Writing Short Fiction
COL 201
Fall 2011
| Section:
01
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| This course may be repeated for credit. |
| Certificates: Writing |
In this creative writing course, students will analyze narrative techniques of masters of the short story such as Bernard Malamud, Flannery O'Connor, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Julio Cortazar, Patricia Highsmith, Alice Munro, E. P. Jones, and J. D. Salinger. This course focuses on character, plot, and suspense. Students will study methods of constructing vivid primary and secondary characters, story structure and its relation to suspense, and strategies for plotting and pacing stories. Students also will examine problems related to perspective and psychic distance in third- and first-person narratives.
Paula Sharp is the author of four novels and a collection of short stories. She is writer-in-residence at the College of Letters and has taught there since 2003. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Writing
Reading & Writing
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA COL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Student Option |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: None |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (ENGL)(ENGL-Creative W)(ENGL-Literature) |
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Past Enrollment Probability: Not Available |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
see description
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Examinations and Assignments:
This course has demanding reading and writing requirements. Students will read approximately 200 pages of fiction per week, and will write between 40-50 pages of short fiction during the semester (several short writing assignments at the beginning of the semester, and several drafts of one long story of 25-40 pages.) |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Students will write original stories employing narrative techniques learned in class and will share their fiction in workshops. Students will meet frequently with the instructor outside of class and take all creative work through three drafts.
Email professor Paula Sharp (psharp@wesleyan.edu) to request instructions on how to apply for the course. She will accept applications from February through early September; early applicants have a better chance of admission. All applicants must fill out a short application form and submit a writing sample of 5-20 pages. Preference is given to COL majors and upperclassmen, but students majoring in other areas are encouraged to apply, and on rare occasions, freshmen may be admitted. WRITING CERTIFICATE: This seminar may be counted either as an Level One "Techniques" course or as a Level Two "Elective" course for purposes of Wesleyan's writing certificate; the seminar also fulfills both the "POI" and "workshop" course requirements. |
| Instructor(s): Sharp,Paula Times: .....F. 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: BTFDC314; |
Permission of Instructor Required
Enrollment capacity: 12 | Permission of instructor will be granted during the drop/add period. Students must submit either a ranked or unranked drop/add request for this course. |
| Drop/Add Enrollment Requests | | | | | |
| Total Submitted Requests: 4 | 1st Ranked: 1 | 2nd Ranked: 2 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 1 |
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