Course CRWT 2301.

002 Introductory Creative Writing

Professor Lauren Dixon
Term Fall 2010 – August 19—December 2
Meetings JO 4.306, T TH 2:30-3:45pm

"A writer is a person for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people." –Thomas
Mann

Professor’s Contact Information

Office Phone 972-883-2095
Other Phone 512.914.1761 (cell—please only use in case of emergency)
Office Location JO 5.206
Email Address LCD062000@utdallas.edu; Lauren.Dixon@gmail.com
Office Hours Tuesdays, 1:30-2:30pm and by appointment
Other Information I do not accept assignments via email. Hard copies only.

General Course Information

Pre-requisites, Co-
requisites, & other Rhetoric 1302
restrictions
This course is an introduction to creative writing and serves as a pre-
requisite for advanced courses in creative writing.

Course Description The course will investigate and instruct students in the elementary
approach to the process of creating original prose, poetry, and/or dramatic
format works. The class will focus on a minimum of two genres and will
cover both experimental and traditional forms.
Textbooks:
Making Your Own Days – Kenneth Koch ISBN-10 0684824388
Final Girl – Daphne Gottlieb ISBN-10 1887128972
Creating Short Fiction – Damon Knight ISBN-10 0312150946
St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves – Karen Russell
ISBN-10: 0307276678
In Persuasion Nation – George Saunders ISBN-13: 978-1594482427
Short stories and poems as posted on WebCT

Recommended:
Required Texts & What It Is – Lynda Barry ISBN-10 1897299354
Materials Working Writer’s Daily Planner -- ISBN-10: 1931520585

Other materials:
Bring a notebook to every class—you’ll need it. Consider
designating a specific one to the writing exercises we’ll do in
here.
A folder for your final portfolio (containing revisions—we’ll
discuss this more later)
Access to a photocopier (you will be responsible for providing
copies of your workshop material to all members of the class)
An email address and access to WebCT
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 2

Suggested Texts, What’s the best way to learn to write? Reference and how-to guides are
Readings, & fine and dandy, but the only way you’ll really ―learn‖ is by reading. If you
Materials want to write short stories, start reading anthologies or short works by
your favorite authors. Get hold of the Best American Short Stories, Best
American Poetry, or any Best of collection, for starters and go from there.
Read everything ever written by Kurt Vonnegut or Flannery O’Connor or
Allen Ginsberg or Nikki Giovanni or whomever it is you just love. Don’t
just read the words—eat them up. Your writing method will be different
from all of these writers, but reading is the first place you start when
―learning‖ to write.

That being said, here’s a list of reference books I’ve found helpful when
writing my way through a particular exercise, poem, novel, or story:

The Complete Rhyming Dictionary – Clement Wood

Wood’s dictionary comes complete with poetic forms and examples—a
useful resource if your interest is in rhymed and strictly metered poetry.
Remember: you have to know the rules to break them!

Steering the Craft – Ursula K. Le Guin

A unique guide on precision and exploration in narrative.

Characters and Viewpoint—Orson Scott Card

Card’s book is a great resource for character development and character-
based stories. While it is not required for this class, it is one of the best
resources I’ve found for developing a well-rounded, dynamic character
for any story.

Story Sense – Paul Lucey

Again, not a requirement but a great tool for developing screenplays and
plot-structure in general. Contains information about formatting (an
absolute must in scriptwriting, believe it or not), and a wealth of useful
instruction regarding dramatic structure. If you’re serious about
screenwriting, a book like this will save you a great deal of time.

GRAMMAR GUIDES! Find one—it doesn’t matter which, Penguin,

Little Brown, St. Martin’s, A Writer’s Resource—no matter how great a
writer you are, these guides will save you from needless embarrassment in
front of your fellow writers. If you don’t think your classmates care about
your grammar, think how an editor at a journal will feel about your
careless mix-up of ―there‖ ―their‖ and ―they’re‖:

―I know we want they’re to be a good place over their where we can rest
our weary heads, boss, but I’ll be jehova’d if Steven didn’t up and kill
there dogs already. We gots to move!‖

Bottom line: good writers at least try to pinpoint their weaknesses and
work on them…and we can include shoddy constructions of the English
language in this list.
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 3

ASSIGNMENTS & ACADEMIC CALENDAR

Topic: Introduction to the Course
Group Assignments
Defining a Genre: What is Poetry? What is the Short Story?
Starting out running: Process and how to get one…
TH, August 19 Concrete vs. Abstract—Our class mantra; Lynda Barry and Image training

Reading Assignment: Ch. 1 Koch’s Making Your Own Days

Writing Assignment: Complete handout exercise; write an introductory
poem using the concrete ―list‖ method
Topic: The Anatomy of a Poem—Line, Meter, Rhythm, Stanza
Discussion of Koch and sample poems from the book; introduction to the
Sonnet and Forms
Mini-workshop; modeling of workshop seminar
Presentation assignments
T, August 24
Reading Assignment: Ch. 2 of Koch; Shakespeare and sonnets (handed out
in class)
Writing Assignment: The contemporary sonnet (given in class) (Groups 1
and 2 will be workshopped over this poem; everyone must write it)
Topic: Poetry—Function of Form and Content; the Sonnet continued
Group I Poems due

Reading Assignment: Chs. 3 of Koch; minimalism—poetry of William

TH, August 26
Carlos Williams (handed out in class or on WebCT)
Writing Assignment: Note taking on sensory images; prep for next poetry
assignment—the minimalist poem (Groups 3 and 4 will be workshopped
over this poem; everyone must write it)
Poetry Workshop begins
Topic: Poetry—Discussion of Williams
Group 2 Poems due
Group I Workshop
T, August 31
Reading Assignment: Chs. 4 of Koch; Plath (handouts)
Writing Assignment: Prepare for data collection and 21 things exercise
(handed out in class) (Groups 5 and 6 will be workshopped over this poem;
everyone must write it)
Topic: Lyrical and Confessional Poetry (Plath)
Group 2 Workshop
Group 3 Poems due
TH, September 2
Reading Assignment: First half of Daphne Gottlieb’s Final Girl
Writing Assignment: Continue 21 things exercise (discussed in class)
Topic: Thematics and Political Poetry; Daphne Gottlieb’s Final Girl
Group 3 Workshop
Group 4 Poems due
T, September 7
Reading Assignment: Second half of Final Girl
Writing Assignment: Take notes for final poetry assignment; poetry as
prose (Group 7 will be workshopped, but everyone must write the poem)
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 4

Topic: Daphne Gottlieb and Poem as Political

Group 4 Workshop
Group 5 poems due
TH, September 9
Reading Assignment: Prose poetry-Charles Baudelaire and Robert Hass
Writing Assignment: Prose poem (can be narrative or experimental about
your own or others’ life experiences) (handed out in class)
Topic: The Prose Poem
Group 5 Workshop
Group 6 poems due
T, September 14
Reading Assignment: Experimental prose poetry – Lyn Hejinian and
Gertrude Stein (handouts or on WebCT)
Writing Assignment: Continue work on prose poem
Topic: Experimental Prose Poetry
Group 6 Workshop
Group 7 poems due
TH, September 16
Reading Assignment: Renee Gladman and Eileen Myles (handouts or on
WebCT)
Writing Assignment: Write a story in one sentence.
Topic: Hybrids of Poetry and Prose
Group 7 Poetry Workshop
T, September 21
Reading Assignment: Knight Part 1 (pp. 1-30); Read ―The Orange‖ by
Benjamin Rosenbaum
Writing Assignment: Write a paragraph that uses all five senses.
Topic: Short Fiction—Classic Story Structure, Plot, and Conflict;
Discussion of Knight
In-class writing exercises
TH, September 23
Reading Assignment: Knight beginning of Part 2 (pp. 31-84); Read ―Fatso‖
and ―Surprise Egg‖ by Etgar Keret
Writing Assignment: Work on plot for flash fiction piece
Topic: Flash Fiction – Compression and Etgar Keret; Knight Part 2
Group 1 Flash story due

T, September 28 Reading Assignment: Knight end of Part 2 (pp. 85-104); ―The Selfish
Giant‖ by Oscar Wilde
Writing Assignment: Write a character’s thoughts in one paragraph without
revealing who he or she is physically; work on mental attitude
Topic: Plot continued; Oscar Wilde and Knight Part 2 continued
Flash Fiction Workshop Begins
Group 1 workshop
Group 2 Flash story due
TH, September 30

Reading Assignment: Knight Part 3 (pp. 105-42); ―No One’s a Mystery‖ by

Elizabeth Tallent
Writing Assignment: In two paragraphs, write a fable/allegory
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 5

Topic: Dialogue; Tallent and Knight Part 3

Group 2 workshop
Group 3 Flash story due
T, October 5
Reading Assignment: Knight Part 4 (pp. 143-72); Jamaica Kincaid’s
―Girl‖
Writing Assignment: Dialogue assignment
Topic: Character development; Knight and Kincaid
Group 3 Workshop
Group 4 Flash story due
TH, October 7
Reading Assignment: Knight Part 5 (pp. 173-82); TC Boyle’s ―The Hit
Man‖
Writing Assignment: Write a paragraph of three events in chronological
order; then rearrange the events and put them out of time sequence
Topic: Structure; Knight and Boyle
Group 4 Workshop
Group 5 Flash story due
T, October 12
Reading Assignment: ―My Life as a Bat‖ by Margaret Atwood
Writing Assignment: Write two paragraphs from the perspective of a
creature other than a human being (or an alien); use concrete detail and
avoid abstraction
Topic: Structure continued; Otherness and Margaret Atwood
Group 5 Workshop
Group 6 Flash story due
TH, October 14
Reading Assignment: ―Disappearing‖ by Monica Wood and ―Bigfoot
Stole My Wife‖ by Ron Carlson
Writing Assignment: Character and motivation assignment
Topic: Expanding the flash fiction story into short story; Wood and Carlson
Group 6 Workshop
Group 7 Flash story due

T, October 19 Reading Assignment: ―A Good Man is Hard to Find‖ by Flannery

O’Connor
Writing Assignment: Work on plot of short story; write an outline (you can
do this in the form of a poem or any other kind of writing)
Topic: Plot and Flannery O’Connor
Group 7 Workshop

Reading Assignment: George Saunders "Jon" (23-61) and "The Red Bow"
TH, October 21
(73-87)
Writing Assignment: Prep your short story draft; come up with a character
and situation and begin drafting
Topic: Short stories and Point of View – Discussion of George Saunders

Reading Assignment: George Saunders "Brad Carrigan, American" (119-

T, October 26
154) and ―Bohemians‖ (183-195)
Writing Assignment: Work on short story
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 6

TH, October 28 NO CLASS – Prepare your short story drafts!

Topic: Narrative Voice and Style – Discussion of George Saunders

Group 1 stories due
T, November 2 Reading Assignment: Kelly Link "Faery Handbag"
Writing Assignment: Work on short story and revisions
Topic: Short Fiction: Narrative Structure and Kelly Link
Short Fiction Workshop Begins
Group 1 Workshop
Group 2 stories due
TH, November 4
Reading Assignment: Karen Russell ―Haunting Olivia‖ (26-48)
Writing Assignment: Work on short story and revisions
Topic: Karen Russell and the Objective Correlative
Group 2 Workshop
Group 3 stories due
T, November 9
Reading Assignment: Karen Russell ―Ava Wrestles the Alligator‖ (3-25)
Writing Assignment: Work on short story and revisions
Topic: Complexities and Motivations of Character; Karen Russell cont.
Group 3 Workshop
Group 4 stories due
TH, November 11
Reading Assignment: Karen Russell ―St. Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by
Wolves‖ (225-246)
Writing Assignment: Work on short story and revisions
Topic: Russell and discussion of Common Themes in Fiction
Group 4 Workshop
Group 5 stories due
T, November 16
Reading Assignment: Maureen McHugh ―Laika Comes Back Safe‖
Writing Assignment: Work on short story and revisions
Topic: McHugh and Revision Strategies
Group 5 Workshop
Group 6 stories due
TH, November 18
Reading Assignment: Michael Chabon "Werewolves in Their Youth" (3-
30)
Writing Assignment: Revise short stories and poems to submit for Craft
Analysis
Topic: Chabon and the case for Genre; further Revision Strategies
Group 6 Workshop
Group 7 stories due
T, November 23 Preliminary Poetry and Short Fiction Revisions due for Craft Analysis

Reading Assignment: Dan Chaon’s ―The Bees‖

Writing Assignment: Work on craft analysis of your classmate’s work

TH, November 25 NO CLASS – THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY!

 CRWT 2301.002 p. 7

Topic: Genre conventions and Chaon

Group 7 workshop
T, November 30
Writing Assignment: Complete craft analysis of your classmate’s work
LAST CLASS DAY
TH, December 2 Craft Analysis Due
Course Evaluations
Portfolios and Final Revisions due in my office by 5pm
TH, December 9

Course Policies
Participation/In-class Exercises/Critiques (including one two-page
response and one short presentation about a published piece we read in
the class) – 20%
Workshop Assignments – 30%
Grading (Four poems, 1 flash fiction piece, one longer short story 2500-5000
(credit) Criteria words)
Craft Analysis – 20%
Final Revision – 30% Three revised poems, one revised story due. You’ll
submit this in a folder with all your workshopped drafts on the specified
due dates.
Assignments are due at class time; I do not accept late work. If you are
absent, you must make arrangements to submit the work by the time
Late Work class begins.
Most importantly: DO NOT MISS CLASS THE DAY YOUR WORK WILL
BE WORKSHOPPED!
Attendance is mandatory; if you miss more than four classes, your grade
Class
will drop. After six absences, you fail the course. Excessive tardiness will
Attendance
also negatively impact your grade.

Off-campus, out-of-state, and foreign instruction and activities are subject to

state law and University policies and procedures regarding travel and risk-
Field Trip
related activities. Information regarding these rules and regulations may be
Policies
found at the website address
Off-Campus
http://www.utdallas.edu/BusinessAffairs/Travel_Risk_Activities.htm.
Instruction &
Additional information is available from the office of the school dean. Below
Course
is a description of any travel and/or risk-related activity associated with this
Activities
course.

If you experience any problems with your UTD account you may send an
Technical
email to: assist@utdallas.edu or call the UTD Computer Helpdesk at 972-
Support
883-2911.

The University of Texas System and The University of Texas at Dallas have
Student rules and regulations for the orderly and efficient conduct of their business. It
Conduct and is the responsibility of each student and each student organization to be
Discipline knowledgeable about the rules and regulations which govern student conduct
and activities. General information on student conduct and discipline is
contained in the UTD printed publication, A to Z Guide, which is provided to
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 8

all registered students each academic year.

The University of Texas at Dallas administers student discipline within the

procedures of recognized and established due process. Procedures are
defined and described in the Rules and Regulations, Series 50000, Board of
Regents, The University of Texas System, and in Title V, Rules on Student
Services and Activities of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures. Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in
the Office of the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to
assist students in interpreting the rules and regulations (SU 1.602, 972/883-
6391) and online at
http://www.utdallas.edu/judicialaffairs/UTDJudicialAffairs-HOPV.html

A student at the university neither loses the rights nor escapes the
responsibilities of citizenship. He or she is expected to obey federal, state,
and local laws as well as the Regents’ Rules, university regulations, and
administrative rules. Students are subject to discipline for violating the
standards of conduct whether such conduct takes place on or off campus, or
whether civil or criminal penalties are also imposed for such conduct.

The faculty expects from its students a high level of responsibility and
academic honesty. Because the value of an academic degree depends upon
the absolute integrity of the work done by the student for that degree, it is
imperative that a student demonstrate a high standard of individual honor in
his or her scholastic work.

Scholastic Dishonesty, any student who commits an act of scholastic

dishonesty is subject to discipline. Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not
Academic
limited to cheating, plagiarism, collusion, the submission for credit of any
Integrity
work or materials that are attributable in whole or in part to another person,
taking an examination for another person, any act designed to give unfair
advantage to a student or the attempt to commit such acts.

Plagiarism, especially from the web, from portions of papers for other classes,
and from any other source is unacceptable and will be dealt with under the
university’s policy on plagiarism (see general catalog for details). This
course will use the resources of turnitin.com, which searches the web for
possible plagiarism and is over 90% effective.

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs
the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials,
including music and software. Copying, displaying, reproducing, or
distributing copyrighted works may infringe the copyright owner’s rights and
Copyright such infringement is subject to appropriate disciplinary action as well as
Notice criminal penalties provided by federal law. Usage of such material is only
appropriate when that usage constitutes ―fair use‖ under the Copyright Act.
As a UT Dallas student, you are required to follow the institution’s copyright
policy (Policy Memorandum 84-I.3-46). For more information about the fair
use exemption, see
http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/copypol2.htm
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 9

The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes the value and efficiency of

communication between faculty/staff and students through electronic mail. At
the same time, email raises some issues concerning security and the identity
of each individual in an email exchange. The university encourages all
official student email correspondence be sent only to a student’s U.T. Dallas
email address and that faculty and staff consider email from students official
Email Use
only if it originates from a UTD student account. This allows the university to
maintain a high degree of confidence in the identity of all individual
corresponding and the security of the transmitted information. UTD furnishes
each student with a free email account that is to be used in all communication
with university personnel. The Department of Information Resources at U.T.
Dallas provides a method for students to have their U.T. Dallas mail
forwarded to other accounts.

The administration of this institution has set deadlines for withdrawal of any
college-level courses. These dates and times are published in that semester's
Withdrawal course catalog. Administration procedures must be followed. It is the
from Class student's responsibility to handle withdrawal requirements from any class. In
other words, I cannot drop or withdraw any student. You must do the proper
paperwork to ensure that you will not receive a final grade of "F" in a course
if you choose not to attend the class once you are enrolled.

Procedures for student grievances are found in Title V, Rules on Student

Services and Activities, of the university’s Handbook of Operating
Procedures.

In attempting to resolve any student grievance regarding grades, evaluations,

or other fulfillments of academic responsibility, it is the obligation of the
student first to make a serious effort to resolve the matter with the instructor,
supervisor, administrator, or committee with whom the grievance originates
(hereafter called ―the respondent‖). Individual faculty members retain
primary responsibility for assigning grades and evaluations. If the matter
Student
cannot be resolved at that level, the grievance must be submitted in writing to
Grievance
the respondent with a copy of the respondent’s School Dean. If the matter is
Procedures
not resolved by the written response provided by the respondent, the student
may submit a written appeal to the School Dean. If the grievance is not
resolved by the School Dean’s decision, the student may make a written
appeal to the Dean of Graduate or Undergraduate Education, and the deal will
appoint and convene an Academic Appeals Panel. The decision of the
Academic Appeals Panel is final. The results of the academic appeals process
will be distributed to all involved parties.

Copies of these rules and regulations are available to students in the Office of
the Dean of Students, where staff members are available to assist students in
interpreting the rules and regulations.

As per university policy, incomplete grades will be granted only for work
Incomplete
unavoidably missed at the semester’s end and only if 70% of the course work
Grades
has been completed. An incomplete grade must be resolved within eight (8)
weeks from the first day of the subsequent long semester. If the required
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 10

work to complete the course and to remove the incomplete grade is not
submitted by the specified deadline, the incomplete grade is changed
automatically to a grade of F.

The goal of Disability Services is to provide students with disabilities

educational opportunities equal to those of their non-disabled peers.
Disability Services is located in room 1.610 in the Student Union. Office
hours are Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Tuesday and
Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The contact information for the Office of Disability Services is:

The University of Texas at Dallas, SU 22
PO Box 830688
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
(972) 883-2098 (voice or TTY)
disabilityservice@utdallas.edu
Disability
Services
If you anticipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course,
please meet with the Coordinator of Disability Services. The Coordinator is
available to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the course. If
you determine that formal, disability-related accommodations are necessary,
it is very important that you be registered with Disability Services to notify
them of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations. Disability Services
can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify his or her professors of the need for
such an accommodation. Disability Services provides students with letters to
present to faculty members to verify that the student has a disability and
needs accommodations. Individuals requiring special accommodation should
contact the professor after class or during office hours.
The University of Texas at Dallas will excuse a student from class or other
required activities for the travel to and observance of a religious holy day for
a religion whose places of worship are exempt from property tax under
Section 11.20, Tax Code, Texas Code Annotated.

The student is encouraged to notify the instructor or activity sponsor as soon

as possible regarding the absence, preferably in advance of the assignment.
The student, so excused, will be allowed to take the exam or complete the
assignment within a reasonable time after the absence: a period equal to the
Religious Holy length of the absence, up to a maximum of one week. A student who notifies
Days the instructor and completes any missed exam or assignment may not be
penalized for the absence. A student who fails to complete the exam or
assignment within the prescribed period may receive a failing grade for that
exam or assignment.

If a student or an instructor disagrees about the nature of the absence [i.e., for
the purpose of observing a religious holy day] or if there is similar
disagreement about whether the student has been given a reasonable time to
complete any missed assignments or examinations, either the student or the
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 11

instructor may request a ruling from the chief executive officer of the
institution, or his or her designee. The chief executive officer or designee
must take into account the legislative intent of TEC 51.911(b), and the student
and instructor will abide by the decision of the chief executive officer or
designee.

These descriptions and timelines are subject to change at the discretion of the Professor.
 CRWT 2301.002 p. 12

More information about Workshop and Writing Exercises

As a reminder, this is the grading breakdown for our class:
Participation/In-class Exercises/Critiques (including one two-page response and one short
presentation about a published piece we read in the class) – 20%
Workshop Assignments – 30%
Craft Analysis – 20%
Final Revision – 30% Three revised poems, one revised story due. You’ll submit this in a folder with
all your workshopped drafts on the specified due dates.

Workshop Assignments include poems, flash fiction pieces, and short stories that are due BOTH
for large group workshop and small group workshop. We will break the class down into smaller
groups during the poetry sessions. This means that you will have a poem due each week we
workshop in poetry.

So what does this equate to?

FOUR poems due for workshop (with three revisions to be submitted to me at the end of the
term); ONE of those poems will be workshopped by the whole class; THREE of those poems
will be workshopped in your small group.

Photocopy Policy: When you are workshopped by the whole class, you are responsible for
submitting TWENTY copies of your piece to us (unless your group is the one who must put your
work on WebCT); when you are workshopped by your small group, you are responsible for
submitting THREE copies of your piece to us (two to your group members and one to me).

Failure to submit a poem when your piece is due for workshop will equate to a reduction in your
workshop assignment grade.

Additionally, for each week we work on flash fiction and short story, I require that you turn in
300 words of prose to me. These will not be workshopped by the entire class. This is an excellent
opportunity to work on your short story or screenplay (as those 1000 words can involve the
story/script), to create character profiles, outlines, plot structures, etc. These words cannot,
however, meander into personal journal (―I’m so angry at my boyfriend/roommate/cat/evil
brother! He ruined my new shirt!‖)—I want you to work on fictional prose. Sometimes I will give
you an assignment (such as a dialogue or setting exercise) that will help you fulfill those 300
words of prose. During our poetry sessions, you will have assignments that help you get started
on your poems.

If you are ever stuck on a piece of work, come talk to me! I have plenty of ―getting started‖
exercises that can assist you, and the Lynda Barry book is also a great resource.