Creative Writing
AKA: English 10
Spring 2008
Time: 1:00 – 2:25 pm Instructor: Meryl Soto
Days: Monday & Wednesday Office:
Tamarack Hall 214
Place: Sequoia 11 Phone: 588-5225
Units: 3 Office Hours:T-Th 2:30-3:30
MWF 11:15-12
Meryl’s email: sotom@yosemite.edu
Meryl’s webpage: http://www.columbia.yosemite.edu/sotom
______________________________________________________________
Greetings:
Writing is discovering the world from the inside out. It is an adventure
that takes us into the most unfamiliar of all terrains, deep inside the human
heart, soul and mind. It requires from even the most determined explorer a
“warrior spirit,” to face the many distractions: self-destructive talk,
creative dry-spells, fear, competitiveness, criticism and envy of the
uninitiated, and skepticism (your own and that of others). But these challenges
are small matters when compared to the satisfaction, the liberating joy of
discovering within yourself the ability to dream the world in ways you had not
considered before. We will make this journey together. I will provide the
framework and what guidance I can. You will come as prepared
adventurers/warriors, willing to constructively encourage your fellow adventurers, and to
challenge yourself to reach for new levels of creative expression and
awareness.
“So, why does our writing matter, again?” they
ask.
Because of the spirit, I say. Because of the
heart. Writing and reading decrease our sense of isolation. They deepen and
widen and expand our sense of life: they
feed the soul. When writers make us shake our heads with the exactness of their
prose and their truths, and even make us laugh about ourselves or life, our
buoyancy is restored. We are given a
shot at dancing with, or at least clapping along with, the absurdity of life,
instead of being squashed by it over and over again. It’s like singing on a boat during a terrible
storm at sea. You can’t stop the raging
storm, but singing can change the hearts and spirits of the people who are
together on that ship.
Anne
Lamott, Bird by Bird
Course Description:
This course is structured
as a writing workshop. We will read and discuss samples of writings that are
consistent with the direction of our writing, discuss writing processes (and
obstacles), engage in writing activities, and respond to one another’s work in
small and whole class workshops.
Materials
Required for the Course:
In the Palm of your Hand
by Steve Kowit
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
The Columbia Spring Review 2007
Notebook-your choice Binder w/ 8x11 paper
Stapler Good
writing pens and highlighters
Oh, the words, the words, the achingly inadequate beautiful
words.
Terry
Hertzler
Course Requirements:
You
will produce approximately 5000 words of finished writing (roughly twenty pages
divided up into four assignments of varying length).
You will read
Maisel’s book in the first few weeks of the course, and an
assigned
chapter of Kowitt’s book as we go, keeping ongoing journal pages as a means of
inviting your muse(s) to drop in. (Lamott’s if Maisel’s is not available.)
Each of you will volunteer a piece of work for
a whole-class workshop at
least
once during the semester, and each of you will submit a piece to “the envelope”
twice during the semester.
You
will provide feedback to your fellow writer’s work throughout the semester,
visiting “the envelope” at least 10 times. There will be a Web CT enhancements
to the course so there will be opportunities to discuss your writing concerns
with your classmates through this medium as well.
Each
of you will participate in a brief oral
presentation to the rest of the class on a particular aspect of writing. This
is a group project, so you won’t be alone.
You
will show up, physically and mentally, because really and truly, your presence
is what makes the class!
Course Policies:
1. Attendance. Be here. Not only will you miss important
discussion, analysis, and general goings on, but your absence can send a
message that negatively affects the trust level in the class. If you are
absent, contact a class member to find out what you missed. Please—come to
class on time. Lateness—more than five
minutes—is a distraction for everyone, and it really bugs me. If you choose not
to attend four consecutive classes, I will assume you wish to be dropped. Five non-consecutive absences will also send
me the same message.
2. Writing Assignments. You will be required to produce writing for
workshops and evaluation on a regular basis. All writing that will be used
for workshops, placed in the envelope, or given to me will be typed,
double spaced, and have one inch borders. Your finished writing that is turned
in to me will include three rough drafts that give me an idea of the process
you went through on the way to the finished piece.
3. Weekly Journals. Each
week you will complete six pages of journal writing on regular 8x11” paper ( or
you may use other size journals and produce enough writing to equate to the
required pages). I will offer writing
suggestions and invitations which you may use, or you can develop your own
ideas in these pages. You may use the journal for personal entries as well, as
none of your journal entries will be read by me or anyone else. Late journals
lose points.
4. Late Papers. Writing
involves deadlines. You will have deadlines for turning in works-in-progress
for evaluation. However, I realize that life is full of unexpected twists and
turns, and some deadlines cannot be met. I extend to you one grace late, on one
assignment (excepting the last one), of one week, no questions asked. If you
are having trouble with a piece you are working on, don’t wait for the last
minute to ask for help. And don’t, for
heaven’s sake, not turn in a piece that is due because it hasn’t lived up to
your wildest dreams for your creative self. Come see me before the due
date. Papers over a week late won’t be
accepted, and you will need to turn in all your work in order to pass the
class.
5. Late Paper Turn in Procedure. If you are turning in your one late
assignment, you must leave your paper in the green plastic folder outside my
office door (Tamarack Hall, 214) in the library building. There will be a manilla folder inside the
green plastic folder with a tab indicating your class, day and time. There will
be a sign in sheet for you to log in the day and time you are turning in your
paper, your name, the name of the piece you are turning in, and the day it was
due. Papers must be logged in to be considered turned in. Do not leave papers
for me in my instructor’s mailbox.
6. Grading:
|
ASSIGNMENTS: |
POINTS: |
|
2 page
Poem/ Short Story |
20 |
|
4 page
Poem/Short Story |
40 |
|
6 page
Short Story/Character Profile |
60 |
|
8 page
Story/Essay/Chapter |
80 |
|
Envelope
Participation |
10 |
|
Envelope
Responses |
3-5 each |
|
Whole
Class Workshop |
10 |
|
Small
Group Workshops |
3 each |
|
6 page
weekly journal |
6 each |
|
Group Oral
Topic Presentation |
50 |
|
Online
Discussion |
TBD |
7. Plagiarism. The
work of the anti-muse. If caught deliberately plagiarizing, not only would you
lose my respect, but also any points associated with the particular piece of
writing.
SCHEDULE: Weeks 1-16
You will need to turn in work regularly. You will be offered writing
“challenges” for which due dates will be assigned. Plan on turning in a
finished piece of writing every three to four weeks. Some of these may be
shorter or longer works, but the goal is to produce 20 pages of finished work
for your grade.
*Note: On occasion we may meet at times not designated as class times
to write together or pursue inspiration. Attendance at these gatherings will be
voluntary.
**Also, if you have a disability that may prevent
you from fully demonstrating your abilities, or participating in any class
activity, please let me know in your
letter to me, or contact me personally as soon as possible, so we can discuss
accommodations necessary to ensure your full participation and educational
access.
A meaning-maker is a
person who takes her humanity and experiences and attempts to put them together
coherently, artfully, beautifully, but at the very least somehow, for
her own sake and for the sake of others. That product may or may not change the
world, or even reach the world. But a meaning-maker can do nothing less than
struggle to make meaning, because meaning-making is a moral imperative.
Letter to the Teacher (First Assignment)
Dear
New Student,
Since
we’re going to be spending a good deal of time together over the next sixteen
weeks, I’d like to know a little bit about you. Your responses to the questions below will help me to better
understand your personal situation, needs, and concerns. I am here to help you
achieve the goals you have for yourself, so please take your time, and answer
them as thoughtfully as you can.
- Why
are you taking this class? What results would you like to see from your
involvement in it? What particular
skills or knowledge are you hoping to gain? Do you have specific genres or a project
you hope to work on?
- What
are your experiences with writing?
Have you ever attended a creative writing class or writing workshop
before? Do you have any concerns about this class?
- How
will you measure success in this class? Is it important for you to get a
good grade? What grade are you shooting for? What result? What kind of
time do you think you will have invest to get it?
- What
is going to be your greatest obstacle to success in accomplishing your
goals for this class? What do you
think is the best tool or strength you have that will help you to overcome
that obstacle?
- What policy in the
syllabus most concerns or confuses you? What information in the syllabus
surprised you? As you read the
syllabus, did you come to any conclusions about what you can expect from
me, and what I will expect of you?
- In
what ways are you hoping I can help you?
- What
do you want me to know about you as a student? As a person? (Feel free to
include information about any areas of expertise that you may have,
unusual life experiences, educational goals, skills, etc.)
- Do
you think that this class will be of value to you in other areas of your
life? What other goals lie beyond this class?
- Is
there any special circumstance I need to know about you? Are you working, parenting, taking other
classes, commuting, wrestling with a health issue. Some medical issues are
important for me to know about. For example, if you are troubled by
seizures or diabetes, I need to be aware so that I can act immediately and
appropriately in your interests. If you have any disability that may
affect your participation in class, or require instructional accommodations
for your learning, letting me know now will help insure a more successful
learning experience for you.
9. Is there a name that you would
like me to call you other than the one on
the
roster?
IMPORTANT DIRECTIONS: Please
center your letter heading at the top of the page and include your name,
address, phone number, and an email address if you have one. Please close your
letter with a “Sincerely yours” or similarly appropriate closing, and your
signature. These are the questions I
have thought of, but they aren’t meant to limit you. Feel free to add whatever
you think will help me help you.
Statement
of Student Understanding
Please read each item carefully and initial it. Print and sign your name and the date in the
space provided below.
I have read the syllabus carefully and I understand what is required
for successful completion of this course, including the attendance policy for
all scheduled class meetings._____
I understand that there are standards in this course and that I am
responsible for my own creativity and learning._____
I understand that I may consult with the instructor during her office
hours if I am having difficulties with any aspect of the course or have any
questions about my work or my grade._____
I understand the policy regarding late papers and that all papers must
be turned in on time (only one exception—the grace late of one week on any but
the last assignment) in order to complete the class._____
I understand that all assignments must be accompanied by three drafts
that show the development of the paper through various stages of development or
it will not be accepted for a grade._____
I understand the procedure I must use if I need to turn a paper in
late._____
I understand that when I am absent, it is my responsibility to contact
a fellow classmate to find out what I missed and what is due. _____
I understand that there is no extra credit, do-overs, or make-up
work.____
I understand that the instructor evaluates and grades my work based on
how well I have completed each assignment and how fully it meets the
requirements of the assignment and the standards for the course._____
I understand that the class will not be graded on a curve._____
I understand that the instructor has the right to dismiss any student
for distracting and disruptive behaviors that interfere with the learning of
other students.________
Print your name: ________________________ Date:____________
Sign your name: ________________________