SyllabusWriting 2310Intro to Creative Writing

Spring Semester 2016CRN 28317

Instructor: Audrey Heffers
Office: Thompson 319
Office Phone: (501) 450-5833
Email: acarroll4@cub.uca.edu
Office Hours: MW 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and by appointment
Class Times/Location: MWF 2-2:50 p.m., Thompson 104
Class Website:
Required Texts & Materials: T.C. Boyle's Doubletakes, Ron Padgett's The Handbook of Poetic
Forms, various handouts/online readings throughout the semester, and a journal.
You will also be expected to bring any readings or texts with readings on the day they are due.
Participation points will be docked for lack of preparation to contribute to the conversation.
Course Description:
This class is all about exploring what interests you in creative writing, experimenting with new
forms, and reading as a writer. You'll examine your process as a writer and work as a part of the
classroom community to both hone your own creative works and help others revise theirs. We
will cover fiction, poetry, and nonfiction. We'll discuss the genres and use the readings to explore
some of what you can do in each genre. You'll produce three samples of writing in fiction, poetry,
and nonfiction, and will receive feedback from both myself and your peers.
Catalog Description:
This course introduces students to several core components of successful creative expression and allows
students to practice them through composing original, imaginative work in poetry, prose, and other genres
depending on the instructor's expertise. Class time will be devoted to workshops, invention exercises, and
the discussion of guided reading assignments. The course is required for both creative writing and writing
majors and minors. Lecture, discussion. Prerequisite: WRTG 1310. Fall, spring, summer, on demand.
[ACTS index number ENGL2013]
3.000 Credit hours

Major Writing Assignments:

Poetry, 6-8 page minimum (one long poem or several poems totaling at least 6-8 pages)
Due Wednesday, February 10th.
Fiction, 6-8 page minimum (one short story or at least 6-8 pages worth of flash fiction)
Due Monday, February 29th.
Creative Nonfiction, 6-8 page minimum (one essay or at least 6-8 pages worth of flash
nonfiction or lyric essay) Due Friday, April 8th.
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 Final Portfolio: Collection of all final drafts of revised writing from the semester and a 25 page essay talking about your rationale behind what you wrote, reasons for any
revisions you made, strengths/weaknesses you've noticed in your writing, reactions to
your workshops, etc. Due Friday, April 29th by noon.
Grading: Note that all major assignments must be submitted to pass this course.
A = 900-1,000
B = 800-899
C = 700-799
D = 600-699
F = Below 600

Portfolio (Final Essay); 100 Fiction; 150

Portfolio (Revised Creative Work); 200

Creative Nonfiction; 150

Participation; 100
Critique Letters; 50

Poetry; 150
Reading Responses; 100

Attendance and Drop Policy: As a member of this classroom community, you are expected to
show up to class. People get sick, there are deaths in the family. These things happen. I must
emphasize that if you know that you will be absent for any length of time, get in touch with me.
In accordance with the policy of the Department of Writing, students missing two weeks'
worth of classes will be dropped. For our class, this means 6 absences. There are no excused
absences. I will give notice, as possible, if you are close to 6 absences, but the onus to keep track
of that is on you. If I email you to say you have 6 absences, it is to inform you that you have
been dropped for non-attendance. At this point, being dropped is non-negotiable. When dropping
a student for non-attendance, I will assign WF, WP, or W, as appropriate.
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I will overlook the occasional tardiness. However, please bear in mind that if you more than five
minutes late to three classes, I will consider that an absence.
Reading Responses:
Poetry: For each poetic form we read about, write one challenge you would have with the form,
and one aspect of the form you think would be fun to play with. If the form outright confuses
you, then you can, instead, write two questions that might help clarify the form for you. This
must be typed and handed in at the end of the class when the reading is due.
Fiction: For each story assigned as homework, you will provide a) a one to two sentence
summary, b) one thing you think works in the story, and c) one thing that you either had
questions about or you think did not work in the story. This must be typed and handed in at the
end of class the day the reading is due.
Creative Nonfiction: In response to each craft essay, try to write a paragraph in your journal
about how it can help you write nonfiction. You can touch on form, voice, an idea, an approach,
etc. You might be given the option to discuss this journal entry in class. We will discuss the essay
itself either way, so please be sure to be prepared. You will not have to hand in your response for
this, unless it seems the class is neglecting their reading.

Workshop: You will workshop twice this semester, in two forms of your choice (from fiction,
nonfiction, and poetry). A selection you workshop will be read by your peer review group. You
can select any one of the forms to only hand in to me; the other two forms will receive feedback
from your peers. The feedback from your peers and me will help you decide how to revise for
your final portfolio.
When a student in your group is up for workshop, you will read their work before class and write
at least 1 double-spaced page critique letter for them, letting them know what is working and
where you can see areas for improvement or development. Your group will then discuss the
workshop pieces in class. All discussion and communication regarding other student writing
must be respectful, even if the feedback is constructive criticism. Additionally, any workshop
materials that are not your own are not to be shared outside of our class without the author's
explicit permission. For the purposes of this class, you are allowed to use pseudonyms for
creative nonfiction to maintain privacy. If you have any concerns regarding your peer review
group, please email me, come to my office, or make an appointment to discuss it with me.
You must have your workshop piece emailed to your group or handed out in printed form to
them no later than 5 calendar days prior to the workshop. (Ex: For an April 13th workshop, your
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group will have a copy of your work by April 8th.) Any items posted later will not be
workshopped.

Late Work: If you have something come up, such as a serious illness, please speak to me before
the piece's due date. All pieces are due at the beginning of class on the due date as physical
copiesprinted and stapled. Note that the Writing Center does not have a printer. I will not give
you time to print, staple, or otherwise prepare due material once class starts.
If you hand your assignment in on the same day that its due but after the class ends, you will
only be docked 20 points on the assignment. (In other words, the highest grade you can get on
that assignment is a 130/150.) If you hand the paper in one calendar day late, the highest grade
you can receive is a 110/150. If you hand the paper in two calendar days late, the highest grade
you can receive is a 90/150.
If you have not handed in a paper within 3 calendar days of the due date and have not talked to
me, I reserve the right to drop you from my class for failure to hand in a major assignment.
No late work will be accepted for the final. If it is not in by 12:00 p.m. on April 29th, you will
receive 0 credit for it.

Handing in Assignments: All out-of-class writing assignments must be typed and printed in

Font : Times New Roman

Margins: 1 inch

NOT Arial, Calibri, or Comic Sans

Size: 12 pt.
NOT 11, 11.5, 12.5, or 13

NOT 1.25, 1.5, 2... etc.

Assignment Formatting
Requirements
Spacing: Double

Attachment: Stapled

NOT 1, 1.5, 2.5, or 3

There should also be no special spacing
between paragraphs.

NOT Paper clipped, binder clipped, or

folded over in the corner

If you do not have an assignment that fulfills these formatting requirements to hand in in class,
then I may count the assignment as late and follow my late work policies accordingly.
Journal: I will give time as often as possible for you to write in your journal. You can work on
fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry for this class. This is a space for you to play with ideas,
work on something you've been trying to fine-tune, etc. Sometimes you will be given a prompt.
Classroom Behavior: Since this class is a community, you are expected to be respectful of the
classroom environment, me as your instructor, and your fellow classmates. Barring emergency,
phones should be turned on silent in the classroom and put away. While you don't have to go into
extreme detail, please give me a heads up at the beginning of class if there is some reason you
might have to excuse yourself to take a phone call (ex: a family member is in the hospital).
Texting, or using a phone in any other context, is not allowed while class is in session. You will
lose points if you make a habit of such activity.
Unless you absolutely require them (ex: to aid with a disability), you are expected to not have
electronics on your desk or in sight when class is in session. This includes, but is not limited to,
laptops, Ipads, and other variations thereof. They tend to distract students and we all want to
contribute to the classroom community as best we can.
Additionally, there is a zero tolerance policy for hate language, constant disruptions, belittling
anyone in the classroom, and other such acts of disrespect. If you are being disrespectful in any
of the ways listed within classroom behavior or in any associated way that interrupts the learning
community of the college classroom, you will be dismissed from the classroom and it will be
your responsibility to make up any work you miss. Further, a record of this disciplinary action
will remain permanently on file with the university. If told to leave, you will also be docked
participation points. This is all non-negotiable, though you will typically get a warning first as
possible.
Pop Quizzes: If it seems the class has misunderstood or neglected reading or other assignments, I
reserve the right to give graded quizzes at random. If you have difficulty with a concept or
reading, it's to your benefit to ask me in class, during office hours, or via email. Asking questions
is a form of participation, just as much as answering questions or being a part of a discussion.
Getting in Contact: I will contact you via your UCA email address for class cancellation, updates
to the schedule, etc. You will be held responsible for any correspondence to this email address.
You may get in touch with me via the information on the first page of your syllabus. I will also
post updates to the class website, and they can be found on the front page. If you miss class, it is
your responsibility to make up the work. You can use your syllabus, the class site, talking to
others in the class, or getting in touch with me, to see what we went over and what is due.
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Plagiarism: The short policy: Don't do it. This course holds a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism. This
includes both intentional and unintentional plagiarism. If you take credit for someone else's words or
ideas be they published in print or electronically or if they are written specifically for you for pay or as a
favor then you will be dropped from the course and assigned a WF grade. An Academic Integrity
Violation form will also be turned into the university.
The long policy: Plagiarism: If a student in a Writing Department course turns in a paper that includes an
extended passage that has been a) written for him or her by someone else for pay or as a favor, or b)
copied in part or in whole from a print or electronic source written by another author, even if some of the
words have been changed. In addition to the aforementioned drop policy, notification will be sent from
the Writing Department office to the Office of the Registrar documenting the students academic
misconduct. This documentation will be retained permanently at the Office of the Registrar.
If a student in a Writing Department course turns in a paper that has borrowed from other sources without
giving complete and unambiguous credit to every source (e.g, quotation marks are not included around all
direct quotations, in-text citations are missing, the bibliography is missing or incomplete), that paper will
receive a grade of 0 (zero). If the instructor deems the plagiarism to be accidental, the instructor may
allow the student to revise the paper for a higher grade.
Academic Integrity: Students in this course are subject to the provisions of the university's Academic
Integrity Policy, approved by the Board of Trustees and Board Policy No. 709 on February 10, 2010, and
published in the Students Handbook. Possible consequences for academic misconduct include:
a failing grade on an assignment
a failing grade for the course
or any other course-related sanction I, as the instructor, determine to be appropriate.
Continued enrollment in this course constitutes agreement with this university policy. Misconduct can
include cheating, plagiarism, or fabrication. Please visit http://uca.edu/integrity/examples/ for examples of
violations of academic integrity. Also reference First Year Writing pg. 140-146.
Sexual Harassment Policy: Harassment by any faculty member, staff member, or student is a violation of
both law and University policy and will not be tolerated. Please read the appropriate pages of your
Student Handbook for the policies, definition, and procedures concerning harassment. If you have
questions or concerns, please contact your instructor or the director of first-year writing. Individuals who
believe they have been subjected to harassment should report the incident promptly to their academic
dean or to a departmental chair or directly to the University's Affirmative Action officer, legal counsel, or
assistant vice-president for human resources.
Title IX Disclosure: If a student discloses an act of sexual harassment, discrimination, assault, or other
sexual misconduct to a faculty member (as it relates to "student-on-student" or "employee-on-student"),
the faculty member cannot maintain complete confidentiality and is required to report the act and may be
required to reveal the names of the parties involved. Any allegations made by a student may or may not
trigger an investigation. Each situation differs and the obligation to conduct an investigation will depend
on those specific set of circumstances. The determination to conduct an investigation will be made by the
Title IX Coordinator. For further information, please visit: https://uca.edu/titleix. *Disclosure of sexual
misconduct by a third party who is not a student and/or employee is also required if the misconduct
occurs when the third party is a participant in a university-sponsored program, event, or activity.

Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Central Arkansas adheres to the requirements of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need an accommodation under this Act due to a disability, please
contact the UCA Office of Disability Services, 450-3613.
Emergency Procedures Summary: An Emergency Procedures Summary (EPS) for the building in which
this class is held will be discussed during the first week of this course. EPS documents for most buildings
on campus are available at http://uca.edu/mysaftey/bep/. Every student should be familiar with emergency
procedures for any campus building in which he/she spends time for classes or other purposes.
Other Policies: You should familiarize yourself with all academic policies in your Student Handbook.

Writing 2310 Grade Sheet

Assignment

Points

Fiction

/150

Creative Nonfiction

/150

Poetry

/150

Reading Responses

/100

Critique Letters

/50

Participation

/100

Portfolio (Final Drafts)

/200

Portfolio (Final Essay)

/100

Total Points

/1000

Percentage

Letter Grade

Intro to Creative Writing Schedule

All scheduled material is subject to change.
Week 1
Friday Jan. 7: Syllabus. Interest survey. Group read "Shitty First Drafts." Amber Benson process
video.

Week 2
Mon. Jan. 11: Discuss poetry forms. Acrostic. Allegory. Alliteration. Ballad. Blues.
Due: HPF Abstract to Blues + Reading Response
Wed. Jan. 13: Discuss poetry forms. Cento. Chant. Cinquain. Couplet.
Due: HPF Bouts Rimes to Couplet + Reading Response
Fri. Jan. 15: Discuss poetry forms. Eclogue. Elegy. Epigram. Epithalamium. Found.
Due: HPF Eclogue to Found + Reading Response

Week 3
Mon. Jan. 18: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. No class.
Wed. Jan. 20: Discuss poetry forms. Free verse. Ghazal. Haiku. Imitation. Limerick.
Due: HPF Free Verse to Lune + Reading Response
Fri. Jan. 22: Discuss poetry forms. Lyric. Madrigal. Nonsense. Occasional.
Due: HPF Lyric to Parody + Reading Response

Week 4
Mon. Jan. 25: Discuss poetry forms. Pastoral. Performance. Prose. Ritual.
Due: HPF Pastoral to Ritual + Reading Response
Wed. Jan. 27: Discuss poetry forms. Randeau. Satire. Sestina. Sonnet. Spoonerism.

Due: HPF Randeau to Spoonerism + Reading Response

Fri. Jan. 29: Discuss poetry forms. Tercet. Triolet. Villanelle.
Due: HPF Stanza to Word Play + Reading Response

Week 5
Mon. Feb. 1: Journal: Try 2-3 forms from HPF Abstract to Couplet.

Wed. Feb. 3: Journal: Try 2-3 forms from HPF Eclogue to Lune.

Fri. Feb. 5: Journal: Try 2-3 forms from HPF Lyric to Ritual.

Week 6
Mon. Feb. 8: Journal: Try 2-3 forms from HPF Randeau to Word Play. Group read "The School"
from Doubletakes.

Wed. Feb. 10: Read Lorrie Moore's How to Become a Writer. Discuss what makes good fiction.
Due: 6-8 pages of poetry. Read Doubletakes Preface & Introduction.

Fri. Feb. 12: Discuss roots & location identity as a writer.

Due: Doubletakes Flannery O'Connor + Reading Response

Week 7
Mon. Feb. 15: Discuss voice.
Due: Doubletakes Junot Diaz + Reading Response

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Wed. Feb. 17: Discuss humor in fiction.

Due: Doubletakes George Saunders + Reading Response

Fri. Feb. 19:

Due: Doubletakes Mary Gaitskill + Reading Response

Week 8
Mon. Feb. 22: Discuss magical realism.
Due: Doubletakes Aimme Bender + Reading Response

Wed. Feb. 24: Discuss use of fantastical elements

Due: Read Doubletakes Gabriel Garcia Marquez + Reading Response

Fri. Feb. 26: Discuss revision. Revision video.

Due: Doubletakes Raymond Carver + Reading Response

Week 9
Mon. Feb. 29: Group read Raymond Carver Paris Review interview.
Due: 6-8 pages of fiction.

Wed. Mar. 2: Journal: Flash fiction.

Fri. Mar. 4: Journal: Experiment with POV.

Week 10
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Mon. Mar. 7: Journal: Fiction about place.

Wed. Mar. 9: Journal: Experiment with protagonist.

Fri. Mar. 11: Journal: Writing prompt.

Week 11
Mon. Mar. 14: Read from The Jack Bank & use as a journal prompt. Discuss forms of creative
nonfiction & the idea of "truth."

Wed. Mar. 16: Journal CNF exercises.

Fri. Mar. 18: Read "Arkansas Chicken Apocalypse" by Micah Dean Hicks.
Due: Read "Locating an Essay's DNA" by Joe Bonomo.

Week 12
SPRING BREAK

Week 13
Mon. Mar. 28: Discuss intersection of private & public memory.
Due: Read "Life in the Alley" by Emily Herring Wilson. Read "Fracking: A Fable" by
Barbara Hurd.

Wed. Mar. 30: Discuss sentiment vs. sentimentality in CNF & making the private interesting.
Due: Read "Writing the Sharp Edges of Grief" by Lisa Ohlen Harris.

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Fri. Apr. 1:
Due: Read "Second Language" by Kristine S. Ervin. Read "The Memory of My
Disappearance" by Meg Rains.

Week 14
Mon. Apr. 4: Read "Age, Formative" by Rolf Potts. Read "A Brief History of Water" by Lance
Larsen. Discuss lyric essays & forms of CNF.
Due: Read "The Benefit of Strict Form" by Chelsea Biondolillo.

Wed. Apr. 6: Discuss how identity plays into CNF.

Due: Read "Girl Fight" by Joey Franklin. Read "The Upholsterer's Wife" by Lily White.

Fri. Apr. 8: Workshop run-down. Journal CNF exercises.

Due: 6-8 pages of creative nonfiction.

Week 15
Mon. Apr. 11: Workshop

Wed. Apr. 13: Workshop

Fri. Apr. 15: Workshop

Week 16
Mon. Apr. 18: Workshop

Wed. Apr. 20: Workshop

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Final portfolio (revised writing + final essay) due by noon on Friday, April 29th.

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