everything.study
21W.755

Writing and Reading Short Stories

3-0-9 units. HASS-A · Undergraduate

An introduction to writing fiction. Students write their own stories and study essays and short stories by contemporary authors from around the world. Discussion focuses on students' writing and on assigned works in their historical and social contexts. Limited to 15 per section.

Spring 2012

This course is an introduction to the short story. Students will write stories and short descriptive sketches. Students will read great short stories and participate in class discussions of students' writing and the assigned stories in their historical and social contexts.

Readings

  • During the first seven weeks of the class, we will discuss techniques directly related to the assigned stories. All stories are to be read by the first session of that week . Exercises during the week will focus on the particular element of style that we have discussed.
    Listed reading
  • Gioia, Dana, and R. S. Gwynn, eds. The Art of the Short Story . Longman, 2005. ISBN: 9780321363633.
    Listed reading
  • [The Art of the Short Story] = Gioia, Dana, and R. S. Gwynn, eds. The Art of the Short Story . Longman, 2005. ISBN: 9780321363633.
    Required
  • SES #: 1 · TOPICS: Introduction and Discussion of the Process and the Nature of the Story · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 4 · TOPICS: Exercise in Developing Story From Incident and Life · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 7 · TOPICS: Exercise/Workshop in Character Creation (Bring in a Character Sketch) · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 9 · TOPICS: Exercise in Creating Plot · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 11 · TOPICS: Exercise on Point of View · READINGS: Note: This exercise is best executed if it is printed out and distributed to students without them knowing what appears on the later pages.
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 14 · TOPICS: Workshop: The Forms and Methods of Revelation · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 15 · TOPICS: Workshop (Story 1) · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 16 · TOPICS: Making the Decision Where to Begin · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 17 · TOPICS: Workshop (Story 1) (cont.) · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 18 · TOPICS: Workshop · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 19 · TOPICS: Discussion of Place as Part of the Story · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 20 · TOPICS: Rewriting and Overcoming Writers’ Block · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 21–22 · TOPICS: Workshop (cont.) · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment
  • SES #: 23–24 · TOPICS: Workshop (cont.) · READINGS: (no readings)
    Reading assignment

Prerequisites & course information

Prereq: None U (Fall, Spring) 3-0-9 units. HASS-A

Sources