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Spring 2010 Instructor: Anna Vodicka

TTh: 12:30 – 1:45 p.m. Office: Brink 108

Office hours: W 1:00 – 3:00, or by appt. Telephone: 885-6156 (messages only)

What is creative nonfiction? How is it different from other prose genres, such as fiction or

journalism? In this course, we will work to answer these questions and explore the genre of creative

nonfiction from a variety of angles: from new journalism and reportage to memoir, profiles, and

travel writing. We will read and write. A lot. By the end of the semester, you will be exposed to a

wide sampling of creative nonfiction styles and sub-genres, and have a Reading Journal full of notes,

reflections, and responses to readings. You will also produce a total of about 30 pages of your own

writing for evaluation. In addition to regular writing exercises and essays, including one mandatory

revision, you will participate in an ongoing collaborative creative nonfiction project: a class blog, for

which you will write monthly posts of your own and weekly comments on posts from your peers.

elements of the craft of nonfiction, such as character, setting, and scene development, and

incorporate those techniques into your own writing; to gain awareness of what influences the shape

and direction of writing, such as audience, subject, and genre; and to hone all of these skills through

extensive reading, writing, and collaboration.

ISBN: 0072512784.

You will develop and polish three full essays, which I will evaluate on all aspects of writing. Only the

first essay may be revised for a grade change. Please type all assignments in a 12-point font. On

each assignment, include your name, assignment name, the piece’s title, the date, and the word

count. I expect you to hand in work on time. All make-up work is your responsibility and is subject

to grade reduction unless you’ve communicated with me in advance (shoot for at least 24 hours) and

we’ve agreed otherwise. If you must hand work in late, you may turn in papers to my mailbox in the

Brink mailroom, room 201. I do not accept email submissions.

Thoughtful, regular preparation and participation will be a key component of your success in the

course. You will be expected to engage closely with the readings assigned, bringing your ideas and

observations to each class. Your participation in in-class writing exercises is expected, as well as

prompt blog submissions and thoughtful commentary on peer submissions. I expect careful

resources as your fellow writers approach revision.

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You will keep a “reading journal” as you conduct weekly reading assignments, recording at least a

full page a week in a standard-sized ruled notebook. Use the space to engage with, question, debate,

and reflect on the wide variety of essays on the course list. The writing should be informal, and you

should bring your journal to class with you each day, as we will also use these notebooks for in-class

writing exercises and discussions. I will collect your journals periodically to check your progress.

unexcused absences for the duration of the semester. Additional absences effect your grade. If you

have perfect attendance, I will add points to your grade.

Since this is a discussion class, punctuality is very important. If you must come late or leave early for

any reason during the semester, please let me know as soon as possible. Three occasions of tardiness

(more than five minutes late to class without prior permission) will count as an unexcused absence.

Frequent tardiness of ten minutes or more will count as an absence at the instructor’s discretion.

My office hours are listed above. If you are unable to meet within my scheduled hours, please email

me to schedule an appointment. In addition, I will occasionally substitute one-on-one conferences

for class time. If you miss your scheduled conference, I will consider it an unexcused absence.

Occasionally throughout the semester, I will notify you—at least two weeks in advance, I hope—of

local reading events (usually on campus, but sometimes at the Kenworthy or Bookpeople). All

students must attend a minimum of two readings over the course of the term and submit a brief

one-page response paper within a week of the event.

The percentages of contribution to your final grade are as follows:

Attendance & Participation (in-class and blog) 20%

Writing exercises and journal 15%

Essay assignment #1 20% (revised grade replaces first draft grade)

Essay assignment #2 20%

Essay assignment #3 25%

Complexity and originality of thought

Development

Coherence

Specificity of detail in all description, including action

Effective use of research

Effective use of character development techniques, including dialogue

Precision and originality of language

Correctness in syntax, spelling, usage, and punctuation

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“C” papers will be adequate or average in nearly every criterion.

“D” papers will have serious inadequacies in at least three of the criteria.

“F” papers will have serious inadequacies in at least four of the criteria.

Beverages are welcome in class, as are good listening skills and respect for one anothers’ views and

opinions. Unwelcome are the following: cell phones (turn them off and leave them stowed away

during class—and if you choose to send/receive text messages during class, I will mark you absent

without notifying you), laptops (unless you have DSS accommodations that require a laptop), food

(distracting), and MP3 players and other electronic devices (no brainer).

The university of Idaho has wonderful academic, counseling, and disability support services on

campus for your benefit. For 293, you may find the UI Writing Center, located in the UI Commons

Room 323, a particularly useful resource. Tutoring and Academic Assistance Programs is also

available, located in the Commons Room 306. Please notify me if you have accommodations

requirements through Disability Support Services. You can reach DSS in the UI Commons

Building, Room 312; by phone at 885-7200; by email at dss@uidaho.edu; or see

www.access.uidaho.edu or www.webs.uidaho.edu/aap.

Since you’ve elected to take this course, I will assume honesty and originality from you and your

course work. However, I take plagiarism very seriously, as does the University of Idaho. Please see

the English Department’s website if you need a reminder of our policies and the consequences of

plagiarism at the university level.

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14 Thursday First day: Syllabus and course policies

19 Tuesday Introductions

Bring: Two objects for “show-and-tell,” a

blog title idea

3-12), Mary Clearman Blew “The Sow in the

River”

21 Thursday Elements of Craft: Image

Bring: A photograph

Inheritance of Tools”

26 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Image

Due: Set up blog profile

Dillard, “The Deer at Providencia,” Kim

Barnes, “Work”

28 Thursday Elements of Craft: Setting & Place

David Foster Wallace, “Ticket to the Fair”

2 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Setting & Place

“Goodbye to All That”

4 Thursday Elements of Craft: Setting & Place

Due: Essay 1 & Reading Journal

Anne McDuffie, “Winter Wheat,” Patricia

Hampl, “Come Eat”

9 Tuesday CONFERENCES

11 Thursday CONFERENCES

16 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Revision

18 Thursday No Class

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23 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Scene

Due: Revision of Essay 1

State of Matter”

25 Thursday Elements of Craft: Scene

Steve Almond “Shame on Me: Why My

Adolescence Sucked Donkey Cock”

2 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Scene vs. Narration

Kim Barnes, “The Ashes of August,” Amy

Tan, “Confessions”

4 Thursday Elements of Craft: Narration

John McPhee, “Swimming with Canoes,”

Terry Tempest Williams, “Revision”

9 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Voice

Due: List of Obsessions

David Sedaris, “Ashes” and “Turbulence”

11 Thursday Elements of Craft: Voice

Due: Reading Journal

Stephen Kuusisto, “Night Song,” Rebecca

Maclanahan, “Signs and Wonders”

16 Tuesday SPRING BREAK

18 Thursday SPRING BREAK

23 Tuesday Due: Essay #2

Workshops 1, 2

25 Thursday Workshops 3, 4

30 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Research

“Wrestling Gene Simmons. And Other

Demons.”

01 Thursday Elements of Craft: Research

John McPhee, “The Search for Marvin

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Gardens”

06 Tuesday Elements of Craft: Research

Susan Orlean, “Lifelike”

08 Thursday Elements of Craft: Character

American Man, Age Ten,” E.B. White,

“Afternoon of an American Boy”

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Tuesday

Wednesday

Workshops 5, 6

Reading: Susan Orlean, location & time TBA

15 Thursday Workshops 7, 8

20 Tuesday TBD

22 Thursday TBD

27 Tuesday Workshops 9, 10

29 Thursday Workshops 11, 12

Due: Reading Journals

04 Tuesday Workshops 13, 14

06 Thursday Last Day of Class

Due: Essay 3