1510.6
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Introduction to Writing Fiction
Syllabus
Instructor: Brian Van Reet
Class meets:TR 12:30-1:45pm
Office Hours: By appointment
Contact: brianvanreet@gmail.com or bpvpnb@mizzou.edu
Online: http://comp.missouri.edu/wiki/index.php/1510.6
Go to comp.missouri.edu. Click on "mizzou wiki," in the sidebar. Find our semester and section (6).
Intro
- Welcome to class. We will operate as a workshop. By the end of the semester you will have written and workshopped two short stories. You will revise one to submit as part of a final portfolio. Your portfolio and participation in class will determine your grade.
Goals
- An introduction to the workshop and writing processes.
- To learn to write short fiction. Reading with this goal in mind.
- The work gets better over the course of the semester.
- To help improve the work of others.
Readings
- The textbook for this class is the 7th ed. of Writing Fiction by Burroway and Stuckey-French. Bring it to every class meeting.
- Other readings will be online. Print them out and bring them to class.
- Our style manual is The Elements of Style by Strunk & White. We won't be doing anything in class with this text; it is a reference tool for you to consult independently. If you want to spend more money, The Chicago Manual of Style is very thorough.
Evaluation
- I have to grade you and will try to be as fair as possible. You will be graded according to the following rubric, out of 1000 total points:
The Portfolio
- 700 total points, the bulk of your grade. Graded on completion and effort. This is to say, Best Writer will do worse than Worst Writer if Best only completes half the assignments. The portfolio will consist of everything you will write for class: three stories (two and one revision) and copies of your written replies to the work of others. You should also include in your portfolio a brief letter to me explaining what you revised and why; and a brief assessment of your work at this point (i.e. what is good, what needs to get better).
The Stories
- One class meeting before it's your turn to workshop, bring enough copies of your story for everyone in class to have one. As you can see, printing and/or photocopying costs will add up over the course of the semester. This is standard for any workshop. Budget accordingly.
- Your story should: 1) Have your name and page number on every page. 2) Be stapled or paper clipped. I don't care, so long as the pages are numbered and in order with your name on them. You may print on both sides of the page if you wish. 3) Be written in a standard 12pt. font (i.e. no cursive or colors). 4) Have a title. 5) Be at least 3000 words long and no longer than 8,000. 6) Not be something you wrote the night before and didn't read over and edit at least once or twice.
The Responses
- On the days we workshop (but not on the days we workshop your stories) bring two copies of a ~500 word letter written to each classmate whose story you have read before coming to class that day.
- Spend the first half of the letter telling your classmate what his or her story is about in your own words. Be purely descriptive in this half of the letter (i.e. do not make value judgments). The second half will be your critique and helpful suggestions for revision. Give one copy to me and the other to your classmate when you return his or her story after workshop. You can make editorial marks or suggestions on manuscripts before returning them.
Your participation
- 300 points. Includes the obvious, like participating well in workshop (this does not necessarily mean talking a lot). Also includes doing the readings, not showing up late, not rustling around in your backpack 5 minutes before class ends, not having your cell phone constantly beeping or vibrating, etc. Although I like computers, there is no need to bring one to this class, so don't. These points are money in the bank: you can only lose them.
Policy on Absences
- You get three unexcused. Miss any more, and not showing up will really start to hurt you (to the tune of one letter grade for each absence over three). The only excuses are illness, death, and university sponsored events. Documentation is required. A nonrefundable plane ticket to fly home early on break is not an excused absence, so plan your schedule accordingly.
- In accordance with MU policy, I will drop you from the roll if you miss 6 classes before the withdrawal deadline. When appropriate I reserve the write to assign the grade of "FN," failure for nonattendance. Receiving this grade may make you ineligible for financial aid.
- Bill Cosby's 1st rule of success: "Show up."
Scale
900-1000=A
800-899= B
700-799= C
600-699= D
<600 = F
Schedule
- Complete the assigned reading before class.
26 Aug.: First Day
Review the syllabus.
Explain workshop protocol.
Pass around workshop sign-up.
28 Aug.: Why write?
Reading, pg. 1-23 of Writing Fiction
Survey: How do you get your art?
In-class reading: "Twilight of the Books"
Discuss exercise and reading.
Catch-up the stragglers.
Pass around workshop sign-up.
2 Sep.: Showing and Telling
Reading, pg. 25-39, 53-65 of Writing Fiction
Exercise: "The Things They Carried" Redux
Discuss exercise and reading.
Catch up stragglers.
Pass around workshop sign-up.
4 Sep.: Character
Reading, pg. 80-99 & 137-157 of Writing Fiction
Exercise: Turning Family into Character
Discuss exercise and reading.
9 Sep.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
11 Sep: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
16 Sep.: Setting & Time
Reading, pg. 173-187, 218-231, & 253-256 of Writing Fiction
Discuss exercise and reading.
18 Sep.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
23 Sep.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
25 Sep.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
30 Sep.: Workshop
Workshop three stories.
2 Oct.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
7 Oct.: Form
Reading, pg. 259-276 & 282-292 of Writing Fiction
Exercise: Starting from the Crisis (11)
Discuss exercise and reading.
9 Oct.: Oops...
14 Oct.: Comparison
Reading, pg. 336-347 & 350-356 of Writing Fiction
Discuss exercise and reading.
16 Oct.: Theme
Reading, pg. 359-368 & 377-385 of Writing Fiction
Exercise: Things That Scare You (5)
Discuss exercise and reading.
21 Oct.: Revision
Reading, pg. 388-400 & 398-410 of Writing Fiction
Exercise: Alternate Endings (3)
Discuss exercise and reading.
23 Oct.: Bearskin
Online Reading, "Bearskin" in The Missouri Review, Volume 31, Number 2, accessible via Project Muse. You will need to go to the library to view and print it.
Discuss reading.
28 Oct.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
30 Oct.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
4 Nov.: Workshop
No class.
Vote or die trying!
6 Nov.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
11 Nov.: Workshop
Workshop one story.
Reading: "Narrating," from How Fiction Works by James Woods
13 Nov.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
18 Nov.: Workshop
Workshop two stories.
20 Nov.: Workshop
Workshop three stories.
Print out online readings and bring them to class. I know it costs $, but it's cheaper than another textbook.
2 Dec.: POV
Reading, pg. 296-315 & 323-332 of Writing Fiction
4 Dec.: Fire & Hands
Online Reading, "To Build a Fire"
Online Reading, "Hands"
9 Dec.: Goodman & Araby
Online Reading, "Young Goodman Brown"
Online Reading, "Araby"
11 Dec.: Last Day
Portfolios are due. Bring copies of your two original stories, preferably the ones I marked on, and one revised. Include cover letter.
Class evaluations.
Statement on Plagiarism
Plagiarism is passing someone else's work as your own. It can also include submitting the same assignment in multiple classes, without permission. If you are unsure what plagiarism is, check out this site. If I catch you plagiarizing, you will fail.
Statement on Respect
I will never punish you for disagreeing with me or anyone else, even if you hold unpopular views. I will not, however, tolerate disrespect or bigotry. We will maintain a level of civil discourse in this class.
Disabilities
If you have a disability or otherwise need special accommodation, please register with the Office of Disability Services (http://disabilityservices.missouri.edu/) and present me with a Letter of Accommodations.
Workshop Days
NOTE: Bring in copies of your stories one class session before the day you are listed to be workshopped.
Round One:
9 Sep.
Kacie Sapp
Chris Lyons
11 Sep.
Rebecca Delaney
Bradley Schlemmer
18 Sep.
Kizzi Roberts
Jonathan Brownfield
23 Sep.
Amy Oslica
Mallory Backstrom
25 Sep.
Christina Walden
Alexander Koneiczny
30 Sep.
Dana Chamberlain
Anna Zapata
2 Oct.
Jordan Jameson
Christopher Klein
7 Oct.
Jennifer Knipmeyer
Round Two:
28 Oct.
Kacie & Chris Lyons
30 Oct.
Rebecca & Bradley
4 Nov.
No class.
6 Nov.
Kizzi & Johnathan
11 Nov.
Amy
13 Nov.
Christina & Alex
18 Nov.
Dana & Anna
20 Nov.
Jennifer, Jordan, & Chris K.
