Course Description

This introductory creative writing course asks students to explore their literary interests and proclivities through regular reading and writing activities designed to promote an in-depth understanding and appreciation for the craft of writing. Students will intellectually engage with both contemporary and classic authors within the main genres of creative writing and use the craft elements discussed in class to compose their own original poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction work. While studying various forms of creative writing, emphasis will be placed on the creative process of writing while encouraging students to find their writing voice. Student responsibilities include workshop participation, several short writing assignments, peer reviews of other students’ work, a short story, a nonfiction essay, and a small collection of poems.

Note: This course will blend synchronous and asynchronous online instruction into a hybrid format. While you will regularly engage with your peers and instructor through email, blogs, social networking, and other collaborative learning tools, you will also be asked to attend several live class sessions and workshops via Zoom. Students will have the option to attend scheduled class sessions in-person following the university deadline for student vaccination (September 27th). 

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, you should understand the following:

  • the basic craft elements of poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction writing
  • critical reading skills for critiquing poetry, fiction, and essays
  • a workshop method of critiquing creative writing
  • the importance of revision within the creative writing process

Required Materials

This is a Zero Textbook Cost course. There are links to reading assignments that live online, and I have uploaded additional materials in portable document format (.pdf).

City College Blackboard: Other reading and writing materials, PowerPoint slideshows, educational links and videos will be posted online on Bb during the semester. Note: You must use your CCNY email address in Bb (log in to the CCNY Portal, click Blackboard, then Update Email in the Tools menu). If you add a non-CCNY domain email address in this window, you will not receive important course announcements.

CUNY Academic Commons: Other writing activities and assessments will be posted to the course blog on the CUNY Academic Commons throughout the semester. Overall, the course blog is a way for us to begin conversations about our work that we will continue offline in both small group and whole-class discussions. Note: You must use your CCNY College email address in order to access the Academic Commons. Register for an account at https://commons.gc.cuny.edu.

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

This entry is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.

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