SYLLABUS
CREATIVE NONFICTION – Literary journalism
ENG 306 Fall 2009
WEDNESDAYS 4 p.m.-6:30 GUILFORD 323
Lecturer: Stuart Warner

 Office hours: Guilford 316
Mondays & Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m.
and by appointment
E-Mail: warnercorn@msn.com
Web page: thewritecoachonline.com

blog: www. thewritecoach.wordpress.com

office phone: 216-368-2371

COURSE OUTLINE

This is a course for serious nonfiction writers. Literary journalism combines the writing techniques of fiction with the rigorous demands of accuracy in journalism. I’m leery of the term creative nonfiction because that seems to imply that writers can be creative with the facts. Not in this class. Reporting is the backbone of all good writing and you will be expected to report your stories with the same attention to detail as any newspaper journalist. Fine writing is expected, but you will also be expected to understand the techniques that make this writing resonate with readers. This class will focus on the disciplines of literary journalism that has produced award-winning series at The Plain Dealer such as The Burden of Innocence, Beyond Rape, The Inheritance, Johanna: Facing Forward and Bernard’s Story as well as such nationally reknown stories as Seabiscuit, The Soloist and Mrs. Kelly’s Monster. But we will also review narratives produced by college students while they were working as interns with me. The class will be directed to help you produce a 3,000-word narrative that would be worthy of publication. I am confident that working together we can do that.
 

READINGS (PARTIAL LIST)

Elements of Style, Strunk and White (recommended but not required)
Writing for Story, Jon Franklin
Seabiscuit: An American Legend, Laura Hillenbrand
The Soloist, Steve Lopez
Other assigned readings provided by instructor

GRADING
Grades will generally be based on the following scale
Final paper (3,000 words) – 35 percent
Other assigned writings – 25 percent
Mid-term exam on narrative terms – 25 percent
Class participation – 10 percent
Journals – 5 percent

RULES OF THE CLASS

Deadlines cannot be compromised. Assignments turned in late without a doctor’s excuse will not be accepted. Students will be held to professional standards with regard to spelling and factual errors, both of which will result in grade reductions. Students will also be expected to adhere to the grammatical rules outlined in Elements of Style. Plagiarism, fabrication or any other egregious ethical breach of professional standards shall be dealt with most severely.

SCHOOL POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

All forms of academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and obstruction are violations of academic integrity standards. Cheating includes copying from another’s work, falsifying problem solutions or laboratory reports, or using unauthorized sources, notes or computer programs. Plagiarism includes the presentation, without proper attribution, of another’s words or ideas from printed or electronic sources. It is also plagiarism to submit, without the instructor’s consent, an assignment in one class previously submitted in another. Misrepresentation includes forgery of official academic documents, the presentation of altered or falsified documents or testimony to a university office or official, taking an exam for another student, or lying about personal circumstances to postpone tests or assignments. Obstruction occurs when a student engages in unreasonable conduct that interferes with another’s ability to conduct scholarly activity. Destroying a student’s computer file, stealing a student’s notebook, and stealing a book on reserve in the library are examples of obstruction.

OVERVIEW
This is a rough outline of the topics will be covered and subject to change. Individual reading assignments will be updated weekly . And once again, there will be a current events or reading quiz at every class.

Week 1 – Introduction: What is literary journalism and opening the writer’s vein.
Week 2 – Narrative by the numbers – the terminology of literary journalism. .
Week 3 – The reported essay. Discussion with Pulitzer winning columnist Connie Schultz (Subject to speaker’s availability..
Week 4 – Seminars on writing that I give to professional writers: Be Your Own Coach and The Writing Process (focusing on Bernard’s Story). .
Week 5 – First writing assignment due; read aloud. Discussion of story present and back story (Frank Sinatra Has a Cold).
Week 6 – Analyzing the Narrative: Mrs. Kelly’s Monster. Organization..
Week 7 – Scene construction; getting inside characters head, dialogue vs. quotes. Assignment due on reporting a scene. Review of terms.
Week 8 – Test on applying narrative terms. Discussion of topics for final paper..
Weej 9. Reporting the narrative. Discussion of Seabiscuit
Week 10 – More reporting the narrative … Beyond Rape. (pending speaker availability). Outlines due for final paper.
Week 11 – The Personal Story. The Soloist. Getting into a character’s head..
Week 12 – The finer points; point of insight, foreshadowing, reconstruction.
Week 13 – Reporting and writing time for final papers
Week 14 – Schedule office time to review draft of final papers. Draft must be completed.
Week 15 – Revising time
Week 16 – Final papers due.