Course: English 119B Directed Writing, Short Fiction
Course: English 119B—Directed Writing, Short Fiction
Instructor: Stephen McCauley
Office: Rabb 266B
Cell Phone: 617 905 2533
E-mail:
Office Hours(please email for appointments first): Mon12:30-1:305-7p Weds 3p-5p---other times and days can be arranged
Books:
True Grit by Charles Portis
Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark
And selected stories and essays.
The following books are recommendedfor all writers. Used copies are easy to find in bookstores and online:
Bird by Birdby Anne Lamotte (irreverent tips on writing, motivation, first
drafts, etc.)
The Elements of Style by Strunk and White (witty, concise notes on style,
grammar, clear, effective prose, etc.)
How Fiction Works by James Wood (a guide for readers but with insights
that apply to writers; also contains many references to books you might want to read)
The Art of Fiction by John Gardner (an essential guide to writing fiction,
including exercises and interesting essays on style)
An excellent source of used books online is
In addition to be very inexpensive and having a good selection, the site donates most profits to literacy causes. Amazon? Not so much.
Description:
This class will be conducted as a workshop in the craft of writing literary fiction. There will be an emphasis on the structure of stories, the development of plot and characters, and a careful examination of technical terms and fictional techniques. This is a higher level workshop, so I will expect an advanced level of motivation and commitment from each of you. The reading and writing load will be significant, but hopefully not daunting.
Rich, three-dimensional characters are the foundation of all satisfying and enduring works of fiction. You can have great characters and not have a great story or novel, but you cannot have a great storyor novel without great characters. So let’s begin there, in both writing and in reading the novels and stories we will discuss for class. We will emphasizethe creation of strong, vivid, emotionally and psychologically complex characters.
I ask (insist, in fact) that you avoid writing within the confines of certain genres: science fiction, fantasy, detective stories, animal fables, fairy tales. These are interesting genres, and many writers have created literary masterpieces using them. Raymond Chandler, Ray Bradbury, and Tolkien, to name only a very few. However, in less experienced hands, they often inspire a more generic approach to writing, with reliance upon conventions of plot and character derived from the genre rather than the writer’s inner resources.
We’re interested in your individual style, point of view, vocabulary, and voice. If fantasy, for example, is your passion, be assured that whatever skills you learn in class will only improve your writing in that genre. Stronger characters, better constructed stories, and so on. However, writing fantasy is something you’ll have to do outside of class.
We will be gathering a vocabulary of technical terms from a variety of sources, for the most part, essays I will post online. We will use these to assemble a "common language" we can use to discuss the mechanics of fiction.
Course Requirements:
Everyone will be responsible for submitting 5 times throughout the semester.
I will pass out a schedule listing the dates on which you are required to bring in 14 copies of your work. The stories will be distributed and discussed the following week. You are required to make careful notes and comments on the stories of other students so we can discuss them in detail.
Again, you are required to bring in hard copies of your work. Email submissions are not acceptable. (With the noted exceptions.)
We will be reading novels, published stories, and excerpts throughout the semester. We will be reading to discover the fictional techniques employed by the authors. Naturally, we will be interested in WHAT is being said by the writers, but our focus will be on trying to understand HOW they are saying it. Try to begin cultivating this approach to reading like a writer. It will serve you well.
The assigned stories and essays arerequired reading.
Grading:
The course is offered on a Credit/No Credit basis. In order to receive credit for the course, you must attend every class meeting and complete the required reading and writing assignments. If you miss more than one class,you will not receive credit for the course. No exceptions. If you come to class unprepared or late, you will be marked absent. Class begins promptly at 2:00p and ends at 4:50pm. You are required to be in attendance for the entire class meeting.
Rules, Manners, and Misc.
All student writing presented in class will be treated as a work-in-progress. What matters most here is not the amount of praise you receive, but how much you learn from discussionsabout your own strengths and, inevitably, weaknesses. In this sense, a story deemed to be flawed (even fatally) by readers can be a personal triumph if you learn something valuable about technique, your style, your vocabulary, etc. from the (possibly painful) discussion of it. I will emphasize this point again and again throughout the semester. Get ready!
Success will be measured by your effort and enthusiasm, not by raw talent. There is no competition here. Workshops function best when the entire class works as a group helping each other over rough spots and celebrating success.
I would like to meet each of you individually at least 3 or 4 times this semester, preferably immediately after your story has been discussed. These are important meetings and an integral, requiredpart of the class.
We’ll take a break in the middle of the class. Please eat, drink, smoke, knit, use bathrooms and cell phones during this break only. No computers open during class. (If you have special requirements regarding computer or bathroom use, please see me.)
I really want you to have a good time in this class, and I will do my best to make sure you do. I also expect you to work hard. It’s only a few weeks. May will be upon us and the class will be over before you know it. I promise. Have fun and MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME HERE. If you are actively involved in the class and keep up with the work, it will be infinitely more valuable and enjoyable for you.
Goals:
1) Complete 5 submissions of fiction.
2) Gain a richer understanding of how to develop multi-dimensional characters.
3) Understand how to create conflict, tension, and dramatic climax in a story.
4) Learn to read like a writer as we make our way through stories.
5) Learn to edit your own work and the work of others, ruthlessly but compassionately.