Instructor: Kelly Kiehl

English 2011 Section 002

E-Mail: kiehlka@mail.uc.edu
Introduction to Creative Writing: Fiction
Mailbox: McMicken 241
Spring 2018 Tuesday & Thursday 11-12:20
Office: McMicken 220
Zimmer Hall 3025
Office hours: Wednesdays 3:30-4:30 and by
appointment

Course description and methods

In this course, we will practice and study the craft of writing fiction. We will focus on the basic
elements of fiction, and the ways these elements are being used in fiction. We will cover the topics
of narrative structure, point of view, characterization, setting, description, plot, conflict, dialogue,
fictional "modes" and more. In studying these elements of published fiction, we will then practice
them through daily writing prompts, master them through a series of weekly assignments created
around the topic of the week, and apply them as we write our own fiction in the second half of the
term. The core of this class centers around reading, writing, discussion, and workshop. These
methods will enable us to better our understanding of the elements of fiction and the many ways we
can use them to tell stories.
Objectives

 Understand the importance of the short story in the contemporary world

 Recognize the effects of the choices an author makes in a work of fiction
 Develop and use a vocabulary informed by the craft of fiction in discussions
 Understand and practice the fundamental concepts of fiction in your own creative work
 Work collaboratively to revise writing and expand ideas
 Develop an understanding of writing as a process rather than a product

Required texts

 Stern, Jerome. Making Shapely Fiction. Dell publishing, 1991.

Attendance
Every day in class we'll be doing activities that will help you grow as a thinker, writer, and reader.
The time we spend in class together is really important in terms of helping you develop, discuss, and
practice the skills central to writing fiction. Furthermore, the community of writers we develop in
the classroom will depend on your regular attendance and contribution to class discussions and
workshop. So, attendance is mandatory in my class. Having said this, I understand things come up,
so you will have four free absences throughout the term. After your fourth unexcused absence, I will
begin deducting one percentage point from your final grade for each unexcused absence that
follows. I'll keep track of these absences throughout the semester, so feel free to email me if you're
ever unsure where you stand.
Note that absences due to illness, family emergencies, or travel are unexcused per university policy.
Absences due to university-sponsored events, military service, and religious holiday observances will
be excused with proper documentation.
Additionally, each late arrival to class (arriving after I close the door to signal the beginning of class)
after your second late arrival will count as an absence.
Technology
Our workshops will rely heavily on electronic copies of stories, as I'm trying to single-handedly save
the earth. You'll need to bring your devices, if able, and print copies if devices are not available, to
have these stories with you during class discussion. Please stay on task with the class when using
devices. We want to learn! You can browse conspiracy theories on reddit at home.
Snow days
In the event of inclement weather, please check UC’s main website for information on whether or
not the university will be open if weather conditions are too dangerous for students and staff to
travel to campus. Otherwise, class will be in session unless I've sent an email noting otherwise.
For students with disabilities
If you have a disability of any kind that may impact your work in this class, please contact Disability
Services. They are located in 210 University Pavilion or can be reached at 513-556-6823. Staff
members at Disability Services can give you the proper verification and paperwork to give to your
professors so that you can receive appropriate accommodations for your course. Students with
disabilities should inform me within the first two weeks of class so that I can make sure I am doing
everything in my power to give you equal access to education.
CAPS
Additionally, the University of Cincinnati has counseling opportunities available for students.
Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) is a professional counseling office within Student
Affairs. They provide counseling, outreach programs, and related services for UC students. They are
open Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5pm. Most of their services are by appointment, but
they also offer an urgent care walk-in service from 1:00-4:00pm. They also have a 24-hour phone
consultation: 513-556-0648. They are located at 225 Calhoun Street, Suite 200.
Title IX Resources

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits
discrimination on the basis of sex in the university's programs and activities. Sexual harassment,
including sexual violence, and retaliation are forms of discrimination prohibited by Title IX. The
university, and by extension, my classroom, does not tolerate sex discrimination, sexual harassment,
or retaliation and takes steps to ensure that students, employees, and third parties are not subject to
a hostile environment in university programs or activities. If you feel your Title IX rights have been
violated in any way, please reach out to me or explore further resources at
http://www.uc.edu/titleix.html.

Late work
Late work will not be accepted unless I give approval prior to the due date. After the due date has
passed, half credit will be given for the late work. If you are having trouble meeting a deadline,
please email me well in advance so that we can work together to figure something out.
Plagiarism policy
Please don't turn in other people's stories as your own. It's mean to the person you stole from and
cheats you out of learning and creating. The penalty for plagiarism is an automatic failure for the
course and a letter detailing the offense in your permanent file.
Extra Credit
If you would like extra credit, please feel free to attend one of the visiting writer readings and write a
paragraph reflection on the reading for 3 points. Here’s a list of the readings happening this
semester:
January 26: Amit Majmudar poetry reading, 4 PM, Elliston Room
February 2: Amit Majmudar lecture, 4 PM, Elliston Room
February 5: Brit Bennett fiction reading, 7 PM, TUC 400A
March 21: David Lazar literary nonfiction reading, 7 PM, Taft Research Center
March 28: T. R. Hummer poetry reading, 4 PM, Elliston Room
April 5: Karan Mahajan fiction reading, 7 PM, TUC 417
April 20: Allison Davis and Kathy Fagan poetry reading, 4 PM, Elliston Room

Diversity statement
Respect and kindness are central value in and outside the classroom. Within our classroom, we will
cultivate a community of readers, writers, and thinkers built on mutual respect and compassion for
one another. If at any time you feel unsafe or disrespected, please do not hesitate to talk to me.
Our classroom welcomes all people, and is accepting of each person's unique religions, educational
statuses, ethnicities, abilities, genders, gender identities, gender expressions, races, sexual
orientations, citizenships, nationalities, languages, family statuses, and socioeconomic statuses.
Assignments and grade breakdown
Each student’s overall grade will be based on an additive scale of 100 points, which will make up the
final grade. For example, your grade for the workshop story revision is 20% of your final grade and
will be out of 20 points.
Week One Writing Assignment 2%

 Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: What role has reading
and writing played in your life so far? How do you hope that will change or grow throughout
this course?
 Due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 16 as a hard copy.
Week Two Writing Assignment 2%
  Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: Pick one of the shapes
we’ve read about so far in Stern and write an opening to a story using this shape. At the end
of the opening, write a few sentences explaining what shape you used and how it structured
your opening.
 Due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 23 as a hard copy.
Week Three Writing Assignment 2%

 Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: Write an opening to a
story in which you imitate the style of one of the writer’s we’ve read so far. At the end of the
opening, write a few sentences in which you describe which author you imitated and why
you chose this author.
 Due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 30 as a hard copy.
Week Four Writing Assignment 2%

 Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: Write an opening to a
story using one of the modes we have discussed so far. At the end of the opening, write a
few sentences that describe the mode you chose, and how that mode influenced your
choices in writing this opening.
 Due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 6 as a hard copy.
Week Five Writing Assignment 2%

 Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: Write an opening to a
story told in diary entries or blog posts.
 Due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 13 as a hard copy.
Week Six Writing Assignment 2%

 Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: We’ve read twelve short
stories so far for class. Which has been your favorite so far and why? Which has been your
least favorite and why? What, from these stories, would you like to steal for your own
writing?
 Due at the beginning of class on Thursday, February 20 as a hard copy.
Week Seven Writing Assignment 2%

 Write a one paged, double spaced answer to the following prompt: Rewrite the opening to
Steven Millhauser’s “Sisterhood of the Night” from a different POV. At the end of the
opening, describe what effect your chosen POV had on your opening.
 Due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, February 27 as a hard copy.
Noticing List 15%

 This assignment is a numbered list constituted of 100 sentences of things you noticed and
the date and time you noticed this thing. Noticing is a writer’s job, and it is the goal of this
assignment to get you in the habit of noticing. For instance, “Today I noticed a cat’s
footprints in the mud outside my apartment and they ended by the squashed Bud Light can,
 so it’s possible there’s a cat in the squashed Bud Light can,” or, “Today I noticed a man
buying 20 frozen dinners at Kroger and it was sad.” Think of these as tweets, but tweets
about noticing stuff- image based stuff. The dates and times of these things can be spread
out or all in one day, but I suggest that you spread them out if possible.
 This should be typed as a numbered list in 12 pt. Times New Roman font. Due as a hard
copy in class on Thursday, April 19.
Collaborative Writing Assignment 10%

 In groups of three, you and your peers will rewrite a myth, which you will read aloud in class
on Thursday, February 15. The myths should be between 1,000 and 2,000 words and a hard
copy will be due in class on presentation day. You will be graded on how well you’ve
followed the conventions of a myth.
Discussion Participation 15%

 This is a discussion-based class. You are expected to make comments during each class
period to demonstrate your engagement with and understanding of the material. Our writing
community greatly benefits from diversity of ideas and shared thoughts. The more you
share, the richer our experience in the class will be.
Workshop Story 5.5%

 The story you turn in for workshop should be between 2,000 and 5,000 words or it can be
two shorter stories that equal between 2,000 and 5,000 words. Stories should be submitted as
a word document to the corresponding forum in the discussion board on the blackboard
site. Stories should be formatted in double spaced 12 point Times New Roman font.
 Due by the beginning of the class preceding the date of your workshop. This date is listed on
the workshop sign up sheet which is linked on blackboard under course documents.
Story Critiques 9.5%

 For each workshop story, you are required to read the story, and respond with a critique
letter that includes the following: 1 thing the author of the story did well, 1 thing the author
might want to clarify or expand upon, 1 suggestion for revisions of the story, and your name.
This should follow a letter format and it should be ¾ page double spaced. Your letter
should rely on the vocabulary we build together in the first few weeks of the semester, rather
than vague and subjective terms like “good” and “bad.” You will need to print two copies
of each critique out for each story: one you will turn into me at the end of the class period in
which the workshop is being conducted, and one you will hand to the author.
 Due by the beginning of the class period in which the workshop is being conducted.
Story Revision 15%

 This should be a significant revision of the story you’ve turned in for workshop. We will
discuss further what this means in class.
 Due as a hard copy in class on Thursday, April 19
Revision Justification 10%
  This assignment will accompany your story revision. It should be a paragraph in length
(double spaced) and should cover what you chose to revise in this version of your story and
why. In this assignment you can explore the advice you chose to take versus the advice you
didn’t and why, or what elements of fiction you chose to focus on in your revision and what
the effects of these revised elements are in the overall story.
 This is due as a hard copy in class on Thursday, April 19
Literary Magazine Presentation 5%

 You will prepare a short presentation on a literary magazine which will include the following:
a description of the magazine’s aesthetic (based on the website, their mission statements,
their “about” pages, short pieces you may read from the magazine), what they publish
(fiction, poetry, non-fiction, art), when their submission period is, the cost to submit, and
your general opinion on the magazine.
 Due Tuesday, April 17
End of Term Reflection 1%

 A paragraph reflecting on how you have grown as a writer and reader throughout the course.
 Done in class on Thursday, April 19
Daily schedule
note: schedule is subject to change
Week One- Introductions
Tuesday, January 9

 introductions
 overview of course
homework

 read "Why Fiction is Good For You” (link on blackboard) for Thursday
 read Short Story in part three of Stern for Thursday
 read Kristen Roupenian’s “Cat Person" (link on Blackboard) for Thursday
Thursday, January 11

 reason for writing prompt

 discussion: why do we read and write fiction?
 mapping out traditional narrative structure in “Cat Person”
homework

 read Facade-Last Lap in part one of Stern for Tuesday

 read Denis Johnson’s “Emergency,” and Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants”
for Tuesday
  week one writing assignment due Tuesday
Week Two- Shapes of Fiction
Tuesday, January 16

 discussion of shapes, Johnson, and Hemingway

 “noticing” assignment
homework

 read Trauma-Gathering in part one of Stern for Thursday

 read Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery” for Tuesday
Thursday, January 18

 discuss shapes and Jackson

homework

 read Day in the Life-Onion in part one of Stern for Tuesday

 read Lydia Peele’s “Reasons for and Advantages of Breathing” for Tuesday
 week two writing assignment due Tuesday
Week Three- Shapes of Fiction
Tuesday, January 23

 discuss shapes and Peele

homework

 read Journey-Aha! in part one of Stern for Thursday

 read Rebecca Lee’s “Bobcat” for Thursday
Thursday, January 25

 discuss shapes and Lee

homework

 read Bear at the door-Explosion in part one of Stern for Tuesday

 read Thomas Pierce’s “The Real Alan Gass” for Tuesday
 week three writing assignment due Tuesday
Week Four- Modes of Fiction
Tuesday, January 30

 discuss shapes and Pierce

homework

 read Fable in part three of Stern for Thursday

 read Aimee Bender’s “Girl in the Flammable Skirt” for Thursday
Thursday, February 1

 discuss Fables and Bender

 assign workshop slots
homework

 read Satire and Science Fiction in part three of Stern for Tuesday
 read George Saunders’s “Sea Oak,” and Wells Tower’s “Everything Ravaged, Everything
Burned” for Tuesday
 week four writing assignment due Tuesday
Week Five- Modes of Fiction
Tuesday, February 6

 discuss Satire, Science Fiction, Saunders, and Tower

homework

 read George Saunders’s “The Semplica-Girl Diaries” for Thursday

Thursday, February 8

 discuss speculative fiction and Saunders

homework

 read Myth in part three of Stern for Tuesday

 week five writing assignment due Tuesday
Week six- Collaborative Writing
Tuesday, February 13

 collaborative writing assignment

homework

 finish collaborative writing assignment

Thursday, February 15

 collaborative writing assignment presentations

homework
  read POV and Workshop in part three of Stern for Tuesday
 read Steven Millhauser’s “Sisterhood of Night”
 week six writing assignment due Tuesday
Week Seven- Workshop
Tuesday, February 20

 discuss POV, Millhauser, and Workshop

homework

 read Donald Barthelme’s “The School” for Thursday

 read and critique two stories for workshop on Thursday
Thursday, February 22

 discuss Barthelme
 workshops one and two
homework

 read Joyce Carol Oates’ “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” for Tuesday
 read and critique two stories for workshop on Tuesday
 week seven writing assignment due Tuesday
Week Eight- Workshop
Tuesday, February 27

 discuss Oates
 workshops three and four
homework

 read Stuart Dybek’s “Paper Lantern” for Thursday

 read and critique two stories for workshop on Thursday
Thursday, March 1

 discuss Dybek
 workshops five and six
homework

 read Helen Oyeyemi’s “’Sorry’ Doesn’t Sweeten Her Tea” for Tuesday
 read and critique two stories for workshop on Tuesday
Week nine- Workshop
Tuesday, March 6

 discuss Oyeyemi
 workshops seven and eight
homework

 read Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People”

 read and critique two stories for workshop on Thursday
Thursday, March 8

 discuss O’Connor
 workshops nine and ten
homework

 read Karen Russell’s “Reeling For the Empire”

 read and critique two stories for workshop on Tuesday
Week Ten- Spring Break!
Tuesday, March 13

 no class- spring break

Thursday, March 15

 no class- spring break

Week Eleven- Workshop
Tuesday, March 20

 discuss Russell
 workshops eleven and twelve
homework

 read Margaret Atwood’s “Death by Landscape” for Thursday

 read and critique two stories for workshop on Thursday
Thursday, March 22

 discuss Atwood
 workshops thirteen and fourteen
homework

 read Anthony Doerr’s “The Caretaker” for Tuesday

 read and critique two stories for Tuesday
Week Twelve- Workshop
Tuesday, March 27

 discuss Doerr
 workshops fifteen and sixteen
homework

 read and critique two stories for workshop on Thursday

 read Tao Lin’s “Sasquatch” for Thursday
Thursday, March 29

 discuss Lin
 workshops seventeen and eighteen
homework

 read and critique two stories for Tuesday

 read Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” for Tuesday
Week thirteen- Revision Conferences
Tuesday, April 3

 discuss Perkins Gilman

 workshops nineteen and twenty
homework

 read Revision in part three of Stern for Thursday

 read Steven Millhauser’s “A Visit” for Thursday
Thursday, April 5

 discuss Millhauser
 discuss revisions and workshop
 literary magazine assignment
 sign up for conference slots
homework

 research and prepare literary magazine presentation

 story revisions, justifications, and Noticing List due in class Thursday, April 19
Week Fourteen- Revision Conferences
Tuesday, April 10
  no class- revision conferences
Thursday, April 12

 no class- revision conferences

Week Fifteen- Wrap Up
Tuesday, April 17

 literary magazine presentations

homework

 hard copies of your story revision, justification paragraph, and Noticing List due in class
Thursday
Thursday, April 19

 story revisions, justifications, and Noticing List due in class today!

 course evaluation
 self reflection