English
226
Writing
Fiction & Poetry
Spring
2004 Syllabus
Class Meets
Wednesday
ROOM: Brown 3034
INSTRUCTOR: Karen Kavana
OFFICE:
OFFICE HOURS: After class or by
appointment. One conference by
appointment required.
PHONE: Home 353-8312 (afternoon
or evenings only)
E-MAIL: karen.kavana@wmich.edu E-MAIL accounts are required.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Stern, Jerome, ed.. Micro Fiction: An Anthology of Really Short
Stories. Norton, 1996.
Campbell, Bonnie
Jo. Woman &
Other Animals. Simon & Schuster, 2002.
Komunyakaa, Yusef ed. Best American Poetry 2001. Scribner, 2003.
RECCOMMENDED:
Oates, Joyce
Carol. Telling
Stories: An Anthology for Writers.
Norton, 1998.
A
full-sized college dictionary.
ATTENDANCE POLICY: Attendance is
required. Poor attendance is reflected
in your grade after the third missed class.
More than six unexcused (documentation required) absences will
result in failure.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Last day to drop with full refund
Jan. 9
Last day to drop without academic
penalty: Mar. 15
Spring Recess: March 1-8
FINAL
Exam: Apr. 21
Class Policies: Class attendance is crucial in a writing workshop. Absence of a member of the group disturbs the group’s dynamics. For this and other reasons attendance and class participation is a large part of the grade. KMore than three absences and the grade will be lowered. More than six unexcused absences constitutes failure. Excused absences require documentation.
)
Failure to hand in your poem or story on time will absolutely result in a
lowered grade. A lack of work to workshop ruins the workshop
and harms all other class members. The
quality of the workshop can be severely diminished by inconsiderate students. If you cannot have your work in on time, YOU
are responsible to find a substitute, someone else to hand in a story or
poem in your place. If the
substitute does not come through, it is still your grade which will be lowered
by half a grade point, for example, from A to BA.
)
Assignments
will be announced in the class. WWW Student’s work will be handed out in the
preceding class or sent by email by EARLY evening of the preceding class. FAILURE TO DO THIS IS THE SAME AS BEING
ABSENT WHEN YOUR WORK IS DUE. THIS IS
THE SAME PENALTY AS THE ONE FOR NOT HANDING WORK OUT TO THE CLASS WHEN
DUE. YOUR GRADE WILL BE LOWERED HALF A
GRADE POINT. K Email accounts are required for conferencing and for
distribution of student work and for verification purposes.
)
Since
this is a workshop there is no formal lecture, although there will be some
class discussion of select topics in the assigned texts as they relate to your
work. During class the group will
discuss work handed out the previous class.
A WORK-DUE
schedule will be prepared the first day of class. Generally, four students hand out work each
class period.
)
HOW THIS WORKS: Each student will make enough copies of
his/her work to hand out to the class.
For this purpose you can buy a copy card for $10 at the book store and
give your work the day before it is due to the receptionist at the English
Department for copying, OR you can print out copies in a computer lab to bring
to class OR you can make copies at a local store to bring to class, such as KINKO’s, OR you can make copies at the library, OR you can
e-mail the story or poem to your class-mates before 9 pm two days before
the class in which it is to be workshopped–this means
Monday night for Wednesday’s class.
No exceptions. PLEASE remember to
back up you work, not only on your computer’s hard drive, but also onto a
floppy disk. I suggest you save
files in a generic format, as well, such as ASCII. This format can be e-mailed and printed out
by all computer programs. Don’t e-mail
files in a MAC format to everyone. PC’s
won’t be able to read it. In addition,
not everyone has Word Perfect, but those who have Word can usually convert the
file. Not everyone has MS WORKS. Some have old or new versions of this program
that can’t be read by either older or newer versions of the same program, myself for example.
This has been a problem in the past.
YOU WILL NEED 17 COPIES if enrollment stays at 16. K Students absent on the
day work is handed out are responsible to get the work from the students
themselves. See information below. We
will prepare a list of names/phone numbers/e-mail addresses for this
purpose.
)
RESPONSES:
Responses to
assigned reading are due the day of the assigned reading. Responses should be at least a half a page,
double spaced. I will collect the
reading responses.
Responses to your colleague’s work (also at least a half a
page) is
required on the day the poem or story is workshopped. YOU
WILL NEED TWO COPIES–ONE FOR ME AND ONE FOR THE STUDENT WHOSE WORK YOU ARE
CRITIQUING.
GRADE
DISTRIBUTION:
•
Reading responses (½ page) =200
•
Student
work responses =200
•
Class
Participation/Attendance =100
(after 3 absences grade lowered, after 6 absences class failed)
•
Final
Portfolio =400
(includes 2 short stories 4-8 pages, 1 revised; 4-5 poems, 2 revised)
•
Final
Exam (class reading) =100
(for attendance–REQUIRED)
•
TOTAL =1000
points possible
•
REQUIRED: Attendance at two outside poetry or fiction
readings with short written response due for each.
Plagiarism
Policy: Plagiarism is
using someone else’s words or ideas without giving credit to the
source. The use of four or more words in
a row from another work is considered plagiarism. Plagiarism is grounds for failure, not just
for the assignment, but for the course.
Workshop Procedures
and Helpful Hints :
È
Each
student must come to workshop prepared.
This means that written comments on the work to be critiqued must
be prepared before the class. The work
will be passed back to the author after it’s discussed. The student whose work is being presented
will read from the work. The author will not speak until all discussion has
ended. Comments should be
constructive. K I will check off the responses from each student to the
author in my grade book. Therefore,
two copies are required of each response. (See note at end of syllabus)
È
Two
students will act as discussion leaders for the class. These students will prepare at least two
specific questions to ask class members concerning the works. See “Reading Responses: What to Consider,
What to Write” (separate page) for hints on questions and responses. Participation is graded. We will select a discussion leader order the
first day of class. KYou are required to know when it is
your turn. If you will be absent, you
are required to find a replacement discussion leader.
È
There
should be a consistent flow of work.
Quantity and quality are both considered in the grade. KSuccessful revision is, perhaps, most
important. I see the workshop as a group
discussion. The comments of class
members can help revise your work, but a revision is not just a few additions
or subtractions based upon comments.
Your own vision should guide you.
The logic of the work is most important–this includes its form as well
as its content. This is true in both
prose and poetry.
GUIDELINES:
;
Poetry: Avoid
abstractions. Use images to create
meaning. Reality is the basis from which
beginning writers should begin.
;
Prose: No
genre fiction (mystery, science fiction, romance, detective, etc.), no
killing off characters. Try to avoid
true stories. This is a creative writing
class–fiction and poetry–if your ego is on the line, you should not have the
story read in workshop. Use your
experiences with people or place in an imagined plot or a real plot with
imagined setting, for example.
È
All
workshops involve criticism which is, by its nature, subjective. You are welcome to disagree. U The object
is to see how others see your work, to learn techniques, and to develop depth
and to gain perspective and perception. KIf you do NOT feel you need critiquing, you should
drop this class. If you feel you will be
too sensitive to be critiqued, you should drop this class. If you usually think you are right and do not
like to be “TOLD” anything, you should drop this class. If you think you will object to writing
assignments, to writing on topics other than “your own,” you should drop this
class.
È
ALL
students should be sensitive to others feelings when critiquing–comments
should be constructive. K “Nice” comments will not get to the heart of a deficiency in
a work–a comment such as “It’s nice,” or “I enjoyed it,” is fine, but inadequate. It doesn’t help the author move forward. No work is perfect. No student should put his/her ego on the line
when discussing any work.
È
The
grade is BASED ON PROGRESS, as well as completion of requirements. I will give some class exercises and
assignments from the texts. IT IS
ESSENTIAL THAT YOU READ THE TEXTS. Reading
poetry and fiction goes hand in hand with writing.
SUMMARY
‚
ALL RESPONSES are graded Tc, T, or T–.
k
Two copies or responses to your colleague’s work are required--one for
me, and one for your classmate.
k
You
are responsible for all assignments. K If
you are absent, you are still required to bring your response for both
assignments and classmates work to the next class. If you do not you will lose not only
attendance grade points, but participation and assignment grade points. K You are responsible to find out and
have prepared any work assigned in the class you missed, including your
classmate’s work which will either be handed out or sent by email.
k
ALWAYS check your email the night before and the morning before class for any
changes or submissions you might have missed.
Some email services (like AOL) have a delay in delivery of mail due to
their system structure. If you send your
submission after the deadline (
Tentative Schedule: You are
responsible for reading ALL the poems in the chapters. There may be quizzes at any time in
class. Changes will be announce for readings or other
matters the preceding class or via email early the night before. Students will be evaluated not only on their
writing ability, but on their ability to discuss assigned readings, as well as
their written responses. PROGRESS, in this course, IS WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT.
Jan 7 Introduction. Order assigned for poem/story hand-in and for
discussion leaders. Reading
of class policies/syllabus. In-class exercise.
Four students will volunteer to hand out poems of place next class. Consider the questions: What does poetry
mean? What is poetry to me? Write a written response to be discussed and
handed in next class. Consult at least
one outside source.
The
links to Class Syllabus and poetry sites are located at http://homepages.wmich.edu/~k0kavana. Browse the poetry links from the class web
site and determine which “poetry places” have poetry you admire. Explore the poetry links. Reading a variety of kinds of poetry should help
you to refine your preferences. What do
your likes and dislikes tell you about yourself? If you know about other poetry sites, hand in
the web links.
Two
groups and handout order will be established.
Any deviation from assigned order is up to the student to arrange. E-mail and phone numbers must be kept up to
date to facilitate this communication.
See WHAT TO CONSIDER, WHAT TO WRITE on separate
handout for tips on responses.
Jan 14 Read The Making of a Poem, Introduction and Chapter 1, “Verse Forms,”
villanelle, pages xiii to page 20,
and sestina, pages 21-41, and pantoum, pages
43-53, and Chapter II, “Meter,”
pages 159-161. Respond to one poem that appeals to you. For example, tell us why you think the
villanelle is an appropriate form for one poem, or not. Poems of Place due from eight
students.
Jan 21 Read from Best American Poetry 2003. Discussion comparing closed form to open
form. Read The Making of a Poem,
Chapter 1, sonnet, pages 55-71and respond to one poem. Last batch of Poems of Place due from
eight students.
Jan 28 Read The Making of a Poem, Chapter 1, ballad. 73-99,
blank verse, pages 101-119, and heroic couplet, pages 121-135 and **respond
to one poem. First Object Poems due from eight students.
Feb 4 Read Chapter The Making of A
Poem, the stanza, pages 136-155, and Chapter IV, “Open Forms,”
pages 259-287 and **respond to one poem.
Will be discussed in class. Object poems due from eight students.
Feb. 11 Finish reading The Making of a Poem, Chapter IV, “Open Forms,”
pages 259-287 and respond to one poem and answer the question **“Why is an
open form suitable for this poem?” Read Robert Hass’ “Introduction” in Best American Poetry 2001
(handout), no written response due. Will discuss in class.
First Persona Poems due from eight students.
Feb 18 Read Best American Poetry 2003. Discussion of closed form poem
(sonnet, ballad, villanelle, sestina, pantoum, and so
on) compared to open form. How has
your opinion changed, or has it? Based upon Robert Hass’ introductory
discussion of traditions (assigned last week) in Best American Poetry 2001(handout),
**find and discuss, in writing (minimum 1 page), a
poem from the central tradition, one from the classical tradition and
one from the experimental tradition.
Hand in response. This
response is worth five responses. Persona Poems due from eight students.
Feb 25 Read MicroFiction: An Anthology of Really Short Stories, all of
it. How is very short fiction like
poetry, or not? We’ll discuss in
class. **Respond. Browse the
poetry links from the class web site, http://homepages.wmich.edu/~k0kavana,
and any other sites you’ve discovered, and determine which “poetry
places” you admire the most. What does
this tell you about yourself? How
have you changed since the beginning of the semester, if at all? We’ll discuss them in class. **Hand in response to above
questions. Form Poem due from all
sixteen students. You may want to read ahead in fiction over
Spring Break.
Mar 3 Spring Break, no class.
Mar 10 No assignment due. We’ll
catch up on critiques. Read Chapter I
“Unconscious Mind,” page 1-22, and Read Chapter III “Modular
Design” page 213-216. We’ll
discuss these introductory chapters in class. Definitely start writing story. Form poem due from eight students.
Mar 17 Read Chapter II “Linear Design” page
25 -32 and pages 33–97 in Narrative Design, and pages 217-256. **Respond (½ page) to one assigned story in book. First short story considering
structure due from eight students.
Mar 24 Read Woman & Other Animals
1-61. **Respond (½ page) to one of Bonnie Jo stories. Read Narrative Design page 98-131. Story considering
structure due from eight students.
Mar 31 Read Chapter Woman &
Other Animals 62-142. Second story considering point-of-view due from four
students. Respond to
one of Bonnie Jo stories. Second
Story considering point-of-view due from eight students
Apr 7 Read Woman & Other Animals
143-198. Visit from Bonnie Jo
Campbell. Bring two questions you
want to ask Bonnie Jo. Look up meaning
of magical realism. Read Narrative
Design pages 257-300. Brief
analysis of student story due in response modeled on analyses in Narrative
Design. Prepare to comment on
point of your second story, and in what is at stake for the protagonist. All work not yet considered (make-up or
whatever) to be handed out for discussion in final class.
Revisions you want to workshop should be handed in today. Last
batch–story considering point-of-view due from eight students.
Apr 14. Read Narrative Design pages 132-164,
300-335. **Brief analysis of student
story due (this is worth five responses) modeled on analyses in Narrative
Design. Final stories and all late
work due.
Apr 21 Final
Exam: reading/pizza
party: