Seminar in the Writing of Fiction: ENGL 309     Spring 2005
  |Requirements|    |Portfolio|    |Exercises|    |Web Resources|    |Key to Mechanical Errors|   |Guidelines for Leading Discussions|   |Suggestions for Revision|
Instructor:Robert Love Taylor      Office: Carnegie 201       Hours: MWF  1-2    email:rtaylor@bucknell.edu

Group 1:  Andrew Trese, Cara Ferraid, Jennifer Ross, Justin Horm, Stephanie Malenich

Group 2:  David Eckelberger, Jen Graham, Adam Syty, Paola Grande, Esther Oh

Text: Best American Short Stories 2004(BASS), Moore and Kenison, eds., supplemented by readings online.

Pictured: Lee School, Oklahoma City, c. 1926

1-25  Introduction /  Anderson, "Death in the Woods" / Due on Friday, 1-28: Exercises in Description: Do Places (a & b) and    Characters (a & b). 100 words for each of these four exercises in description.
2-1  Classic Stories (online): O'Connor, "Good Country People"; Chekhov,  "The Lady with the Dog" / ;  Porter, "The Jilting of Granny  Weatherall"
Workshop: Description / Due: Action exercises
2-8  BASS: Pneuman, Fox / Discussion leaders: David Eckelberger, Stephanie Malenich
Workshop: Action / Due:Dialogue
2-15  BASS: D'Ambrosio, McCorkle / Discussion leaders: Adam Syty, Paola Grande
Workshop: Dialogue / Due: group 1, story 1
2-22  BASS: Jones, McGuane / Discussion leaders: Andrew Trese, Cara Ferraid
Workshop: group 1, story 1 / Due: group 2, story 1
3-1  BASS: Boyle, Brady,  / Discussion leaders: Jen Graham, Esther Oh
Workshop: group 2, story 1/  Due: group 1, story 2
3-8  BASS: Alexie, Updike / Discussion leaders: Justin Horm, Jennifer Ross
Workshop:  group 1, story 2/ Due: group 2, story 2
3-15  Spring Break
3-22  BASS: Proulx, Wideman / Discussion leaders: Paola Grande, David Eckelberger 
Workshop: group 2, story 2 / Due: group 1, story 3
3-29  BASS: Eisenberg / Discussion leaders: Cara Ferraid, Stephanie Malenich
  Workshop: group 1, story 3 / Due: group 2, story 3
4-5  BASS:  Freudenberger  / Discussion leaders: Jen Graham, Justin Horm
Workshop:  group 2, story 3
4-12  BASS:  Munro  /  Discussion leaders:  Jennifer Ross, Andrew Trese                       
 Workshop:  Open
4-19  Classic Stories: Joyce, "The Dead,"   Discussion leaders:  Esther Oh, Adam Syty
  Adaptation:  The film version of "The Dead" (83 minutes)
  Due: group 1, story 4
4-26  Workshop: group 1, story 4 / Due: group 2, story 4
5-3  Workshop: group 2, story 4 / conclusions
Friday, May 6, 5:00 p. m. Portfolios Due 

 Portfolios consist of: 

  1. The three preliminary exercises (description, action, dialogue)
  2. The four stories, one of which will be a substantial revision; these must be the original versions, the ones with my comments on them and with all mechanical errors corrected
  3. Any other revisions you may have done, clearly labeled as such and placed alongside the original drafts
  4. Your journal (loose-leaf pages, please)
  5. Self evaluation: a one-page summary of what you have learned about writing--and what writing fiction may have taught you during the past semester
  6. A self-addressed, stamped 11 X 14 envelope for returning the portfolio to you

PLEASE NOTE: STORIES AND EXERCISES TURNED IN LATE WILL NOT BE DUPLICATED FOR WORKSHOP DISCUSSION AND WILL NOT RECEIVE FULL CREDIT. ONE DAY LATE RESULTS IN THREE-QUARTERS CREDIT; TWO DAYS LATE, HALF CREDIT; THREE DAYS LATE, ONE-QUARTER CREDIT; FOUR DAYS, NO CREDIT.

 ALL EXERCISES, STORIES, AND CRITIQUES MUST BE SINGLE-SPACED.

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