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Program Components

Lecture: Every Tuesday Morning will begin with a presentation to the full group by Steven (me). I'll use these times to deal with program business and lay out the practical aspects of our week, but most of this time will be committed to providing conceptual and practical context for the texts and themes under study. I will present my own agenda and perspectives relative to the program materials and activities I've chosen for the class, attempting to link theory with practice, to form connections between what we do in seminar and what we do in our creative work. Some of the questions I am asking myself this quarter are: What is the relationship for practicing writers between experimentation and tradition? If experimentation is a rejection or response to traditional ways of understanding and practicing fiction writing, does it provide (overtly or covertly) any new formula or discourse for learning to write well? To what extent is "experimental" a useful description of a type/genre of literary work? Why is experimental fiction routinely marginalized by critics, academics, and by the process of educating writers and readers? In the absence of absolute paradigms for literary value or even beauty, how do writers find projects worthy of their obsession? What does the recent history of experimental and theoretical work tell us about the larger stories of literary and artistic and, in general, cultural production?

Preliminary Fiction Seminar: Every week, students will be reading a book-length work of fiction and, often, several short pieces. After the morning lecture, we'll use a short session to begin the seminar process. Students will not be expected to have finished the readings by this time, but should instead come to discuss the readings in process, to propose some agenda items for friday seminar, consider possible connections to program themes and other texts, and to deal upfront with any problems related to the reading, the seminar process, and so on.

Theory Seminar: In addition to the fiction texts each week, students will be expected to read material from the program "Reader" and from our two theory texts (Lit. Theory:An Intro. and Monstrous Possibility). (Go to Reader Page) These will often be challenging texts. Come to seminar (Wednesday morning) prepared to collaborate with others to dissect a variety of critical and philosophical approaches to literature. Use the web to clarify terms and gather context, and treat every seminar as if you were responsible for helping others to learn.

Critique: Each student will be a member of a small critique group that will meet at least once a week for focussed critique of each other's work. On Thursday mornings, critique meetings will take place near to my office so that I can wander through your conversations. Each week I will spend time with a certain number of groups and participate in the critiques.

Workshop: Our Friday morning workshops will serve a variety of functions, generally emphasizing creative practices, critique strategies, and the integration of program themes with our actual work as writers. These sessions will likely also be the forum for occasional student presentations.

Fiction Seminar: Friday afternoon will be our focussed fiction seminar on the week's book. We'll do what we can to integrate the text with other readings and program work.