The primary goal of this course is to teach you to write clear, sustained, compelling essays that, as Sondra Perl and Mimi Schwartz explain in the preface to their book on creative nonfiction, entitled Writing True, “have the power to persuade, explain, illuminate, evoke, depict, and inspire.” In this class, we will move beyond the familiar modes of academic writing to develop complex works of nonfiction that couple the rigor of analysis and research with literary craft. By learning to combine fact-based, investigative writing with the lyricism of poetry and the rhetorical devices of fiction, the writer of creative nonfiction can create work that is individual, thoughtful, and enlightening—this is the “art of exposition.”

We will develop these literary and critical thinking skills through a wide range of methods, including readings, discussions, exercises, reading responses, and workshops. Students should expect to write and revise two major essays (12-15 pages each), to complete short writing assignments, as well as to read and provide written feedback on the work of their peers. All readings will be posted on Canvas.

A note on format: though this class is remote, it will consist of a mix of synchronous and asynchronous meetings—sometimes together for live discussions via Zoom and other times working on virtual discussion boards or independent assignments. As such, students should plan to be available during our scheduled class period.

Class Format:

Online