ENGL 2026 - Creative Writing: Memoir & Nonfiction

Credits: 3
Hours/Week: Lecture 3 Lab None
Course Description: This creative writing class intended for all students focuses on the writing and close reading of memoir and creative nonfiction. The evolving genre of nonfiction uses the literary techniques often found in fiction and poetry to tell true stories about real people and events. In addition to memoir, nonfiction texts may include nonfiction shorts, the personal essay, and other blended forms. Because creative writing involves both creativity and scholarship, coursework includes critical analysis of student and published writing; forming aesthetic judgments about creative nonfiction; writing and revising creative nonfiction; form and technique in creative nonfiction; and responding to the creative work of classmates in a writing community. This course does not fulfill the Literature requirement for the Associate of Arts degree at Century College.
MnTC Goals
6 Humanities/Fine Arts

Prerequisite(s): Course placement into college-level English and Reading OR completion of ENGL 0950  with a grade of C or higher OR completion of RDNG 0940  with a grade of C or higher and qualifying English Placement Exam OR completion of RDNG 0950  with a grade of C or higher and ENGL 0090  with a grade of C or higher OR completion of ESOL 0051  with a grade of C or higher and ESOL 0052  with a grade of C or higher.
Corequisite(s): None
Recommendation: ENGL 1020   with a grade of C or higher OR ENGL 1021  with a grade of C or higher and ENGL 1027 . Basic word processing and computer skills.

Major Content
1. Contemporary aesthetics in memoir & creative nonfiction-including current blended and hybrid forms

2. Published memoir & creative nonfiction as models for student writing

1. selected readings may include Cheryl Strayed, David Foster Wallace, Anne Lamott, Maxine Hong Kingston, Philip Lopate, Joan Didion, David Sedaris, Brenda Miller, Lee Gutkind, and others
2. observation and discussion of writers’ choices
3. written reflection on using learned techniques in original work

3. Forms, styles, and techniques in memoir & creative nonfiction

4. Overview of and practice with the creative process in memoir & creative nonfiction

1. discovering and generating material
2. writing drafts of memoir & creative nonfiction
3. practice with a variety of memoir & creative nonfiction styles-including current blended and hybrid forms
4. providing written and/or oral feedback in writing groups and a workshop environment
5. revising memoir & creative nonfiction

5. Qualities of effective writing communities

1. guidelines for writing groups and/or writing workshops
2. criteria for evaluating original memoir & creative nonfiction in progress
3. how to accept and offer thoughtful oral and written feedback within established writing groups and/or writing workshops

6. Techniques for writing, revising, and presenting a variety of memoir & creative nonfiction styles and forms

7. Criteria for evaluating published work and/or performance of an author of contemporary memoir & creative nonfiction
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this course students will be able to:

1. analyze a wide variety of memoir & creative nonfiction work representing a range of styles and subgenres.
2. engage in the creative process through writing and revising memoir & creative nonfiction.
3. articulate informed personal judgments about published memoir & creative nonfiction.
4. apply principles of contemporary aesthetics to original memoir & creative nonfiction.
5. critique published memoir & creative nonfiction as models for their own writing.
6. exchange constructive feedback about original memoir & creative nonfiction within a writing community.
7. evaluate published work and/or performance of an author of contemporary memoir & creative nonfiction.

06. 04. Engage in the creative process or interpretive performance.

06. 05. Articulate an informed personal reaction to works in the arts and humanities.

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