Schedule

Spring 2021: Core Courses

ENGL 3010 | Poetry | Graves

Delivery Method: This will be a synchronous, discussion-based course that meets once weekly via the Zoom platform. Prerequisites: ENGL-1010 and 1020 or equivalents.

This course is a study of poetry as a genre with attention to its form and techniques. Reading and analysis of poems written by acknowledged masters of the genre will be included.

Required texts: The Norton Introduction to Poetry, 9th Edition, edited by Hunter, Booth, and Mays. Collected Poems, Sylvia Plath

ENGL 3142 | Creative Writing I: Fiction | Baumgartner

Delivery Method: This will be a synchronous, discussion-based course that meets twice weekly via the Zoom platform. Prerequisites: ENGL 1020 or equivalent; and one 2000-level literature course.

Students will read contemporary short fiction from a range of cultures and traditions, and have an opportunity to write and submit new work of their own. Special emphasis will be given to issues of form and technique in the short story. We will begin the semester by examining some of the finest published stories around, and then shift our attention to exploring outstanding student fiction submitted for workshop. Although we will dedicate a significant portion of the semester to student writing, you should come prepared to read and write critically (as well as creatively) on a weekly basis.

Required Texts: The Ecco Anthology of Contemporary American Short Fiction, ed. Joyce Carol Oates, 2008 [ISBN-13: 978-0061661587]; The Making of a Story: A Norton Guide to Creative Writing, Reprint edition, ed. Alice LaPlante, 2010 [ISBN-13: 978-0393337082]

ENGL 4917 | Creative Writing II: Poetry | Graves

Delivery Method: This will be a synchronous, discussion-based course that meets once weekly via the Zoom platform. Prerequisite(s): A grade of C or above in ENGL 1020; or equivalent.

This course is a creative writing workshop which requires students to submit one poem per week on topics and ideas designed by the student or assigned by professor. Specific poetic forms may be required. Poems will be offered rigorous criticism both by classmates and by the instructor. Regular reading assignments from required texts will be discussed in class. The final assignment for the workshop will be an in-class reading from a portfolio the student has created over the course of the semester.

ENGL 4930 | Creative Writing Capstone | Baumgartner

Delivery Method: This will be a synchronous, discussion-based course that meets 1-2 times weekly via the Zoom platform. We will meet face-to-face every Tuesday during our scheduled class period; some Thursdays we will meet face-to-face, others we will work asynchronously on D2L. Prerequisite(s): ENGL 3141 and ENGL 3142.

This capstone course in creative writing allows juniors and seniors in the Creative Writing minor to gain valuable professional knowledge and experience. This is a cross-genre class focusing on poetry and fiction; work in drama, screenwriting and creative nonfiction is also welcome. Coursework will go beyond traditional workshop curriculum to focus on publishing, copy editing, memorization and performance, as well as guided instruction in developing professional materials necessary for the creative job market. A key project in the class will be the development of an edited, cohesive portfolio of each student’s best work. Feel free to contact Dr. Mark Baumgartner (baumgartnerm@etsu.edu) if you would like more information about the course.

Required texts: The Creative Writer’s Survival Guide, by John McNally; The Poet’s Companion, by Kim Addonizio and Dorianne Laux; The Best American Poetry 2020, eds. David Lehman and Paisley Rekdal; The Best American Short Stories 2020, eds. Heidi Pitlor and Curtis Sittenfeld.

Please see The Clarion on the Literature and Language webpage for complete details on all courses offered in the department.