Academic Catalogs

ENGL G281: Creative Writing: Prose

Course Outline of Record
Item Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date 05/04/2021
Top Code 150700 - Creative Writing
Units 3 Total Units 
Hours 54 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours 0
Course Credit Status Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee No
Basic Skills Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable No
Grading Policy Standard Letter (S), 
  • Pass/No Pass (B)
Local General Education (GE)
  • GWC Arts, Lit, Phil, Lang (GC)
California State University General Education Breadth (CSU GE-Breadth)
  • CSU C2 Humanities (C2)

Course Description

A course for those who enjoy writing and want to concentrate on some form of prose: the short story, magazine article, screen play, stage play, autobiography, personal essay, and prose poetry. Informal discussion and criticism of student work by the instructor and the class. PREREQUISITE: ENGL C1000, ENGL C1000E, or achieve qualifying score on English Placement. Transfer Credit: CSU; UC. C-ID: ENGL 200. C-ID: ENGL 200.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

  1. Course Outcomes
  2. Identify and apply techniques for successful composition of original forms of prose, such as short stories, magazine articles, screen plays, stage plays, autobiographies, or personal essays.
  3. Compose and evaluate original pieces of creative writing.
  4. Revise writing based on instructor and peer critique.

Course Objectives

  • 1. Recognize the elements of fiction.
  • 2. Criticize their own work and that of other students.
  • 3. Use various narrative techniques.
  • 4. Establish and control tone in a piece of prose.
  • 5. Use the techniques of fiction in writing non-fiction and stories.
  • 6. Work in a variety of prose forms.
  • 7. Write an extended story, play or non-fiction article, or a series of short ones.

Lecture Content

The creative writing proces Generating ideas Drafting Revision Editing Post-critique revision Elements of writing short fiction Plot Development Character Development Descriptive Technique Appropriate Tone Point of View Dialogue Style Theme Elements of Prose Poetry Writing  Diction Imagery Figures of speech Rhythm and meter Sounds Poetic forms and open form Elements of dramatic writing Plot development Character development Dialogue Theatricality Theme Effective Critique of Another Students Work Objectivity Careful critical reading Writing technique Class Discussion of Reading Assignments Identify the fundamental features of prose Critical evaluation of poetry, fiction, and drama.

Method(s) of Instruction

  • Lecture (02)
  • DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
  • DE Online Lecture (02X)

Instructional Techniques

Lectures with current technology  Interactive discussions

Reading Assignments

1.Textbook readings on how to write various prose forms: fiction and non-fiction, short stories, poetry, articles, and essays -- used as models. 2.The work of other student writers  3.Professional works selected to address the writing projects and needs of student writers

Writing Assignments

1.The student will complete exercises and writing assignments that demonstrate a knowledge of the elements of fiction, various narrative techniques, elements of poetry, and the control of tone in fiction and non-fiction. 2.The student will write an extended story, present a collection of poems, non-fiction essay or article, or chapter of a novel, or a series of shorter pieces, demonstrating a finished product that has faced and solved numerous problems on the way to completion. 3.The student will critique other students work through practice in critiquing and being critiqued.

Out-of-class Assignments

Stage plays, screenplays, and memoirs are also options for student writing, and therefore, reading.

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Weekly writing, practice in evaluating and judging ones own work and in revising it, criticizing the stories and articles of other students, demonstrating the ability to analyze professional work for the way in which it is written, and showing in a short writing project the determination to solve the inherent problems and make the writing work.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

1.The student will complete exercises and writing assignments that demonstrate a knowledge of the elements of fiction, various narrative techniques, and the control of tone in fiction and non-fiction. 2.The student will write an extended story, non-fiction essay or article, or chapter of a novel, or a series of shorter pieces, demonstrating a finished product that has faced and solved numerous problems on the way to completion. 3.The student will critique other students work through practice in critiquing and being critiqued.

Eligible Disciplines

English: Masters degree in English, literature, comparative literature, or composition OR bachelors degree in any of the above AND masters degree in linguistics, TESL, speech, education with a specialization in reading, creative writing, or journalism OR the equivalent. Masters degree required.

Textbooks Resources

1. Required Ballenger, Bruce. Crafting Truth, 1st (Latest) ed. Longman, 2011 Rationale: . 2. Required Novakovich, Josip . Fiction Writers Workshop, 2nd (Latest) ed. Writers Digest, 2008 Rationale: . 3. Required David Starkey. Creative Writing: An Introduction to Poetry and Fiction, 1st ed. Macmillan, 2014 4. Required Pagh, Nancy. Write Moves: A Creative Writing Guide and Anthology., ed. Ontario: Broadview Press, 2016 Rationale: TBD 5. Required Gotham Writers (editor). Writing Fiction: The Practical Guide from New Yorks Acclaimed Creative Writing School, (Latest) ed. New York: Bloomsbury Press, 2003 Rationale: TBD 6. Required Gotham Writers (editor). Fiction Gallery: Exceptional Short Stories Selected by New Yorks Acclaimed Creative Writing School, Latest ed. New York: : Bloomsbury Press, 2004 Rationale: TBD 7. Required Snyder, Blake. Save the Cat: The Last Book on Screenwriting That Youll Ever Need, Latest ed. Studio City: Michael Wiese Productions, 2005 Rationale: TBD 8. Required Halpern, Dan. Plays in One Act, 2nd ed (latest) ed. New York: Perennial , 2005 Rationale: TBD 9. Required Bartleby.com. Poetry Anthologies, Virtual (OER) ed. https://www.bartleby.com/verse/, 2020 10. Required Bartleby.com. Fiction Anthologies, Virtual (OER) ed. http://bartleby.com/fiction/, 2020

Other Resources

1. Instructor prepared materials.