Department of English

The personal essay, the lyric essay, narrative nonfiction are parts of the evolving whole of cross-genre writing, an increasingly popular hybrid form known as creative nonfiction. In this class we will explore techniques from both fiction (characters, dialogue, and story-telling) and poetry (music, economy, and imagination) to generate new possibilities in your work. Will we also explore how creative reading informs what is called creative writing. Students will be encouraged to experiment and explore strategies for new work. The first half of the semester we will focus on creative nonfiction including writing about people, places and inventive approaches to the essay. In our section on poetry we will explore the terrain between poetry and prose, translation, and other modes of this expansive genre. This course will help you explore how to make art with words and push the boundaries of what you can do story-wise and otherwise. The course will take the form of a reading and writing seminar; therefore, consistent class participation is essential. In class we will work on close reading and writing assignments and we will review and discuss each other's work. A final manuscript of 12-15 revised pages will be required, with dates set throughout the semester to guide the final submission.