Students in the creative writing program develop their skills as writers through four hours of daily instruction and ample time to focus on their work.
Program Details:
Students concentrate on two out of three areas of study: poetry, fiction and playwriting. The combination of genres for each student is based on student preferences and a portfolio review.
Poetry classes focus on lyric, narrative and dramatic poetry, and introduce students to traditional and contemporary poets. Students will explore such topics as textures of language, voice, image, metaphor and context through writing and revising various poetic forms.
Fiction classes focus on the elements of writing the short story. Students are introduced to the craft of short fiction through in-class writing exercises and the close reading and discussion of published stories by a diverse range of authors. Topics explored include story structure, point of view, character and plot development, setting, dialogue and the craft of revision. Students will workshop one full-length story in class.
Playwriting classes introduce students to concepts such as character creation and dramatic structure through the reading of contemporary dramatic texts. Students will focus on scene writing to explore character, action, theatricality and dialogue, and workshop a scene in class to explore initial stages of revision.
For each concentration, students will participate in workshops in which their work will be critiqued by instructors and peers, allowing them to refine their craft through revision. The session culminates in a public reading in which students present their work.
Students who have an interest in exploring additional art forms may select one elective.
Students are required to bring a laptop computer and a USB drive. Computers are to be used for writing purposes only. iPads are not recommended.