In what situations, milieus, and other kinds of settings do characters find or put themselves? How and why did they get there? How do they then behave? What habits, values, self-identity paradigms, world views, conscious and unconscious needs, goals and fears drive them and affect or determine their actions and decisions? The answers to these key questions help authors to create compelling, rounded characters in realistic settings, dramatized through vivid, engaging scenes with meaningful subtexts, in stories that are surprising yet convincing. With that in mind, this class will explore these and other narrative design elements in service of students constructing their own short fiction prose narratives.

Students will also be given the guidance and tools for analyzing existing literary texts. Along with reading, discussing and writing about selected published materials, students will consider and practice spontaneous and experimental modes of story development, as well as apply some established cinematic and classical dramatic paradigms for story structure and development.

Typical program activities will include writing exercises, story drafting, self-editing, small- and large-group peer activities including writing critiques, and weekly seminars on assigned readings. The major project will be a short story that has undergone revision through several drafts.

In general, students will explore and practice story crafting, writing as a process, fiction genres, and literary analysis, and are expected to be active, consistently engaged members of a learning community.