Fiction Workshop

Week of February 15
T-Workshop Two, In-Class Writing
Group 3 Distributes stories.

H-Workshop 3
Group 4 Distributes

Week of February 22
T-Workshop 4
Group 5 Distributes

H-Workshop 5
Homework: Read this review and be ready to discuss it in class. http://www.nytimes.com/1984/09/23/books/redheaded-hellions-in-the-crape-myrtle.html

IMPORTANT REMINDERS ABOUT THE CLASS:
1. When you are being workshopped, you are not to respond to comments or speak during your workshop. You will get a chance after the workshop to ask a question or make a comment. Please remember this rule as it not only makes it hard for readers to see your story anew, but it wastes workshop time.

2. Your grade will suffer immensely if you are not there on the day of your workshop or if you do not have stories ready to distribute the day before workshop day. These workshops (and your thoughtful, lively presence) are what make up the grade in this course. I cannot base grades on excuses why you were not there or prepared and if I do, they will be grades that differ greatly from your peers. Some of you have already delivered a surplus of reasons why you are not doing the work of the course when it is due and we are only a few weeks into the course. You might really want to consider your commitments, scheduling and time pressures and see if you really should be enrolled in this course at this time. If you decided to stay, please note that I will not punish students who follow the rules and requirements of the course by having your grade and theirs in the same ballpark.

I admit to serious frustration last week and a dread of more of the same, so I expect that you will all be in class, with the stories to be workshopped commented-upon and that you will too, provide verbal comments to the authors. When your group is about to be workshopped, you will have the stories ready and when you are being workshopped, you will take notes and listen thoughtfully. I love teaching and don't want to feel as I felt on Thursday again.