Creative Writing
The primary purpose of the Creative Writing program is to nurture students' imaginative capacity, develop their artistic voice, and provide intensive practice in the craft and technique of various creative writing genres. The program aims to transform students from simply competent writers into conscious literary artists capable of self-directed creation and critical self-revision.
Creative Writing 15 (3 credits)
No prerequisite
This course will allow motivated students to write in a variety of specific creative writing genres as they build their own writing portfolios. This process-based course will build upon increasing sophistication in students’ understanding and application of writing. Students will have opportunities to understand the artistry and technique of different forms of creative writing, develop techniques for both individual and collaborative editing, and explore methods for sharing completed work digitally, orally, and in print. This fast paced and challenging three-credit course will enable students to create original pieces of creative writing in a variety of specific genres while establishing a collaborative creative writing community with their fellow classmates.
Creative Writing 25 (5 credits)
Prerequisite: 50% in Creative Writing 15
This course builds on the skills of its prerequisite course, Creative Writing 15, to explore increasingly varied forms of creative writing, both traditional and non-traditional. Through a process-based model, students will work to expand their writing strategies and portfolios in increasingly complex ways, including strategies for publication. Through this three-credit course, students will refine their strategies for crafting their own unique writers’ voices, making their writing come to life with increased attention to specific aspects of the writing process, to create a creative community of writers.
Creative Writing 35 (5 credits)
Prerequisite: 50% in Creative Writing 25
Creative Writing 35 builds on the skills of its prerequisite course, Creative Writing 25, to refine personal writing skills such as voice, revision, and form. The course explores a variety of genres including fiction, mixed media, poetry, memoir, and more. Students will continue to use a workshop, process-based model to expand their writing strategies with an increased focus on collaboration with professional writing communities, including publishers. Through this course, students should emerge with a sophisticated understanding of writing, but - more importantly - an understanding of their own writing voice and style.