W311 24754 WRITING CREATIVE NONFICTION
Alyce Miller
7:15p-8:30p TR (15 students) 3 cr. PREREQUISITE: W103 or W203 (or
equivalent). Section requires permission of instructor.
“An essay is not an article, not a meditation, not a book review,
not a memoir, not a disquisition, not a diatribe, not a shaggy dog
story, not a monologue, not a travel narrative, not a suite of
aphorisms, not an elegy, not a piece of reportage, not a – No, an
essay can be any or several of the above. . . . (The essay) . . . is
just one name, the sonorous name, bestowed on a wide range of
writings.” –Susan Sontag
This is an intermediate creative nonfiction writing workshop, open
to all interested applicants who have successfully completed either
W103, W203 (fiction or poetry), W301/303, or the equivalent, with at
least a B, and have a sincere interest in writing creative
nonfiction. All applicants must also be willing to commit to a
regular writing schedule throughout the semester. You must also be
comfortable reading your work aloud in class, and giving and
receiving substantive and constructive criticism.
To apply, please place the following information in hard copy in a
manila envelope in my mailbox in BH 442, addressed to Professor
Alyce Miller:
1. 15-20 pages (no more) of what you consider your best or most
interesting writing (for poets, your sample must include some prose,
either fiction or nonfiction, preferably a piece of length—there is
a long tradition of the “poet as essayist”).
2. A brief letter telling me a little about yourself. Tell me who
your creative writing instructor was, what grade you received, and a
little about your reasons for wanting to take a class in creative
nonfiction.
3. A current email address, and your name and local address on the
manila envelope. Please write the words Application to W311
on the envelope. I admit and notify students as they apply, so
encourage you to get your applications in as early as possible to
increase your chances. This class fills quickly, and I will not
over-enroll it.
The names of admitted students will be given to the Creative Writing
Program Secretary in BH 442. As soon as you are admitted, obtain an
on-line authorization to register from the secretary. You must have
an authorization in order to register.
What to expect:
1. Class format: a workshop/seminar – about half the time will be
spent discussing student work, and the other half discussing the
assigned readings by excellent practitioners Aof the art.@ The size
of the class will determine the exact kinds of writing assignments
given.
2. Readings: Phillip Lopate's anthology The Art of the Personal
Essay, and an e-reserve packet of essays, culled from all over.
You will read numerous and eclectic examples of creative nonfiction,
with a focus on the personal essay, from writers like Montaigne,
Lamb, Seneca, and Kenko, Orwell, Baldwin, Sontag, Didion, Gerald
Early, Edward Hoagland, Bernard Cooper, Cheryl Strayed, bell hooks,
Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Kim Wozencraft, Floyd Skloot, Amy Tan, Joy
Williams, Fred D'Aguiar, etc. You are encouraged in advance of the
class to read some essays of your own choosing, to familiarize
yourselves with the possibilities of the form, and to come to the
first class with your own working definition of what you believe
creative nonfiction to be. While memoir is all the rage now, it is
only one form of the personal essay. Take a look at Best
American Essays and browse essays in literary magazines like
Fourth Genre, Witness, Creative Nonfiction,
The Prose Poem, etc. (the library has a wonderful collection
of literary magazines).
3. You will write and show in workshop approximately 35-40 pages
of new creative work, revise and complete at least one essay of
length, write weekly, substantive one-page critiques of peer work
(about 30-40 pages), and contribute actively and substantively to
class discussions. There may also be assigned exercises to help you
in your discoveries.
4. You will be graded according to the quality and quantity of both
creative and critical work submitted, active class participation,
preparation and regular attendance, and an exam over the readings.
While individual writings are never graded, instructor comments are
always evaluative.
PLEASE NOTE: There will be an assignment due the very first day of
class. Both this assignment and the class syllabus will be posted
on OnCourse on the web. Please be sure to check there.