Welcome to Creative Writing in H203! WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING ...

Creative Writing 2012‐2013
Mrs. Messenger
Welcome to Creative Writing in H203!
This is a minor course (2.5 credits) that meets twice a cycle. Our section will meet A block on Days 2 &54.
WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING
You’ll be writing stories, reading them in class, and discussing them in a writer’s workshop. Most of the
stories will be very short and written to meet specific criteria. In our discussions, we’ll consider all the
elements of fiction writing: plot, character, point of view, imagery and symbolism, dialogue, voice,
setting, and theme.
Once or twice a quarter, you will revise one of your workshop pieces, which will then be graded for
quality.
As in your English class, you will maintain a writing portfolio, a folder that will contain all work reviewed
in workshop and all work revised for a grade. This folder will be primarily electronic. Revised stories and
selected workshop pieces will go in a paper portfolio.
We will read published stories and discuss how they work. I may ask you to share something you’ve read
on your own and found enjoyable or instructive. We will sometimes use a published work as a model for
a workshop assignment.
WHAT YOU WON’T BE DOING
This is an enrichment course, not a remedial course. While we may cover some writing basics (how to
format dialogue, for example), you will not be practicing writing mechanics, grammar, etc
This is primarily a fiction‐writing course. You won’t be writing essays, news articles, etc. We may write
some drama and, to a very limited extent, some poems.
With rare exceptions, you won’t spend entire classes just writing. Expect to do most of your writing for
homework. Class time will be reserved for instruction, group work, discussion, writing activities,
community building, short videos, reading of published work, etc.
With rare exceptions, you won’t have completely free choice of topic, style of execution, or length.
You won’t be working on writing assignments for other courses in this class.
Please do not submit the following:
o Novel excerpts ‐ they don't lend themselves to evaluation as finished work.
o Work you’ve done for other classes.
o "R"‐rated material. Go for PG or PG‐13. Use your good judgment.
o Work you are not comfortable sharing with the class.

GOALS OF THE COURSE
To practice the craft of imaginative writing with clarity, purpose, and understanding.
To create within this classroom a community of writers who rely on one another for respectful, honest,
and useful observation and feedback.
To explore the choices made by professional writers as models for our own work.
To use feedback and reflection to describe our progress and set goals for ourselves as writers, readers,
and editors.
HOMEWORK
Expect to have 1‐3 hours of homework a week.
Turn in all assignments complete and on time for full credit.
Please TYPE all work submitted for workshop and portfolio. Handwritten work will receive only partial
credit and cannot be workshopped.
OUR PAPERLESS CLASSROOM
Since every student now has an iPad, we will for the most part be going paperless. You will download
readings and other handouts into a Creative Writing binder in Notability.
In‐class exercises may be completed on the iPad and stored in the electronic binder or completed on
paper or in a notebook you bring to class.
Share all workshop pieces and revised stories with the class in Google Docs. If you’re working on the
iPad, I suggest typing in Pages and uploading to Google Docs. If you’re typing on a laptop or desktop, do
it directly in Google Docs.
QUARTERLY REQUIREMENTS
Weekly or bi‐weekly workshop pieces. These are due every week or so. They will be read and discussed in
class. As you will learn from our early assignments, the assignments will usually have very specific
criteria.
The grading of these workshop pieces is simple. If you turn them in on time, follow directions, and
meet the requirements, you will receive full credit. If they are late or do not meet the requirements, you
will lose points. Therefore, it is crucial that you submit these assignments on time. Note that they are
expected to be draft quality, not finished pieces.
At least one revised piece. "Finished" means a workshop piece that has been developed and revised to
your satisfaction and mine, using the steps of the writing process.
Occasional written feedback on classmates’ work (done in Google Docs).
In‐class exercises. These may be warm‐ups for writing assignments, group projects, or responses to a
variety of stimuli (photographs, paintings, music, quotations).
Occasional reflections and metacognitive work on your progress as a writer, reader, editor and class
participant.

CONFERENCES
Because much of the feedback you receive will be during workshop, I don’t conduct individual conferences as
a matter of course. However, I am available to talk with you privately at your request.
GRADING
This course is graded. The quarter grade breaks down as follows:
50% Workshop assignments (full points for timely completion and demonstration of a good faith
effort to meet criteria)
30% Class participation and meeting classroom expectations (being on time, having materials, etc.)
10% 1‐2 finished stories (graded for quality)
10% Written feedback and reflection
ADVANCED CREATIVE WRITING
Within this class are students who have signed up for Advanced Creative Writing. Generally, ACW students will
complete the same work as the rest of the class. If, however, you did the same exact assignment last time
around, you will have either an alternate assignment or different or additional restrictions or criteria.
The main point of differentiation between “regular” and Advanced Creative Writing is the submission
requirement. At least twice this year, and perhaps every quarter, Advanced Creative Writing students will be
expected to submit one piece for publication or to a writing competition outside the BHS community. While I
encourage you to submit work to Stylus, the BHS literary magazine, it will not count for this requirement. Nor
will simply posting or publishing your work online. “Submission” means that you will submit a piece to a
literary magazine or a writing contest for critical evaluation.
This submission will replace 1‐2 workshop assignments. You will receive full credit for submitting the work,
regardless of whether it is published or awarded a prize. This activity is 10% of your grade, so note that if you
choose not to submit work in a given quarter, the highest grade you can earn is a 90.
CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS
*Arrive on time.*
*Bring what you need.*
*Stay on task.*
*Most importantly, treat others the way you would like to be treated.*
Meeting these expectations will help your participation grade; failing to meet them will hurt it.