ENGLISH 618/001

Professor Mark Brazaitis

Office: Stansbury 458

Office telephone: 293-3107 ex. 402

Email: MarkBraz@vahoo.com

Class Hours: Wednesdays, 7 p.m. to 9:50 p.m.

Office Hours: Mondays (3:30-5:00), Wednesdays (3:30-6:30)and by

appointment

Objective: In this class, you will learn to become a better fiction writer. To become a better fiction writer, you must dedicate yourself to both writing and reading fiction, and

this class will allow you (read: require you) to do both.

Requirements: Over the course of the semester, you will read two collections of stories

(20: The Best of the Drue Heinz Literature Prize and The lowa Award, The Best Stories

1991-2000) and one novel (The Honey Thief). You will also write at least two of your

own short stories (or novel excerpts).

Take-Home Assignments: Take-home exercises will be assigned during every class in the

first ten weeks of class. Doing them is optional. (Why do them? They're fun–and your

professor will give you feedback on them.) If you miss a class at which a take-home exercise is assigned, it will be emailed to you. All take-home assignments should be typed.

Grades: Grades in this class will be based on the effort you put into the class, both in

terms of your own writing and how you respond to the work of other students.

Attendance is critical. More than one absence is a problem; more than two is a serious

problem.

Submitting Work: Your stories (or novel excerpts) are due a week before they are critiqued and will be handed out in class. You should make photocopies for everyone in the class and your instructor. If you fail to hand in your story on time, it's your responsibility to get your story to your classmates well ahead of the next class. If you

miss a class at which stories are handed out, they will be available in a box outside my

office door.

Class Schedule and Day-to-Day Assignments

Wednesday, January 16: Getting acquainted

Wednesday, January 23: Read: "Hints of His Mortality" by David Borofka and "The World With My Mother Still in It" by Kathryn Chetkovich in The lowa Award and "Thief" by Robley Wilson and "Frankenstein Meets the Ant People" by Jonathan Penner in The Best of the Drue Heinz Prize.

Wednesday, January 30: Read: "Nothing" by Ann Harleman and "Coming into Rio Harbor" by Elizabeth Harris in The lowa Award. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, February 6: Read: "Thomas Edison by Moonlight" by Dan Zancanella in The lowa Award and "At St. Theresa's College for Women" in The Best of the Drue Heinz Prize. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, February 13: Read: "Vaquita" by Edith Pearlman in The Best of the Drue Heinz Prize. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, February 20: Read: "Ambulance" by Susan Onthank Mates in The lowa Award. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, February 27: Read: "Have You Seen Me?" by Elizabeth Graver in The Best of the Drue Heinz Prize. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, March 6: Read "Out of the Girls' Room and into the Night" by Thisbe Nissen in The lowa Award. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, March 13: Read "The Woman in the Headlights" by Barbara Croft in The Best of the Drue Heinz Prize. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, March 20: Read: "The Death of Descartes" by David Bosworth in The Best of the Drue Heinz Prize. Workshop of stories.

March 25 to March 31 Spring Break. Enjoy! 1. 1 :, . , ... ~,, , , 1. .. ! ..

Wednesday, April 3: Read: The Honey Thief Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, April 10: Continue discussion of The Honey Thief. Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, April 17: Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, April 24: Workshop of stories.

Wednesday, May 5: Workshop of stories.