Goals And Student Learning Outcomes
During the first three weeks of the course we’ll focus on discussing published work and getting you started on your own short stories through in-class writing exercises. Before we workshop the first group of student stories, we’ll also discuss ways to offer feedback to fellow writers and how to make use of the feedback you receive for the stories you submit for workshop. Please keep in mind that the purpose of the workshop is to help you take your stories the next level through discussion, with an eye toward revision.
On days when your peers are up for workshop, you’ll be asked to provide written and verbal critiques. We’ll discuss specific guidelines for written peer critiques ahead of time, but in general, your role will be to help fellow writers make the story they’ve envisioned. When reading peer work, ask yourself—what does the story, through its writer, seem to be doing, or trying to do?—rather than—what do I want this story to do?
Finally, I will encourage you to become familiar with literary magazines and journals, to attend fiction readings, to participate in the MCLA student readings, and to become familiar with Spires, MCLA’s literary review.