ENGH 608: Craft Seminars

ENGH 608-001: Boundaries: Writing about Family
(Spring 2020)

07:20 PM to 10:00 PM W

Section Information for Spring 2020

What are the boundaries when we write about people whose lives are intertwined with ours by family ties or by other long-term commitments? How can we write with honesty without infringing on their privacy or hurting their feelings? What is the difference between speaking the truth and airing one’s long-held resentments? These and other questions will be asked. Answers will be attempted by reading works of personal narrative (both long-form and short-form) by published writers—these may include Jamaica Kincaid (My Brother), Sue Miller (The Story of My Father), Lucas Mann (Lord Fear), Vivian Gornick (Fierce Attachment), Maggie Nelson (The Argonauts), as well as essay anthologies—and looking at the choices these writers made in their narrative structure, perspective, character development, scene construction, etc. This is a reading/writing course that will require a series of small writing assignments and a final creative writing assignment (a personal essay or a memoir chapter) as well as weekly reading assignments. The course is open to MFA students in any genre. All others must contact the instructor, submit a writing sample, and obtain the instructor’s permission before registering for this course.

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Course Information from the University Catalog

Credits: 3

Non-MFA students seeking permission must submit manuscript of original written work in appropriate genre. Various sections offer work in fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, each focusing in different ways on the practices and the craft development of writers. Numerous writing assignments mixed with reading followed by careful analytical and craft discussions. Notes: Assignments vary with genre and specific topic. May be taken concurrently with ENGH 564, 565, 566. May be repeated within the term for a maximum 15 credits.
Specialized Designation: Topic Varies
Recommended Prerequisite: Admission to MFA program or ENGH 494, ENGH 492, ENGH 486, or permission of instructor. Non-MFA students must submit manuscript for review prior to registration.
Registration Restrictions:

Enrollment limited to students with a class of Advanced to Candidacy, Graduate, Junior Plus, Non-Degree or Senior Plus.

Enrollment is limited to Graduate, Non-Degree or Undergraduate level students.

Students in a Non-Degree Undergraduate degree may not enroll.

Schedule Type: Lec/Sem #1, Lec/Sem #2, Lec/Sem #3, Lec/Sem #4, Lec/Sem #5, Lec/Sem #6, Lec/Sem #7, Lec/Sem #8, Lec/Sem #9, Sem/Lec #10, Sem/Lec #11, Sem/Lec #12, Sem/Lec #13, Sem/Lec #14, Sem/Lec #15, Sem/Lec #16, Sem/Lec #17, Sem/Lec #18, Seminar
Grading:
This course is graded on the Graduate Regular scale.

The University Catalog is the authoritative source for information on courses. The Schedule of Classes is the authoritative source for information on classes scheduled for this semester. See the Schedule for the most up-to-date information and see Patriot web to register for classes.