• English 8
• Electives
• English Course Selection

Creative Nonfiction is the ideal setting for students who want to continue nurturing their writing practice as well as students who are curious about what writing might look like beyond traditional academic structures. While most of the writing is based on the “self”, as personal essayists students will have freedom to choose their subjects as they experiment with and hone their style. The time is split evenly between teacher led instruction, self-driven practice, and collaborative peer work as we make our way through four major units: Narrative Personal Essay, Essay of Place, Essay of Definition, and Essay of Choice. Sharing Days provide opportunities to read aloud finished pieces as well as try out works in progress. While much of the reading is done in class, the expectation is that writing and revising are always happening beyond the classroom. Students in this workshop are accountable not only to themselves but to each other, and in the end, each will work in a small group as they finalize and publish their body of work, complete with Artist’s Statement and blurbs from their peers.

As a community of forming, developing, and growing writers, we will explore the following essential questions:

• What does it mean to have “presence” in your writing?
• What does it mean to have “voice,” and how can we actively participate in answering that question?
• What are the different forms of “free-writing”?
• How can the daily practice of free-writing help unlock the best material?
• How do writers consider the mechanics of English to enhance their craft and suit their subject matter?
• What do professional writers do to bring their audiences into their pieces, and how can we borrow their best practices?
• What does it mean to be a writer? To have a Writer’s Notebook, to read and think and look around the world like a writer?
• What does revision look like when viewed as another stage in composition?
• How and when do writers break rules and challenge what an “essay” can be?

Authors studied may include: Joan Didion, Marina Keegan, Gary Shteyngart, Annie Dillard, Margaret Atwood, Amy Tan, David Sedaris, Karen Russell, Zadie Smtih, Jill Eisenstadt, and Pico Iyer

Grading:

Class Participation: 15%

Workshop Preparedness: 15%

Individual Essays and Assignments: 40%

Final Collection: 30%