Unit 1: The Nature of Writing (& writing about nature)
Tuesday, September 1st
Introduction to each other and course
Free write practice: biography
Read: Syllabus, “What is Creative Nonfiction?” by Lee Gutkind & excerpt from Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, come with an example of creative nonfiction for discussion
Thursday, September 3rd
Continue introductions, class schedule
Reader response & discussion practice: defining creative nonfiction & the nature of writing (& broccoli)
Read: “Going to the Woods: A Few Words about Nature Writing” by Amber Lee & “A Brief Guide to Writing the Nature Essay” by Dinty Moore, “Yosemite Glaciers” by John Muir, & Braiding Sweetgrass, “Skywoman Falling” by Robin Wall Kimmerer
Tuesday, September 8th
Reader response & discussion #1: Nature writing, description & sensory details
Introduction to Nature writing assignment
Read: “When I am among the trees” by Mary Oliver, Treeline by Jordan Manley, Hermann Hesse on “What Trees Teach us about Being Human” by Maria Popova, & “The Tree Beyond Imagining” by Reg Saner
Thursday, September 10th
Scavenger hunt/writing outside
Free write #1: Plants
Share descriptive paragraphs
Read: “The Pond in Winter” by Henry David Thoreau, “Winter” by Larry Sill, “Snow” by John Haines, “Good Use for Bad Weather” by Donald Hall, & “Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost
Tuesday, September 15th
Reader response & discussion #2: Sensory details & seasons
Descriptive words from images/videos
Read: “January” by Verlyn Klinkenborg
Thursday, September 17th
Free write #2: Seasons
Share descriptive paragraphs
“The Summer Day” by Mary Oliver (reading(s) from documentary)
Team odes to a season
Sign up for conferences for next week!
Read: “Wild Geese” by Mary Oliver (bonus video from her documentary), “Living like Weasels” by Annie Dillard, “Mute Dancers: How to Watch a Hummingbird” by Diane Ackerman. Bring an animal poem to class Tuesday
Full Documentary: Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World
Tuesday, September 22nd
Reader response & discussion #3: creatures and presence
Share poems, creature drawings
Read: “A Family History Told in Horses” by Rachael King, bring a photo of an animal to class Thursday
Thursday, September 24th
Individual conferences this week!
Free write #3: Creatures
Drafting & the process of revision
Rough draft for Tuesday
Read: “Feminism (n.)” by Roxanne Gay, “In Praise of the Humble Comma” by Pico Iyer, “Enough Jam for a Lifetime” by Maxine Kumin
Tuesday, September 29th
Workshop nature essays/revisions
Essays due Thursday!
Read: “Odd Objects: In Praise of the Wunderkammer” by Karen Babine, “Afternoon Tea” by Emily Hiestand, “Spoon” & “Collar” by Dinah Lenney
Unit 2: Nouns: people, places, and things (we hold dear)
Thursday, October 1st
Nature essay due!
Introduction to noun exploration assignment
Reader response & discussion #4: our connection to things
Free write #4: Objects
Read: “My Mother in Two Photographs…” by Aleida RodrÍguez & “My Father, Out to Sea” Jaed Coffin, “Becoming You” by Joshua Rothman (library), & “Someone I Love” by Naomi Shihab Nye
Tuesday, October 6th
Reader response & discussion #5: Profiles & characterization
Brainstorming noun essays
Read: Humans of NY TBA & “The Art of an Effective Interview” with Brandon Stanton (HoNY)
Thursday, October 8th
Free write #5: People
Interviews
Playing with perspective
Read: “Writing about Place in Personal Nonfiction” by Georgia Kreiger, “The Ashes of August” by Kim Barnes & “Writing the Travel Essay” & “History” by Dinty Moore, & “The Shock of Teapots” by Cynthia Ozick
Tuesday, October 13th
No class. Classes follow a Wednesday schedule!
Thursday, October 15th
Reader response & discussion #6: Place & travel
Free write #6: Place
Drafting & revision
Individual conferences this week!
Work on noun essays
Read: “Taroko Gorge” by Nick Montfort
Tuesday, October 20th
Workshop noun essays/revision
Read: “The Starry Night” by Anne Sexton & “Vincent” by Don McLean, excerpts from Leap by Terry Tempest Williams and Still Life with Oysters and Lemon by Mark Doty, & “Dead Christ” by Brian Bouldrey
Unit 3: Ekphrastic writing (Writing about art, music, & ….)
Thursday, October 22nd
Noun essay due!
Art Department Visit!
Reader response & discussion #7: art & ekphrastic writing
Free write #7: art
Introduction to ekphrastic essay
Read: “Ekphrasis: Writing about Music” by N.L. Holmes, “Being James Brown” Jonthan Lethem (library), “Taylor Swift does not Exist” by Sam Kriss, & “Some Notes on Attunement” by Zadie Smith (“Sing it Loud” by Jenny O’Connell?)
Tuesday, October 27th
Reader response & discussion #8: our connection to music
Bring a song for Thursday
Read: “Suspended” by Joy Harjo & “Music is My Bag” by Meghan Daum
Thursday, October 29th
Free write #8: music
class playlist
Read/watch: “Pearl Harbor” by Anthony Lane, “Seeing Hamilton” by Tim Sniffen, “Oscar Rant part II: Barbie” by Leah Williams
Tuesday, November 3rd
Reader response & discussion #9: performances that move us
Read/watch: “A Critical Essay on the Art of Performance as Guided by Work on Improvisation” by Gunnar de Jong & performances/performance readings TBA
Thursday, November 5th
Individual conferences this week!
Free write #9: performance
Drafting & revision
Ekphrastic essays in process check-in, preparing for workshop
Rough draft for Tuesday
Tuesday, November 10th
Workshop ekphrastic drafts/revision
Bring a printed copy of one of your essays for Thursday’s class
Read: “The Medium is the Message” by Marshall McLuhan, (“Understanding Marshall McLuhan’s Concept” video), & “Introduction: The Double Logic of Remediation” by Jay David Bolter
Unit 4: Final revision/remediation/reflection (Listen to your (multimodal) broccoli)
Thursday, November 12th
Ekphrastic essays due!
Collage/remediation
“The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe, Clueless, 10 Things I Hate about You
Introduction to Final Revision/Remediation & multimodal examples/technology
Read: multimodal/remediation examples: “RedRidinghood” by Donna Leishman, “You’re so Brave for Wearing Clothes & Not Hating Yourself” by Lindy West & Pool party scene from Shrill, “My Body, A Wunderkammer” by Shelley Jackson & “All Girls Must be Everything” by Tina Fey & scene from Mean Girls
Tuesday, November 17th
Reader response & discussion #10: media & remediation
Proposals submitted for revision/remediation
Media/platform options/brainstorming topics
Topic proposals due (via email)
Thursday, November 19th
Free write #10: Brainstorming/planning for projects
Twine/ThingLink/MyMaps tutorial
In-class work on projects
Tuesday, November 24th
Reflective memos
Work on projects
Sign up for workshop & conferences
Happy Thanksgiving!
Tuesday, December 1st
Individual conferences this week!
Work on projects/ posting drafts
Thursday, December 3rd
Workshop revision/remediations
Tuesday, December 8th
Final revision/remediation essay presentations!
Presentations & discussion/workshop
Thursday, December 10th
Last day of class!
Presentations & discussion/workshop
Final project revisions & reflections due by Friday, December 11th!