Creative Writing Syllabus
Schedule:
The first few days, we will be getting to know one another. This will be a most important goal of this class because nothing else will work well if we cannot work well together! WE MUST ALL REMAIN INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE. What I would like to be sure to include over the next semester are plenty of opportunities in the following; however, you will have an opportunity to share your input:
3. sharing (and even "stealing") of ideas
4. reading for analysis of what good writing is
5. getting to know and trust each other as to form a writing community
a. bounty bowl (Each day a different person will volunteer to bring a snack for
our brain breaks; it's best if these are NOT homemade. Prepackaged is just
easier to deal with.)
b. artifact sharing/writing
6. working on that writing that you just never seem to have the time to do. Every day,
bring any old work that you'd like to add to or change.
7. completing a major project of your own and one that I assign.
Supplies:
1. Binder: You're going to need something to hold all of this writing we're going to do. A three-
ring binder is the most easily organized, but if you at least have a folder that you can divide
into sections, that will work.
2. Paper: a lot will be needed for those of you who may have an aversion to computers, but even
if you prefer computers, we'll do some pen-to-paper activities.
3. Reading Material: choose a favorite writer, and you might even reread a book; then you'll
know it's good! This book(s) will not be used simply for pleasure reading purposes, so be
especially serious about the book(s) you choose. ALSO, it will be better if you own the book
so you can mark in it, so if you do use a library book, buy some post-it notes!
Grading:
I have organized this class under the assumption that you are here because you like to write. So there are only 2 choices for grades: either you do the work or you do not; an A or an F. There will be zero tolerance for bad behavior or distractions of any kind. Because this class is almost 100% based on participation, anytime you bother ANYone else in the room, your grade is in jeopardy!
Possible Questions Answered:
1. Yes, you may listen to music, but you MUST have your own headphones to do so.
*You must also listen to it at a level in which NO ONE else can hear it.
* IF ANYONE ABUSES THIS PRIVILEGE, IT WILL BE TAKEN AWAY, SO HELP
EACH OTHER!
2. No, you may never play games on the computer. You will have one warning; if you're given a
second warning, you will be handwriting EVERYthing for the class!
3. Yes, you may use the Internet, but there are VERY specific requirements:
*If you're using it to listen to music, you must have your selection made within 1 minute
of the designated writing time.
*If you are on the Internet for ANY purpose, I MUST be informed as to what that
purpose is. (For example, if you’re writing about World War II, you might want to
research what type of food the men were given in the field.) Don't get angry when I
make you close your browser and you can't listen to music when you forget...you've
been warned.
4. No, this is NOT a "regular" English class. Your grade will weigh much more heavily upon
your ideas, progress, and work ethic than upon your grammar, spelling etc.
5. No, you will not have any ASSIGNED homework. HOWEVER, I've found that many times,
students in creative writing courses give themselves homework!
6. No, I won't be "grading" your work…at least not the way I did in English I. I will be "monitoring" your progress, reading and making suggestions, and writing myself. So, it's not my plan to use rubrics or assign letter grades unless the need arises. You'll be graded just like someone who's paid for a job: You do the work, you're paid. You don't do the work, you're NOT paid.
7. Yes, I'm hoping this is the most fun, most productive class that I have all day. We have a lot of freedom, and I don't want to take it away. As long as everyone works, we can use this "work-time" to actually relax. Relax doesn't in any way mean to take time off; it just means you're doing something that doesn't stress you out. THERE IS NO BETTER THERAPY THAN WRITING!
8. Yes, you'll have a lot of input into what we do in this class. We'll try to finish in time each day to discuss everyone's progress in order to decide what to do the next day.
9. Yes, you can be the worst speller in the school and get an A in this English class! But, let me reiterate…you CAN'T be lazy at all!
Schedule:
The first few days, we will be getting to know one another. This will be a most important goal of this class because nothing else will work well if we cannot work well together! WE MUST ALL REMAIN INCREDIBLY FLEXIBLE. What I would like to be sure to include over the next semester are plenty of opportunities in the following; however, you will have an opportunity to share your input:
- journaling-NOT THE KIND YOU'RE USED TO DOING! Each journal is just a way to “save” an idea for later work.
3. sharing (and even "stealing") of ideas
4. reading for analysis of what good writing is
5. getting to know and trust each other as to form a writing community
a. bounty bowl (Each day a different person will volunteer to bring a snack for
our brain breaks; it's best if these are NOT homemade. Prepackaged is just
easier to deal with.)
b. artifact sharing/writing
6. working on that writing that you just never seem to have the time to do. Every day,
bring any old work that you'd like to add to or change.
7. completing a major project of your own and one that I assign.
Supplies:
1. Binder: You're going to need something to hold all of this writing we're going to do. A three-
ring binder is the most easily organized, but if you at least have a folder that you can divide
into sections, that will work.
2. Paper: a lot will be needed for those of you who may have an aversion to computers, but even
if you prefer computers, we'll do some pen-to-paper activities.
3. Reading Material: choose a favorite writer, and you might even reread a book; then you'll
know it's good! This book(s) will not be used simply for pleasure reading purposes, so be
especially serious about the book(s) you choose. ALSO, it will be better if you own the book
so you can mark in it, so if you do use a library book, buy some post-it notes!
Grading:
I have organized this class under the assumption that you are here because you like to write. So there are only 2 choices for grades: either you do the work or you do not; an A or an F. There will be zero tolerance for bad behavior or distractions of any kind. Because this class is almost 100% based on participation, anytime you bother ANYone else in the room, your grade is in jeopardy!
Possible Questions Answered:
1. Yes, you may listen to music, but you MUST have your own headphones to do so.
*You must also listen to it at a level in which NO ONE else can hear it.
* IF ANYONE ABUSES THIS PRIVILEGE, IT WILL BE TAKEN AWAY, SO HELP
EACH OTHER!
2. No, you may never play games on the computer. You will have one warning; if you're given a
second warning, you will be handwriting EVERYthing for the class!
3. Yes, you may use the Internet, but there are VERY specific requirements:
*If you're using it to listen to music, you must have your selection made within 1 minute
of the designated writing time.
*If you are on the Internet for ANY purpose, I MUST be informed as to what that
purpose is. (For example, if you’re writing about World War II, you might want to
research what type of food the men were given in the field.) Don't get angry when I
make you close your browser and you can't listen to music when you forget...you've
been warned.
4. No, this is NOT a "regular" English class. Your grade will weigh much more heavily upon
your ideas, progress, and work ethic than upon your grammar, spelling etc.
5. No, you will not have any ASSIGNED homework. HOWEVER, I've found that many times,
students in creative writing courses give themselves homework!
6. No, I won't be "grading" your work…at least not the way I did in English I. I will be "monitoring" your progress, reading and making suggestions, and writing myself. So, it's not my plan to use rubrics or assign letter grades unless the need arises. You'll be graded just like someone who's paid for a job: You do the work, you're paid. You don't do the work, you're NOT paid.
7. Yes, I'm hoping this is the most fun, most productive class that I have all day. We have a lot of freedom, and I don't want to take it away. As long as everyone works, we can use this "work-time" to actually relax. Relax doesn't in any way mean to take time off; it just means you're doing something that doesn't stress you out. THERE IS NO BETTER THERAPY THAN WRITING!
8. Yes, you'll have a lot of input into what we do in this class. We'll try to finish in time each day to discuss everyone's progress in order to decide what to do the next day.
9. Yes, you can be the worst speller in the school and get an A in this English class! But, let me reiterate…you CAN'T be lazy at all!