Short Stories

In this course, students will deepen their proficiency in the reading and writing of short fiction. For the first half of the semester we’ll study the basic elements of the short story—character, point of view, dialogue, plot, setting, etc.—and work our way through stories by such luminaries of the form as Raymond Carver, John Cheever, Ernest Hemingway, and Flannery O’Connor.

  • Each student will write one 4-6 page essay focusing on some element of craft in the stories we read. In the second half of the semester we’ll turn our attention to student writing.
  • Each student will submit two short stories (6-10 pages each), a week in advance of their respective workshop.

Meanwhile, we’ll continue to read a wide variety of short stories, and each student will give a presentation on a story we read, or one he/she chooses to bring to class.

Text:

  • Janet Burroway, WRITING FICTION, 7th ed.