LIT 2010 - Spring 2026 - Liu

As an introductory course for aspiring fiction writers, this class explores the fundamentals of fiction writing—setting, plot, perspective, structure, and more. But it also asks: are these elements merely matters of craft, or are they inherently political? Alongside studying Western classics by writers such as Anton Chekhov, James Joyce, and Alice Munro, we will practice what feminist scholars and writers Judith Fetterley and Adrienne Rich call "resisting" and "revisioning." What happens when we situate the seemingly neutral choices of craft in a world where every choice carries real consequences? How can we read and reread the classics differently? Ultimately, this course is designed not only to teach the basics of storytelling but also to encourage writers to consider how their tools might respond to real-world concerns.