Instructor: Ann Pancake
This course will introduce you to the foundational elements of fiction and creative nonfiction through a wide range of exploratory writing exercises that draw on memories, experiment with dreams, and expand conventional notions of “imagination.” We’ll read stories and essays by writers like Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Alison Bechdel, Justin Torres, Joyce Carol Oates, Sherman Alexie, and Natalie Kusz. There will be three formal creative writing assignments of at least 750 words each and many short informal writing assignments, both creative pieces and written responses to readings. Attendance is mandatory. 50 points of your grade will be based on the formal assignments and the other 50 will be based on informal assignments, workshop participation, and classroom participation.