Course Descriptions - Creative Writing
CRWR 1030 Reading and Writing Stories
CREDIT HOURS: 6
This class introduces students to the key facets of a writer's craft, including its methods and its practices, its genres and their masters. Students will study the techniques of a range of literary works in order to become familiar with the terminology and concepts central to literary studies. They will also hone their skills as creative writers through individual and collaborative expression, and will follow a number of original creative works from first draft to finished version. These skills and activities will be supported by tutorials, writing workshops, and lectures.
NOTES: This class will fulfill the Writing Requirement
FORMAT:
FORMAT COMMENTS: Meets Writing Requirement
CROSS-LISTING:
ENGL 1030.06
CRWR 2001 The Creative Process
CREDIT HOURS: 3
The Creative Process focuses on creativity in a wide variety of artistic and other areas of thought and expression. You will have opportunity to: Explore aspects and issues of the creative process; Consider steps in the creative process and creative process tools; Develop your own practice and creative projects; Generate ideas that could be used for future projects. The course will consist of lectures, exercises, guest presentations, personal reflection, group discussion, and creative assignments. Although this course is filed under "creative writing," you will be exposed to the practices of creative thinkers in various fields, including guest speakers from the local community.
FORMAT: Lecture
LECTURE HOURS PER WEEK: 3
PREREQUISITES: Any class or combination of classes that satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences Writing Requirement
EXCLUSIONS: CRWR 2000.06
CRWR 2002 Introduction to Creative Writing
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Introduction to Creative Writing explores the techniques and practices of various literary genres including poetry, fiction, narrative non-fiction, playwriting, and writing for children. Students will develop their skills through writing exercises and assignments, and examine a broad range of styles and approaches through lectures, group discussion, and presentations by professional writers and editors.
FORMAT: Lecture
PREREQUISITES: Completion of any course or combination of courses that satisfies the College of Arts and Sciences Writing Requirement.
CRWR 2010 The Personal Essay
CREDIT HOURS: 3
In the personal essay we use moments and material from our lives to communicate meaning to a reader. The trick of it, suggests Philip Lopate, is to “make the small loom large” by using the humble details of daily life to address some aspect of the human condition. With this challenge in mind, this course considers a wide range of personal essays and allows students to try their hands at writing in this form. Class time will be divided between the analysis of published essays and the development of original work.
FORMAT: Lecture
PREREQUISITES: Any class or combination of classes that satisfies the College of Arts and Social Sciences Writing Requirement.
CROSS-LISTING:
ENGL 2010.03
CRWR 2011 Writing on the Page: Introduction to Print Cultures
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course will introduce Creative Writing and English students to scholarship and practices of print-based literature. Building on the fields of Book History, Bibliography, and Textual Studies, this course will investigate the cultural and social histories of print-based literature as well as model diverse practices of literary print production in our contemporary moment. We will cover key concepts surrounding the material and social production of literature, book design, and paper arts. These key historical, theoretical, and technical concepts will have direct applications in the work students produce in the course.
FORMAT: Lecture
PREREQUISITES: Completion of 6.0 credit hours at the 1000 level in ENGL, CRWR, KING or PERF.
CRWR 3010 Creative Writing: Poetry I
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course provides students with an opportunity to write and workshop poems and to develop skills as poets. Students receive peer feedback on their original poems in a workshop environment and explore poetic technique and tools such as metaphor, simile, enjambment, assonance, alliteration, and rhyme. Various skills are developed through the sharing of individual and collaborative expression, and the understanding of the movement from first draft to a poem that one feels ready to share toward publication. Students learn from instructors who have both current knowledge of creative writing theory and current, practical publication experience.
FORMAT: Lecture
FORMAT COMMENTS: Writing Workshop
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or
CRWR 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000 level in ENGL, CRWR, KING or PERF.
CROSS-LISTING:
ENGL 3098
CRWR 3011 Creative Writing: Poetry II
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course is a continuation
of CRWR 301
0.03/ENGL 3098.03 Poetry I. Students receive peer feedback on their original poems in a workshop environment and continue to develop a deeper understanding of diverse approaches to craft and technique. The course engages in further discussion and practice of different poetic forms and techniques. Students continue to learn from instructors who have both current knowledge of creative writing theory and current, practical publication experience.
FORMAT COMMENTS: Writing Workshop
PREREQUISITES:
ENGL 3098.03
or CRWR 3010.03 with a grade of B or better, or by permission of the instructor
EXCLUSIONS: CRWR 3000.03
CRWR 3020 Creative Writing: Fiction I
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course provides students with an opportunity to write and workshop fiction and to develop skills as fiction writers. Students receive peer feedback on their original works of fiction in a workshop environment and explore narrative techniques required of fiction writing such as setting, character development, point of view, theme, tone, mood, dialogue, scene, exposition, and figurative language. Various skills are developed through the sharing of individual and collaborative expression, and the understanding of the movement from a first draft to a work of fiction that one feels ready to share toward publication. Students learn from instructors who have both current knowledge of creative writing theory and current, practical publication experience.
FORMAT COMMENTS: Writing Workshop
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or
CRWR 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000 level in ENGL, CRWR, KING or PERF.
CROSS-LISTING:
ENGL 3099
CRWR 3021 Creative Writing: Fiction II
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course is a continuation of English 3099/CRWR3020. Students receive p
eer feedback on their original fiction in a workshop environment and continue to develop a deeper understanding of diverse approaches to craft and technique. The course engages in further discussion and practice of different fictive forms, including postcard fiction and novels. Students continue to learn from instructors who have both current knowledge of creative writing theory and current, practical publication experience.
PREREQUISITES:
ENGL 3099 or CRWR 3020 with a grade of B or better, or by permission of the instructor.
EXCLUSIONS:
CRWR 3001
CRWR 3100 Songwriting: Creative Writing for Lyric Forms
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course will explore songwriting as a literary genre, with emphasis on the writing of lyrics and the interplay between words and music. Students will receive peer feedback on their original song compositions in a workshop environment. Basic knowledge of and access to a recording device or audio recording software (e.g. GarageBand, Audacity, FL Studio) is essential. No experience playing a musical instrument is required, however musical exploration is emphatically encouraged.
FORMAT: Seminar
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000-level in CRWR, ENGL, PERF, or KING.
CRWR 3200 Spoken Word
CREDIT HOURS: 3
In this writing and performance workshop you will explore the art of spoken word and consider the relationship between text and performance. Emphasis will be on the writing and performance of student works-in-progress, however classes will also examine historic and contemporary approaches to spoken word (and related art forms like dub poetry and slam poetry) and its use of theatrical tools and techniques. Various forms and styles will be analyzed to consider topics like writing for the stage, poetic metre and cadence, staging/blocking, and vocal performance. Students will submit works-in-progress for workshop and peer review, and develop some of these works for assignments. Basic knowledge of and access to audio recording software (e.g. GarageBand, Audacity) is recommended but not required. Students will receive peer feedback in a workshop environment and have frequent opportunity to play audio recordings of their work and/or perform live for their peers. While the focus of the course is on creativity, students will also learn something of the business of spoken word through class discussion and a visiting guest industry professional. The course will culminate in a performance showcase of student work, and combine workshop, lecture and discussion at the 3000 level.
NOTES:
FORMAT: Lecture
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000-level in CRWR, ENGL, PERF, or KING.
CRWR 3311 Editing and Publishing Literature
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Along with teaching technical skills in editing and publishing, this course will investigate the cultural and social implications of editing and publishing in Canada. We will cover key concepts surrounding the material production of literature, arts administration, book and print cultures, and publishing standards such as developmental editing, structural editing, stylistic editing, copy editing, proofreading, project management, timeline development, layout and design, printing and binding, etc.
FORMAT: Lecture
FORMAT COMMENTS: Lecture/discussion/writing workshop
LECTURE HOURS PER WEEK: 3
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or
CRWR 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000 level in ENGL, CRWR, KING or PERF.
CROSS-LISTING:
ENGL 3311.03
CRWR 3312 Literary Communities
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Along with learning about diverse aspects of what constitutes literary communities, this course will investigate the cultural and social histories of literary communities as well as model practices of building and sustaining literary community in our contemporary moment. We will cover key concepts surrounding the material and social production of literature, arts administration, literary promotion practices, review cultures, and the culture of literary events (readings, festivals, book clubs, prizes, etc.). These key historical, theoretical, and technical concepts will have direct application in the work students produce in the course.
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or
CRWR 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000 level in ENGL, CRWR, KING or PERF.
CROSS-LISTING: ENGL 3312
CRWR 3410 Writing for Children: Picture Books
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This is a hands-on writing workshop for beginning writers of children’s picture books. We will generate ideas for stories through writing activities, explore picture book writing tools and technique, consider contemporary and classic texts, and develop our works-in-progress by giving and receiving constructive feedback. While the focus of this course is on writing and peer critique, you will also learn something of the children’s book market and the business of publishing picture books.
PREREQUISITES: Completion of CRWR 2000.06 or
CRWR 2002.03; or 60.0 credit hours, including 6.0 credit hours at the 1000 level in ENGL, CRWR, KING or PERF.
CRWR 3440 Creative Nonfiction
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This class is about learning to tell better stories and to tell stories better. Students will read to recognize the genius of the best nonfiction storytellers and work to apply those sparks in their own writing. We’ll discuss the strengths, weaknesses, limits and limitlessness of nonfiction and we’ll consider how and when journalism rises – if it does – to the level of art.
PREREQUISITES:
JOUR 1003.03 or
CRWR 2001.03 or
CRWR 2002.03
CROSS-LISTING: JOUR3440.03
CRWR 3441 Advanced Creative Nonfiction
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This is a how-to course that focuses on writing – and rewriting – a major piece of creative nonfiction.
PREREQUISITES:
CRWR 3440.03 or
JOUR 3440.03 or
JOUR 1003.03 or JOUR 1001.06 or
CRWR 2002.03
CROSS-LISTING:
JOUR 3441.03
RESTRICTIONS: Bachelor of Journalism (Honours) students who take this course will be ineligible for
JOUR 4950.09
CRWR 4010 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry I
CREDIT HOURS: 3
Advanced Poetry will give students the opportunity to establish a disciplined poetic practice with attention to craft, vitality and surprise. Students will hone their ability to attend to the dynamic interaction and fluency of words and syntax as well as engage in the pursuit of imaginative and evocative creative thinking. You will be expected to critically engage with your classmates' poems and to learn to approach your own work with an editorial acuity that allows for progress, which will be more deeply explored in the second term. This advanced workshop builds on the technique and craft learned in earlier classes to deepen and broaden your practice of writing poetry.
FORMAT: Other (explain in comments)
FORMAT COMMENTS: Students taking this course must register in and complete
CRWR 4010.03 and
CRWR 4011.03 in consecutive terms; credit will not be granted if courses are not completed consecutively.
PREREQUISITES:
CRWR 3011.03
EXCLUSIONS:
CRWR 4000.06
CRWR 4011 Advanced Creative Writing: Poetry II
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This course is a continuation of
CRWR 4010.03. Advanced Poetry will give students the opportunity to establish a disciplined poetic practice with attention to craft, vitality and surprise. Students will hone their ability to attend to the dynamic interaction and fluency of words and syntax as well as engage in the pursuit of imaginative and evocative creative thinking. You will be expected to critically engage with your classmates' poems and to learn to approach your own work with an editorial acuity that allows for progress, which will be more deeply explored in the second term. This advanced workshop builds on the technique and craft learned in earlier classes to deepen and broaden your practice of writing poetry.
FORMAT COMMENTS: Students taking this course must register in and complete
CRWR 4010.03 and
CRWR 4011.03 in consecutive terms; credit will not be granted if courses are not completed consecutively.
PREREQUISITES:
CRWR 4010.03
EXCLUSIONS:
CRWR 4000.06
CRWR 4020 Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction I
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This advanced fiction workshop is for dedicated writers who are ready to share finished, polished work with an audience of peers. Through reading and reacting to the work of published writers as well as the work of their peers, students will develop the skills required to assess others’ writing as well as revising and editing their own work.
FORMAT COMMENTS: Students taking this course must register in and complete CRWR 4020.03 and CRWR 4021.03 in consecutive terms; credit will not be granted if courses are not completed consecutively.
PREREQUISITES:
CRWR 3021.03
EXCLUSIONS:
CRWR 4001.06
CRWR 4021 Advanced Creative Writing: Fiction II
CREDIT HOURS: 3
This advanced fiction workshop is for dedicated writers who are ready to share finished, polished work with an audience of peers. Through reading and reacting to the work of published writers as well as the work of their peers, students will develop the skills required to assess others’ writing as well as revising and editing their own work.
FORMAT COMMENTS: Students taking this course must register in and complete
CRWR 4020.03 and
CRWR 4021.03 in consecutive terms; credit will not be granted if courses are not completed consecutively.
PREREQUISITES:
CRWR 4020.03
EXCLUSIONS:
CRWR 4001.06