223: Introduction to Creative Writing

English 223 introduces students to the craft and critique that characterize creative writing, both as a discipline in the English Department at the University of Michigan and as a profession. This course treats creative writing as a skill and a habit of mind that students can actively develop through disciplined practice. The course also encourages students to participate in the writerly community as literary citizens. In addition to doing copious writing, students read published work in multiple genres, attend local readings, and respond to one another’s creative work. Over the course of the term, students produce writing that demonstrates both deliberate attention to craft and reflective awareness of their own and others’ creative processes. English 223 prepares students for upper-level creative writing courses in fiction and poetry and is required for both the sub-concentration and the minor in Creative Writing.

Learning Goals for English 223:

1. To hone writing craft, style, and mechanics in at least two of the following genres: fiction, poetry, and/or drama.
2. To develop a shared critical vocabulary for producing and analyzing creative writing.To read, analyze, and evaluate published work from a writer’s perspective.
3. To develop flexible strategies for creating, revising, and editing writing in various creative genres.
4. To develop strategies for self-assessment and reflection on the process of writing.
5. To participate actively in a community of writers, both in the classroom and beyond.