Daily blocks of classroom time include formal class hours, round table work, structured and individual writing time, and one-on-one consultations with teachers and teaching assistants.

Principal Areas of Study in Creative Writing

Poetry
Topics include the meaning of technique and craft, traditional and fixed forms as well as the discipline of writing free verse, writing from individual experiences, practicing the process of revision and keeping notebooks and journals. Critical faculties are developed through reading and interpreting samples from poetic literature in English, primarily American writers, and through critiquing student work in class.

Week I: Introduction to poetic terms, to content and narrative; writing exercises to develop understanding of imagery; introduction to round-table workshop, the rules, expectations and possibilities for critiquing; and an overview of assignments, with the expectation of three to four new poems or revisions each week.

Week II: Discussion of open forms, a variety of writing exercises, workshop emphasis on voice.

Week III: Discussion of figures of speech and poems based on work and other experiences; writing poems with strong sound patterns; workshop emphasis on rhythm.

Week IV: Discussion of techniques and revision; writing list poems and poems from images; workshop emphasis on independent criticism.

Week V: Discussion and writing exercises revolve around revision and editing processes; student anthology editing; exploration of publishing and literary magazines, education and career possibilities.

Fiction
Individual writing skills are developed through understanding the meaning of technique and craft; creation of specific detail in narrative, metaphor and simile; developing character, conflict and resolution; practicing dialogue by transcribing and then imitating patterns of human speech; studying traditional narrative story structure; practicing revision; exploring the possibilities of writing from individual experiences; and keeping notebooks and journals. Critical faculties are developed through reading and interpreting samples from literature, largely contemporary American; learning the conventions of verse and prosody; and critiquing student work in class.

Week I: Exploring the elements of fiction (concrete detail, realism, truth, scene, conflict and resolution); writing exercises emphasize tangible and emotional accounts, writing scenes of conflict, writing “truth.” Individual conferences and individual writing projects begin.

Week II: Emphasis on revision and story structure, and methods of setting, place and time. Conferences continue; group workshops begin.

Week III: Reading and writing assignments emphasize revision, characterization, point of view and dialogue.

Week IV: Revision processes receive continued attention; readings examine language, rhythm, tone and voice; workshops and conferences continue.

Week V: Revision continues to receive emphasis; discussion of genre fundamentals; discussion of publishing and editing of anthology; final conferences.

Readings and Performances
Writing deserves to be heard as well as read, in an atmosphere that respects both the nature of the art and the character of specific pieces. To this end, students participate in “works-in-progress” readings in class at the end of each week as well as two formal presentations presented to the entire PGSA community. Students also read their works as part of the Friday night Interdepartmental presentations and theme sessions. Faculty and staff assist students with learning techniques for reading aloud.

Personnel

Faculty
There is a master teacher for poetry and a master teacher for fiction. Both are professional writers who share their work with students.

ATTRAs
Two ATTRAs (Assistant To Teachers/Resident Assistants) are assigned to the writing department. These are PGSA alumni who are pursuing degrees and careers in the writing field.

Guest Writers
Each summer approximately three guest writers visit, read from their work, critique student work, and discuss aspects of their art, background and careers.

Leadership
Students are encouraged to share their knowledge and talents back home. They are guided through the process of determining what their local community needs and learn the basics of teaching poems and stories to classes at various levels. Students learn about starting and maintaining writers’ groups, reading and discussion groups, literary magazines and other publications.