Eng 236-001: Introductory Topics in Creative Writing
"Digital Storytelling & Role-Playing"
Spring 2013 Course Policies
M/W 9:30-10:45 | Curtin 108, Greene Hall, and Online
Instructor: Trent Hergenrader
Email: (preferred method!)
Office: Curtin 508
Phone: (414) 369-2026 (cell/text/voicemail) / (414) 229-6022 (office – no messages)
Office hours: Mon/Wed 11:00-12:00, and by appointment
Twitter: thergenrade
This is an abbreviated syllabus – a full syllabus will be distributed the first day of class
Course Description
In this course students will use a role-playing game to learn specific elements of fiction writing. This includes the collaborative creation of a deeply immersive fictional world complete with its own history, politics, economy and societies. Using a wiki, students will populate with people to meet, places to find, and things to discover, which will then be plotted onto a Google map.Next students willcreate detailed, well-rounded characters who have unique personalities and motivationswho will explore this created world through role-playing gaming sessions. After each session, students will then write a vignette describing their unique experiences from their characters’ perspectives.
Throughout the course we will be reading gaming theory and short fiction, taking time to talk about the experience of role-playing as well as examining the narrative units present in the stories. Students will also participate in weekly critique sessions, either in person or online, where they will read and comment on each other’s vignettes.
Required Materials
World of Darkness: Storytelling System Rulebook. White Wolf Games, 2004.
ISBN – 9781588464842(this book should be purchased by or before the first class session)
Cost: $16-$25. Available at Boswell Book Co at 2559 North Downer Amazon or DriveThru RPG -
At least five (5) 10-sided dice, Cost: approx. $1/ea. You can get dice at Milwaukee Magic Cards & Games at 2235 S Kinnickinnic Ave or other local game stores.
Short fiction anthology, which should run about $10-$20. Depending on the genre the class chooses it will likely be one of the following:
- After, ed. Ellen Datlow (post-apocalypse)
- Epic, ed. John Joseph Adams (high fantasy)
- Federations, ed. John Joseph Adams (deep space science fiction)
- Rewired: Post-Cyberpunk, ed. James Patrick Kelly and John Kessel (cyberpunk)
- Steampunk 2, ed. Anne VanderMeer and Jeff VanderMeer (steampunk)
- Wastelands, ed. John Joseph Adams (post-apocalypse)
Other readings will be provided via PDF or handouts in class.
Other Media
Our conversations will draw from narrative across different media, including films and games based on the chosen genre. In any case, it would be useful but not mandatory to be familiar with Bethesda’s digital role-playing games Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas, and Skyrim.
Course Goals
The course creative writing goals are:
*To collaboratively create a well-detailed, truly immersive world including its social, political, economic, and technological structure
*To create of unique, well-rounded characters with individual attributes, abilities, and motivations, and have these characters interact in realistic ways
*To experiment writing in first and third person POV, paying close attention to style and tone of the scenes based on the character, setting, and situation
*To discuss how narrative functions across media
*To provide and accept constructive criticism and incorporate this feedback into revised work
*To publish work on the Internet for public viewing and feedback
The technical skills to be introduced/developed include:
*Wiki creation and maintenance for the inventory of people, places, things in the created world, and as a repository of story narratives
*Google Maps for the plotting of wiki entires
*Photoshop for image editing
Tentative Weekly Schedule
Week 1 – Course Introduction
Week 2 – Role-playing mechanics and narrative
Week 3 – Practice role-playing sessions
Week 4 – Fiction workshop and world building: history, economy, society, politics
Week 5 – World building: items
Week 6 – World building: locations and mapping
Week 7 – Character creation: non-player characters
Week 8 – Character creation: player characters and groups
Week 9 – Spring break, 3/18-3/24
Week 10 – Role-playing session and fiction workshop
Week 11 – Role-playing session and fiction workshop
Week 12 – Role-playing session and fiction workshop
Week 13 – Role-playing session and fiction workshop
Week 14 – Role-playing session and fiction workshop
Week 15 –Role-playing session and fiction workshop
Week 16 – Course wrap up