This upper-division cross-genre literary arts program will give students an opportunity to generate new writing, and/or develop existing writing projects; practice craft in community; analyze contemporary literary texts; and develop tools and techniques with which to critique and revise our own works-in-progress. We'll read as writers, studying and learning from the interplay of structure, lineage, genre, ethics, politics, and aesthetics in powerful, effective literature, with a focus on the idea of writing as experiment. Our readings of outside authors will expose us to a wide range of approaches to literary form.

No art form exists in isolation. We'll cultivate our fluency and sharpen our theoretical vision by intersecting with two humanist forums on campus: the Critical & Cultural Theory lecture series, and the Artist’s Lecture Series. Our participation in these series' will increase our understanding of the vital symbiotic interconnections between cultural theory, literature, and the visual arts (of special interest for those who use visual imagery in their creative writing). Come prepared to read anywhere from 100-300 pages a week; write intensively and rigorously; collaborate respectfully; experiment playfully; and think connectively.