Creative Writing Workshop: Prose Fiction and the Graphic Novel

This class focuses on the reading and writing of narrative fiction in the forms of traditional prose as well as the graphic novel (aka “comic books”). Each week, students will read two published stories (approximately 35 pages) plus three student stories (roughly 25 pages). Other assignments to be added at the instructor’s discretion. Each student will write three stories for class discussion (8 pages minimum), of which the first must be prose fiction; the second and/or third may be in graphic novel style. Students desiring to write solely prose fiction will be free to do so. Collaboration is allowed for graphic novels, with an attendant increase in page count. Students will take turns leading class discussions of the published work.

Please note:

The “graphic novels” studied here are not superhero comic books. If your interest lies in discussing books like X-Men, Captain America, JLA or Watchmen, this class is not for you.

Required texts:

  • Charles Burns, ed. THE BEST AMERICAN COMICS 2009
  • Alice Sebold, ed. The BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES 2009