CRW 3110-0001 - Spring 2025 - Zhuang

This course introduces students to the fundamentals of fiction writing, with an emphasis on reading and writing short stories. In the first half of the course, students will critically study a diverse selection of short fiction from the nineteenth through the twenty-first century, focusing on essential elements such as character, setting, plot, dialogue, and form. By examining works from a wide array of authors, students will learn to identify and analyze key aspects of fiction—tone, narration, theme, and structure. In the latter half of the course, students will workshop their own short stories. Each student will submit one original short story (10 pages) for peer critique and receive feedback for revision. The goal of the workshop is to foster a supportive community of writers who actively engage with one another’s work and help each other grow as stronger and more confident writer.