Objectives: 

✓ Understand how to channel and source inspiration, apply innovative concepts and topics to fiction, and gain basic knowledge of prose, language, and imagery.
✓Understand the basic components of poetry writing, apply experimental perspectives to varying forms of poetry, and gain an understanding of creative and compelling language.
✓ Understand how to explore meaningful personal experiences, learn how to embellish facts to create fiction, and gain concrete experience with creative non-fiction writing styles.
✓ Apply understanding of creative writing to poetry, fiction, or creative non-fiction outcomes
✓ Learn how to prepare an outstanding submission to Bennington
✓ Utilize knowledge of prose, poetry, and creative non-fiction concepts to create innovatively structured work  

Learning Outcomes: 
✓ Understand how to creatively brainstorm topics, draw inspiration from existing literature or life experiences, and apply ideas to fiction.
✓ Understand how to apply inspiration to poetry, utilize vivid language and imagery, and experiment with form using innovative strategies.
✓ Understand how to draw inspiration from life experiences, learn how to create a balance between “fact” and “fiction,” and apply to creative non-fiction outcomes.
✓ Can address creative writing from a unique perspective
✓ Understands the structure and requirements of writing fiction, poetry, and/or creative non-fiction for Bennington
✓ Gains experience with applying creativity to concrete outcomes 

Class Timeline: 45 mins. per lesson (20 mins. for instruction, 20 mins. for discussion & debate, 5 mins. for homework review & Q/A) 

Detailed Lesson Plan:   

Part 1 (Violet)
Week 1a: Flash Fiction—Experiment with structure and character flaws
Week 1b: Read and Reflect—Jamaica Kincaid, Ernest Hemingway, Roxane Gay
Week 2a: Humor—Creatively use dialogue and life experiences
Week 2b: Read and Reflect— Oscar Wilde, George Saunders, David Sedaris
Week 3a: Magical Realism—Explore creative possibilities and reference mythology
Week 3b: Read and Reflect—Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Laura Esquival, Haruki Murakami
Week 4a: Lyric Poetry—Use meter, lines, and stanzas
Week 4b: Read and Reflect – T.S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Emily Dickinson
Week 5a: Narrative Poetry—Add similes and metaphors to your poetry
Week 5b: Read and Reflect – Edgard Allen Poe, Pablo Neruda, Claudia Rankine
Week 6a: Free Verse Poetry—How to utilize innovative techniques in poetry
Week 6b: Read and Reflect – Bob Dylan, E.E. Cummings, Li-Young Lee
Week 7a: Memoir—How to establish your voice and evaluate life events
Week 7b: Read and Reflect—James McBride, Patti Smith, Joan Didion
Week 8a: Personal Essay—Grab your readers’ attention and introduce creative realizations
Week 8b: Read and Reflect—Nora Ephron, Virginia Woolf, Cathy Park Hong
Week 9a: Creative Nonfiction Essay—Create a “twist” and embellish facts
Week 9b: Read and Reflect—David Foster Wallace, Malcolm Gladwell, Eula Biss
Week 10a: Capstone Project #1: Create your own Flash Fiction, Humor, or Magical Realism story from scratch
Week 10b: Capstone Project #1: Edits and Evaluation
Week 11a: Capstone Project #2:: Create your own Lyric, Narrative, or Free Verse poetry from scratch/Evaluation and feedback
Week 11b: Capstone Project #2: Edits and Evaluation
Week 12a: Capstone Project #3: Create your own memoir, personal essay, or creative nonfiction essay from scratch/Evaluation and feedback
Week 12b: Capstone Project #3: Edits and Evaluation

Part 2 (Bennington):
Week 13: Ideation & Brainstorming—Come up with ideas for potential categories
Week 14: Topic Confirmation—Select a category and come up with working ideas
Week 15: Lecture—Gain background knowledge on your chosen category
Week 16: Seminar—Discuss relevant readings in-depth and narrow down your ideas
Week 17: Outline—Review a logical outline template, model outline, and reading sources
Week 18: First Draft and Edits—Write your first draft and receive detailed edits and feedback
Week 19: Second Draft and Edits—Write your second draft and receive detailed edits and feedback
Week 20: Final Edits, Polishing, and evaluation: Polish your draft overall so that it is ready for submission, and receive an evaluation of your essay writing skills