Course Syllabus Course Information CRWT 4307.

501 Fall 2011 Creating Short Stories Advanced Monday 4:00 to 6:45 JO 3.536 ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Professor Contact Information Betty Wiesepape Office: JO 5.205 972-883--6352 Bet@utdallas.edu Office hours: Monday 2:45 to 3:45 p.m. Course Pre-requisites, Co-requisites, and/or Other Restrictions Prerequisite: CRWT 3307

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Course Description This is an advanced workshop on the creation and theory of the short story that will focus both on structure and on creative techniques and creative processes involved in writing sophisticated, challenging, and linguistically developed short stories. Students who sign up for this advanced creative writing course should have already acquired some basic storytelling skills and demonstrated proficiency in the English language. In this course they will refine those skills, as they utilize their imaginations and draw upon their experience to create three original short stories. Student Learning Objectives/Outcomes 1. Through discussion and application, students will demonstrate their ever increasing knowledge of the short story genre and good creative writing techniques. 2. Students will demonstrate and ability to write stories that are character-driven as well as plot driven. 3. Student will create three original short stories and will submit at least one for publication. Required Textbooks and Materials Janet Burroway, Writing Fiction, (8th edition) (about $145.) Mark Mills, Crafting the Very Short Story (2003) (about $65.) Jerome Stern: Making Shapely Fiction (any edition) (about $10.) William Strunk & E.B. White: The Elements of Style (any edition) (about $8.50.) Suggested Course Materials Students will be expected to provide photocopies of at least one original story to each member of the class for workshop. Students also will turn in 2 copies of each original story and 2 copies of each written critique. This means that students enrolling in this class should be prepared to incur some photocopying expenses. Assignments & Academic Calendar AUGUST 29: GETTING STARTEDIntroduction to Course and Writing Process AUGUST 31: SEEING IS BELIEVINGShowing and Telling READ: Burroway: Preface, Chapters 1 & 2 ASSIGNMENT DUE: Expand an exercise that you began in class last week into a 2 to 3 page narrative sketch.

SEPTEMBER 5: SCHOOL HOLIDAYNO CLASS SEPTEMBER 12: BUILDING CHARACTERS I--Characterization READ: Burroway: Chapter 4 ASSIGNMENT DUE: Selection of an author and a story for in-class presentation. Utilize one of the exercises at the end of Chapter 4 to develop one or more characters in the narrative sketch you began last week OR to develop a character in a new and different sketch. SEPTEMBER 19: LETTING THEY TALK: Dialogue READ: Burroway: Chapter 3 ASSIGNMENT DUE: Go to a public place and eavesdrop on an actual conversation and record what is said in your journal. SEPTEMBER 26: FIRST DRAFTS: Theme & Helpful Criticism READ: Burroway: pgs 340-347 IN-C;ASS: Practice workshop of an assigned story. ASSIGNMENT DUE: First draft of Story #1. Bring two copies to class, one for the professor and one to trade with a classmate. OTOBER 3: PLAY IT AGAIN: Revision Strategies READ: Burroway: pgs 348-351. IN-CLASS: Be prepared to sign up for a personal conference with the professor. ASSIGNMENT DUE: 2 copies of a critique of a student story. OCTOBER 10: STUDENT CONFERENCESNO FORMAL CLASS OCTOBER 17: THE PLACE OF PLACE IN FICTION READ: Burroway: Chapter 5 IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: ASSIGNMENT DUE: Revision of Story #1. OCTOBER 24: FICTIONAL TIMEScene & Summary. READ: Burroway: Chapter 6. IN-CLASS ACTIVITY: ASSIGNMENT DUE: Begin story #2 & attend reading by established author Ann Weisgarber. OCTOBER 31: THE NUTS & BOLTS OF STORYTELLING: Form, Plot, Structure. READ: Burroway: Chapter 7. IN CLASS: Workshop of student stories. ASSIGNMENT DUE: Two copies of first draft of Story #2. NOVEMBER 7: WHOS SPEAKINGPoint of View READ: Burroway: Chapter 8. ASSIGNMENT DUE: 2 copies of a critique of another students story #2. NOVEMBER 14: EXPERIMENTAL FORMS OF FICTION READ: Burroway: Appendix: Kinds of Stories IN-CLASS: Workshop of student stories. ASSIGNMENT: Begin Story #3. NOVEMBER 21: PUBLICATION IN-CLASS: Workshop student stories. ASSIGNMENT: 2 copies of 1ST draft of story #3 NOVEMBER 28: WORKSHOP OF STUDENT STORIES

IN-CLASS: Workshop of student stories. ASSIGNMENT DUE: Critique of student story #3. Research possible publication venues. DEEMBER 5: COURSE SUMMARY IN-CLASS: Workshop of student stories. ASSIGNMENT: Final draft of Story #2 or Story #3. NOTE: All late assignments must be completed and turned in to the professor by this date. FINAL EXAM: No final will be given in this class, but students must present proof that they submitted one story written in this class for possible publication on the date reserved for the final exam. ____________________________________________________________________________ Grading Policy Grades will be based upon: attendance, classroom citizenship, and participation in workshop sessions10%; Written Critiques--30%; Original short stories40%; Final Assignment10%. Reaction Paper to an Arts & Humanities sponsored event10% Students receive grades only on the final drafts of stories, but failure to perform exercises or to turn in first drafts will result in the grade of the final draft being lowered one full letter grade. The professor will assign grades of plus and minus. Course & Instructor Policies Students will be expected to read and be prepared to discuss all assigned readings and to complete all assigned writing exercises. Failure to perform these assignments will have a negative effect upon the students class participation grade. (See above) During the course of the semester, each student will write 3 and revise 2 of these stories. Students will also write a 2 to 3 page critique of another student's story on 3 separate occasions. NOTE: Stories written prior to this class may not be submitted to fulfill the requirements of this course. All written assignments including exercises must be typed, double spaced, and legible. Work submitted after the due date will be accepted, but the grade on the assignment will be lowered one full letter grade, and the professor will not make editorial comments on late work. In addition, the professor will not accept handwritten work or work submitted by email. Class attendance and participation in discussions and workshop sessions are mandatory. Attendance will be checked each week, and a student who misses more than 3 classes should not expect to receive a passing grade. (3 absences in this class are equivalent to 9 classes in as course that meets for one hour 3 times a week.) NOTE: No make-up work will be assigned; no extra credit projects will be offered, and no absences will be excused except those mandated by the administration of this university. No exams will be given in this workshop class. In lieu of a final exam, each student will select one original story to submit to a journal for possible publication and submit proof of submission in the form of a mailing receipt to the professor on or before the final exam date. The use of cell phones, recorders, laptop computer and other communication devices will not be permitted in this class. Please turn off these devices off before entering the classroom. NOTE: Descriptions and timelines in this syllabus are subject to change at the dis cretion of the professor. NOTE: The University of Texas at Dallas syllabus-policies can be accessed at:
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