The following schedule is tentative, and we will adjust it as our class needs dictate. Always check the "Notes and Messages" link to be sure you are completing the right assignments.

Week 1: Aug. 23-27. Course overview and syllabus; Building an on-line writing community; Logging in; Getting acquainted. Read Burroway: Preface and chapter 1: "Whatever Works: The Writing Process." Read also Root: the preface, the introduction to part 1, and the following essays: Annie Dillard’s "Living Like Weasels" (41) Annie Dillard’s "To Fashion A Text" (270) Patricia Hampl’s "Memory and Imagination" (297) and Donald Murray’s "One Writer’s Secrets" (351). Participate in on-line discussion of readings, and complete first writing exercise from Burroway chapter 1, or from suggestions posted by your instructor.

Week 2: Aug. 30 through Sept. 3. Introduction To Writing Poetry. Read Mayes: Preface and Chapter 1: "Sources and Approaches: The Origin of A Poem." Read also Root: Nancy Sommers’ "I Stand Here Writing" (176). Participate in on-line discussion, and submit second writing exercise chosen from the list provided by your instructor. Note: Sept. 4 is the last day to add classes.

Week 3: Sept. 6-10. Plot and Narrative: The Thread That Unites Genres. Read Burroway: Chapter 2: "The Tower and The Net: Story Form and Structure," and Root: Mary Clearman Bleu’s "The Unwanted Child" (11). Individual poems from the Mayes text will also be assigned. First workshop participants submit rough draft manuscripts. Each class member is to write a brief response to these manuscripts.

Week 4: Sept. 13-17. Precise Details and Description In Writing. Read Mayes: Chapter 3: "Images: The Perceptual Field" beginning on page 79. Exercises and stories from Burroway chapter 3 will also be assigned and discussed. Submit third writing exercise based on either the fiction or poetry text. Second workshop participants submit manuscripts. Note: Sept. 18 is the last day to drop classes without notation.

Week 5: Sept. 20-24. Characterization. Read Burroway: Chapter 4: "Book People." Read also Root: Richard Selzer’s "The Masked Marvel’s Last Toehold" (166). Selected poems from the Mayes text that depict character will also be discussed. S7ubmit writing exercise number 4, drawing on texts, or on suggestions provided by your instructor. Next workshop participants submit manuscripts.

Week 6: Sept. 27 through Oct. 1. Long Ago and Far Away: Fictional Place and Time. Read Burroway Chapter 6. First five-page manuscripts due from all students.

Week 7: Oct. 4-8. Rhyme, Repetition, and Their Value In All Creative Writing Genres. Read Mayes Chapter 5, beginning on page 189. Readings in the Root text may also be assigned. Next workshop participants submit manuscripts. Writing exercise number 5 is due.

Week 8: Oct. 11-15. Point of View. Read Burroway, Chapter 7: "Call Me Ishmael," and Mayes, Chapter 4: "The Speaker: The Eye of The Poem," beginning on page 155. Also from Root, read the Scott Russell Sanders essay "The Singular First Person" (369). Submit writing exercise number 6 on point of view.

Week 9: Oct. 18-22. Free Verse: Traditional and Open Forms. Selections from Mayes chapters 7 and 8 will also be assigned.

Week 10: Oct. 25-29. Scholarly Creative Nonfiction. Read in Root, any three of the following essays: Vicki Hearn’s "Can An Ape Tell A Joke" (55) Barbara Mellix’s "From Outside In" (112) Leslie Marmon Silko’s "In The Combat Zone" (170) Kathleen Norris’ "Celibate Passions" (123) and Peter Elbow’s "Personal, Expressive Academic Writing." Next workshop participants submit manuscripts.

Week 11: Nov. 1-5. Assorted Liars: More About Point of View. Read Burroway, Chapter 8. Second five-page manuscripts due from all students.

Week 12: Nov. 8-12. Ethical Issues and Issues of Craft. Read in Root, at least three of the following selections: Tracy Kidder’s "Courting The Approval of The Dead" (306) Lisa Knopp’s "Excavations" (319) Fern Kupfer’s "Everything But The Truth" (327) Sydney Lee’s "What We Didn’t Know We Knew" (330) Phillip Lopate’s "What Happened To The Personal Essay" (337) Andrea A. Lunsford’s "Creative Nonfiction: What’s In A Name" (345) Root’s "Collage, Montage, Mosaic, Vignette, Episode, Segment" (358).

Week 13: Nov. 15-19. Interpretation: The Wide Response. Read Mayes, Chapter 9, beginning on page 479. Writing exercises 7 and 8 due. Next workshop participants submit manuscripts.

Week 14: Nov. 22-26. Resources For Creative Writers. Visit one of the web site addresses posted by your instructor, and write a brief, 1-3 paragraph review of the site. Alternatively, peruse several issues of one of the print source publications for writers posted by your instructor, and write a 1-3-paragraph review of that publication. I will post all of your reviews, thereby enabling you to learn about several resources while only having to research one.

Week 15: Nov. 29 through Dec. 3. More Issues Regarding The Composing process. Read in Root: Mary Elizabeth Pope’s "Teacher Training" (434) and "On Composing Teacher Training" (440. Read also Maureen Stanton’s "Zion" (447) and "On Writing Zion" (454).

Week 16: Dec. 6-10. Writing To Publish: Treating Yourself As A Professional. Read Burroway, Chapter 11: "Play It Again Sanm: Revision," and Mayes, Chapter 12: "A Poet’s Handbook." Next workshop Participants submit manuscripts. Anthology manuscripts due from all students.

Week 17: Dec. 13-17. Writing To Publish (continued). Scouting for sources; Writing cover letters; Protocols for submitting manuscripts; Copyright issues; Electronic Publishing: freedoms and legalities.

Week 18: Dec. 20-24. Final five-page manuscripts due. Reviews of live readings due. Turn in any outstanding writing exercises, and complete course evaluations. Class anthology will be posted.