter Quarter 2005 Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:15-3:05pm, Room 70-72A1
Tom Kealey, kealey@stanford.edu Office 211-460 (Margaret Jacks Hall)
English 190 is an intermediate course in the craft and art of fiction writing. We will spend a short time re-examining the basic elements of fiction: narration, description, and dialogue. But mostly we will spend our time together reading advanced works of short fiction, presenting reports about the craft of fiction, and of course we’ll read and comment upon each others’ creative work. The workshop aspect of our class will begin in the third week. We’ll also do plenty of in-class writing. Mostly though, you’ll be working on your longer stories: re-thinking, re-writing, editing.
Texts: --Two books. More Stories We Tell: The Best Contemporary Short Stories by North American Women, edited by Wendy Martin; and Making Shapely Fiction by Jerome Stern. Both available in the bookstore. You’ll of course make copies of your story for the class, and you’ll purchase a story collection.
Requirements: Class participation, 20%. This grade will be determined by your coming to class, by being on time, and by your contributions to our discussions. I will determine this grade. How can you help? Come to class, be on time. Help out in our discussions. I would appreciate it, and your grade will be very much helped. Presentations, 20%. A good portion of your work will be completed in groups of three and four students. Together, you’ll make two presentations during the course of the quarter. One about a story collection or novel (including a biography of the author), and one about an aspect of fiction writing (say, writer’s block, or traveling, or agents, or keeping a notebook). Each presentation will last 5-10 minutes, and you’ll accompany it with a one to two page report which you’ll eventually post on our class website. Notebook 15%. Your notebook will be your writing notebook. It will include all of the in-class writing assignments, the out-of-class writing assignments, and the “notes” section, where you’ll write down your random observations, ideas, and bolts of lightning. You’ll turn this notebook in to me on the second-to-last day of class. Though, it is your private notebook, and I’ll only be checking to see if you’ve completed the assignments. Feedback Letters, 15%. Three students will be assigned to each workshop story. Those students will write one page letters (single-spaced) and will be prepared to answer specific questions about the story. The rest of the class will write comments, but only on the manuscript itself, and we’ll still have a full workshop. The point of this: To cut down on the time that it takes to type letters, and yet still create an atmosphere where students receive full workshops. So, by the end of the quarter, each student will have typed around 8-10 letters, instead of say 25 or more. These are to be turned in to me an hour before class, via email. A paper copy is also to be given to the writer. Your Story and its revision, 15% – eight to eighteen pages. This will be due on Monday, April 11th. A revision is due on the first day of final exams. Reading Attendance, 15% – You’ll attend three campus readings during the quarter. A list of readings is attached to this syllabus. I’ll announce them as they come up in class. You don’t need to write a reaction to the readings, but you do need to let me know you attended.
Late Assignments: Anything turned in late will receive a grade of C.
Finally: I’ll be working hard to make this class an enjoyable and valuable learning experience for you. If it’s in my power, I’ll make this your favorite class.
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