Welcome to creative writing! In this course, we will explore the process of writing creatively to express ideas, experiences, and emotion. We will read and discuss professional writing, analyze techniques, and write and revise our own work. Students will not need a textbook for this course, but will need to check in to Canvas daily.

Instructor Information

Ms. Allegra Davis, Instructor of English

adavishanna@nctc.edu

Office Hours: Email responses with 24-48 hours.

Available for rapid email response: Mondays 5-6 pm, and Tuesdays 10-11 am. I am also happy to make appointments to talk or message at another time.

If you’d like to schedule a face-to-face conference, we can do that. It would be at the Flower Mound Campus, and likely on a Tuesday or Thursday.

Course Objectives

By the time we finish this course, you will:

1. Respond to professional creative writing
2. Identify technical devices used in creative writing
3. Compose original creative writings
4. Revise original work
5. Critique peer writings
6. Demonstrate the ability to prepare manuscripts for publication

Instructor’s Overview of Course

This course will introduce you to the process of writing creative, meaningful pieces in three genres: poetry, fiction (short story) and creative non-fiction (essay). 

Students should feel comfortable entering this course with some or no experience in creative writing, but with an interest in understanding the process of becoming a writer. 

For each of the three genres: You will read well crafted examples, examine the elements that make them work, draft your own work piece, revise it, and prepare it for publication in the writer's market. Students will learn how to submit their work for publication, but actually submitting it will be optional (but encouraged!).

No textbooks are required.

Students may find that a creative writing textbook may be useful, as it will provide additional examples of professional writing in each genre. Students may visit a local (or online) bookstore or used bookstore to look for one that appeals to their interests.

Writers are readers, so I would encourage you to find online or in-print professionally written examples of stories, poems and examples that are intriguing, beautiful, or enjoyable. 

Requirements

This is an online class, so students should have:

- Regular access to a computer with a stable internet connection

- Access to a "back-up," like a computer lab at a library or NCTC Campus

- Familiarity with their NCTC email account, Canvas inbox, Microsoft Word and Google Docs. It is important to all writers to back up what you create. A lost manuscript, even a partial one, can be a pretty tough experience. You can save all documents in your Google drive, just in case!

Grading

Poetry Unit: 30%

Fiction Unit: 35%

Non-Fiction Unit: 35%

• All assignments within each unit are of equal value. Lessons include discussion boards (and responses to peers), journal entries, drafts, peer revision reports, and final drafts of work.
• Expectations for discussion board posts and journal entries are posted in the lessons; grading rubrics are provided for original work; all assignments have thorough instructions and grading criteria.

Navigation

Easiest way to:

• Access lesson contents, assignments, or readings: Modules
• Find due dates: Modules
• See updates / reminders: Announcements
• Find class policies: Syllabus
• Create / join / find my group: Discussions
• Email your instructor: Inbox
• Find / email classmates: People

Course Policies and Communication Standards

If you’re ever feeling lost, confused, or unsure of something, don’t hesitate to send me a message. I’m here to guide you through the challenging process of analyzing and writing creative work. I can help with analyzing work, generating ideas, improving writing, and working with peers – but only if you let me know you need additional support. You are responsible for you education – I am responsible for making it accessible.

Course Policies

• All work must be submitted on time: original pieces, short assignments, discussion boards, responses, and other tasks. Technology problems are not reasonable excuses. Be prepared and have a backup. If you feel you’ve run into an extenuating and exceptional circumstance in your life, then please contact me immediately (before something is due) and we can discuss it with my Assistant Divisional Dean. Exceptions for the late work policy are rare and hard to come by, but I’m a human being and a reasonable person. I would encourage you to contact me if you have any questions.
• All work will be submitted through Canvas. Emailed assignments will not be accepted.
• Consult the syllabus, course calendar, and resources folders.
• Students in groups are responsible to their group members. Your response to your peer’s work is vital to their success!
• Students should check their email and read announcements daily.
• Students with disabilities will be fully accommodated, as documented with a letter from an NCTC office. Accommodations are not retroactive and begin on the date the student shares the letter with the instructor.  More information can be found at their website
• Plagiarism or Academic Dishonesty in any form will not be tolerated. The inclusion of uncited material, whether quoted or paraphrased, will result in the grade of a zero. Copying, cheating, or collusion will result in the grade of a zero. Please consult the Student Handbook, which provides additional information on these topics.  This is especially important in a creative writing class, where students are evaluated for their creative process. Students who copy or cheat in this class may receive zeroes on assignments or a failing grade for the course.
• If you are having trouble or difficulty with the pace, material, expectations, personal matters, or anything else relevant, please communicate with me as soon as the trouble starts. I will work with you to create a plan for success.
• This is your education and you are responsible for it. You must be present, responsible, honest, and communicative.

Classroom Expectations & Communication

• We are a community of learners who will listen to one another, acknowledge each other, and respect one another. We will not all agree; we will all get along. Students may not disrupt our open community of learning with disrespect, interruptions, rude or assaultive language, personal attacks or profanity. Our class will be a safe space for all learners, no matter what.
• Students are required to participate in class through reading each other’s posts and responding to each other. Students are expected to agree or disagree respectfully, and to base their claims on text-supportable ideas, rather than personal opinions. No personal attacks will be tolerated in our community.
• All email or IM correspondence should be professional. Begin emails with salutations, ask questions and provide information, and be polite. As with all writing, consider your audience before you begin writing.
• All students will be held to a high level of professionalism. To this end, all discussions must be conducted in a professional, civil, and friendly manner, even when students are disagreeing with each other. There should be no name-calling, profanity, or disrespectful comments. Any student who does not follow these standards will not receive points for discussion and can be removed from the class. I strongly encourage you to develop true conversations in the Discussion Board. By this, I mean do not post only enough to meet the minimum word-count. This is your opportunity to debate and discuss with your classmates; it is also an opportunity to ask each other questions. I will be monitoring discussions and expect more participation than simply trying to meet your word-count obligation. 
• I cannot and will not respond to emails not sent from an NCTC email address. If you are having trouble logging in to your email or Canvas, please contact the Help Desk.
• I will reply to student emails in 24-48 hours. My offices hours are listed above, and during these times I will respond to messages within 15-20 minutes. 

The course summary below can help you keep track of deadlines and assignments - do not use this as a way to navigate the course, as it does not link you to learning materials, lectures, notes, or readings. Use the "Modules" link to navigate through the class contents.