Writing Short Fiction
COL 201
Spring 2009
| Section:
01
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| This course may be repeated for credit. |
In this creative writing course, students will analyze narrative techniques of masters of the short story such as Anton Chekov, William Faulkner, E.P. Jones, Octavia Butler, Jorge Luis Borges, Italo Calvino, Julio Cortazar, Richard Bausch, Patricia Highsmith, J.D. Salinger, Bernard Malamud, Alice Munro and Flannery O'Connor. 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; various ways to plot and pace stories; and methods for creating narrative tension in short fiction. Students also will examine problems related to perspective and psychic distance in third- and first-person narratives; explore sophisticated narrative techniques involving parallel and non-chronological plots; and study ways of creating mood in fiction. After writing original stories employing narrative techniques learned in class, students will share their fiction in workshops. Paula Sharp is the author of four novels and a collection of short stories. |
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Essential Capabilities:
Writing
Reading and writing.
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
HA COL |
| Course Format: Seminar | Grading Mode: Graded |
| 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:
Email the professor Paula Sharp (psharp@wesleyan.edu) to request instructions on how to apply for the course. All applicants must fill out a short application form and submit a writing sample of 5-20 pages. Professor Sharp will begin considering applications in mid-November. Preference is given to COL majors and upperclassmen. If you did not apply to this course in November, you may contact Professor Sharp in order to be considered in a second round of applications to be reviewed in December and January. |
| Instructor(s): Sharp,Paula Times: .....F. 01:10PM-04:00PM; Location: BTFDC210; |
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: 0 | 1st Ranked: 0 | 2nd Ranked: 0 | 3rd Ranked: 0 | 4th Ranked: 0 | Unranked: 0 |
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