This course is a study of the craft of producing publishable fiction in a contemporary setting.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

This course will equip students with the craft and narrative vision necessary to write compelling and vivid fiction. The use of of plot, structure, character arcs, and revision techniques will equip students with the necessary tools for fiction writing.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Reflection Discussions (4)

Workshop Discussions (2)

Revisions Workshop Discussions will allow the student to refine his/her draft through peer critique. The student will paste his/her appropriate draft into the discussion board.  He/she will then critique at least 4 other classmates’ drafts offering line-by-line suggestions.  At the end of this line-by-line review with the full-text of the classmates work in the discussions, the student will write a summation of his/her assessment of the strong and weak components of the submission reviewed.

Students will create a detailed plot outline of 20-30 plot points using one of the Plotting Systems listed in Bell’s Plot and Structure. The Questions to ask yourself found at the end of the instructions document must also be answered and included. This assignment will be used throughout the writing process.

Students will create a very detailed character profile by completing the Character Profile Assignment Template. Complete this document before working on the First Draft assignment. This Character Profile will be used throughout the writing process.

Students will create a first draft that may or may not be a complete chapter. This assignment will be 750-1250 words and will utilize the plot outline and the character profile.

Students will continue their writing after receiving detailed peer and instructor critiques. The student will submit a revised draft showing marked changes from the first draft of the submission. This assignment will be between 750-1400 words.

Students will continue their writing after receiving another detailed peer and instructor critique. The student will submit an additionally revised draft showing marked changes from the first and revised draft of the submission. This assignment will be between 750-2000 words. This is the final draft, but is called the Next Draft as students will inevitably continue editing this work.