210C W20 Al Ethari

210C

ENGL 210C

Genres of Creative Writing

Winter 2020

Instructor: Dr. Lamees Al Ethari

Class Times: Tuesdays & Thursdays 2:30-3:50

Location: HH 138

Email: lalethari@uwaterloo.ca

Office Phone#: x33029

Office: HH 142

Office Hours: Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:00-11:00 (By Appointment)

Teaching Assistant: Lara El Mekkawi

Email: lelmekka@uwaterloo.ca

Office: HH 248

Office Hours: Wednesday 11:00-12:00

Course Description

Welcome! This course is an introduction to Creative Writing genres and focuses on reading, analyzing and, of course, writing poetry and prose (both fiction and nonfiction). We will explore and critique works by other writers, look into their writing experiences, and learn how to construct and develop our own written works in the process. Group and individual participation in class discussions are a very important part of this course. Students will need to share their work with their peers and learn how to provide constructive feedback.

Calendar Description: This course introduces students to both contemporary and historical forms of creative writing. Students will explore genres of poetry, prose, and/or drama through their own writing. Students will also investigate the culture of publishing, learn key revision strategies, and workshop the writing of their peers to develop their critical abilities.

Course Goals and Learning Outcomes

Through this course students will:

1. expand their knowledge and understanding of different creative writing genres.
2. develop writing skills and techniques in order to produce effective creative written work.
3. learn how to give and receive feedback from peers through workshops.
4. learn about the experiences of being a writer through presentations by writers and publishers.
5. complete and develop a portfolio of written work for submission.

Texts

• Courseware is provided through the UW Bookstore.
• Readings not provided in the course pack can be found online and/or will be provided through Learn.

Schedule

Please keep in mind that certain topics and discussions may be changed in the schedule due to unforeseen circumstances or cancellations. Some class discussions may take more or less time than expected. Students will be informed ahead of time when such changes take place.

Date			Topics			Readings	Sources	Class Activities & Submissions
Jan. 7			Introduction to the Course			Syllabus & Assignment Overview	Learn
Jan. 9			What is Genre?			Morrison, “Genre” Goodman, “Calming the Inner Critic”	Learn CP	Group Discussions
Jan.14			Life Narrative			Neilsen, “Life Writing”	CP	Discussion & Activity
Jan. 16			Reading, Analyzing and Understanding			Johnston, from Baltimore’s Mansion Brand, from A Map of No Return Salah, “Surgical Diary”	CP CP CP	Group Discussions & Activity
Jan. 21			Reading, Analyzing and Understanding & Developing a Narrative			Van Der Meer, “Prologue” Gebreyohannes, “Refugees” Eisenstein, from I was a Child of Holocaust Survivors	CP CP CP	Group Discussions & Activity
Jan. 23			Putting Together Your Narrative			Bring Outlines & Drafts		Workshop
Jan. 28			Proof-Reading and Editing			Bring Your Drafts		Workshop
Jan. 30			Fiction: The Short Story			Constructing a Short Story		Due: Personal Narrative
Feb. 4			Outlining Your Short Story			Minot, “Creating Tension” & “Dialogue and Thoughts”	Learn	Discussion & Activity
Feb. 6			Reading & Analyzing			TBD By Students	Learn	Discussion & Activity
Feb. 11			Sub-Genres			Gunn, “Science Fiction” Vreeland, “Historical Fiction” York, “Romance Writing”	Learn Learn Learn	Discussion & Activity
Feb. 13			Writing Workshop
Feb. 18			Reading Week			No Classes
Feb. 20			Reading Week			No Classes
Feb. 25			Proof-Reading and Editing			Bring Your Drafts		Workshop
Feb. 27			Poetry			Minot, “Where Poems Come From”	Learn	Due: Short Story Discussions
Mar. 3			Poetic Forms			Lea, “Poetics and Poetry”	CP	Discussions
Mar. 5			Reading and Analyzing			Camp, “One Hunger” Browning, “Porphyria’s Lover”	Learn Learn
Mar. 10			Reading and Analyzing			Driskill, “Beginning Cherokee” Wah, “Race to Go” Hughes, “Dream Boogie”	Learn Learn Learn	Discussions
Mar. 12			Editing & Publishing Your Work			Visit from Pamela Mulloy, TNQ Editor		Discussions
Mar. 17			Proof-Reading and Editing			Bring Your Drafts Minot, “Varieties of Tone” (Pp.127-137)		Workshop
Mar. 19			Editing & Publishing Your Work			TBD		Due: Poem
Mar. 24			Prof/ Student Conferences			Group 1		Workshop + Conference
Mar. 26			Prof/ Student Conferences			Group 2		Workshop + Conference
Mar. 31			Prof/ Student Conferences			Group 3		Workshop + Conference
Apr. 2			The End-					Due: Final Project

Division of Marks
Assignment		Length	Due Date	Grade
Personal Narrative		1000-1500 Words	January 30	15
Short Story		1500-2000 Words	February 27	20
Poem		Limit of 3 Pages	March 19	15
Final Project		2000-2500 Words	April 2	15
Attendance				20
Participation				15

Brief Assignment Descriptions

Personal Narrative [15 points], Poem [15 points], and Short Story [20 points]: Students will have 3 major writing assignments this term, in addition to the final course project.Students will have to write drafts, exchange work with peers for feedback and meet one-on-one with the instructor before handing in a final draft. Classes are divided into group discussions and writing workshops that aim to provide enough time and support for developing and revising your work.These assignments will be described in more detail on Learn throughout the term.

Final Project [15 points]: Students are required to revise and develop one of the 2 prose writing assignments (Personal Narrative or Short Story). Students will use the feedback and suggestions from workshops to correct spelling and grammatical errors, identify weaknesses, and build on their strengths.

Attendance [20 points]: Why is attendance important in this course? The course depends highly on students sharing their writing, discussing readings and learning techniques from the instructor and each other. Missing classes will lead to missing out on important points and writing strategies discussed in class, in addition to losing participation marks. Students receive 1 point for each day they attend class.

Participation [15 points]: To receive full marks for participation, you will need to participate fully in both large and small group discussions. If you feel anxiety about formal or informal public speaking, please meet with me in the first week of classes to discuss accommodations.

• Individual Participation (5 points): Students will be required to share their ideas in class discussions and write paragraph length assignments that may include, but are not limited to, responses to articles we read, analyses of written work, brainstorming drafts, or short critical analyses of each other’s work.

• Group Discussions (5 points): The class will be divided into small groups responsible for answering and discussing a certain topic assigned to them. The group is required to present feedback to each other and to the instructor on the main points discussed in written form.

• Workshops (5 points): Participation in workshops is very important for all students in this course. You will work in pairs, groups and through professor/student conferences in order to receive and provide feedback on your written work.

Rarely participates or contributes to class and group discussions.	Participates occasionally and sometimes contributes to the class and group discussions.	Actively participates and contributes to class and group discussions.
0-2 points	2-3 points	4-5 points

Important Information:

• Please bring paper and pencils/pens to class. We will work on developing our writing skills in almost every class. You may bring your laptops to class for workshops or for taking notes.

• All Assignments should, generally, be in MLA format, double-spaced, written in font size and style 12 / Times New Roman. (Please consult your instructor if you wish to use a different font style or size).

• Cell phones should be turned off during class. Students are not allowed to call, text or browse on their phones. If you require the use of your phone for medical issues, please make sure to contact AccessAbility Services.

• All assignments MUST be handed in on the due date. Medical issues and other emergencies will be taken into consideration. Late assignments will have a late penalty of (5%) per day.

• You are always welcome to talk with me or email me about concerns you may have regarding the course. I have office hours twice a week, however anytime you feel overwhelmed or confused about the material or assignments that we have, please contact me immediately.

Resources for Students

The following sources will be provided through links on the Learn course website for your section:

The Writing and Communication Centre, https://uwaterloo.ca/writing-and-communication-centre/ provides one-on-one consultations, tutorials, and drop-in sessions to support student writing and related assignments.

• The centre works across all faculties to help students clarify their ideas, develop their voices, and write in the style appropriate to their disciplines. Writing Centre staff offer one-on-one support in planning assignments and presentations, using and documenting research, organizing and structuring papers, and revising for clarity and coherence.