Creative Writing Courses

grossmont.edu/cwp

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PROGRAM COORDINATORS

 

Daniela Sow, Co-Coordinator

 

Daniela Sow

Adam Deutsch, Co-Coordinator

 

 

Adam Deutsch

Karl Sherlock, Co-Coordinator

 

Karl Sherlock

 

 

A creative writing class may be one of the last places you can go where your life still matters.—Richard Hugo

 

The Creative Writing Program at Grossmont College fosters the development of creative writers at all skill levels in a supportive, professional, and dynamic atmosphere. It is our mission to serve and engage students, faculty, and the community actively through a rich variety of readings and other literary events that are always free and open to the public. The Creative Writing Program seeks to cultivate a diverse literary community and to celebrate and promote literature and its role in our culture. 

 

 

COURSES

All courses focus on the reading of established, contemporary and emerging authors, and provide the opportunity for extensive feedback on original work, attendance of literary events, publication in the college literary journal, Community Service Learning, and participation in campus and community literary events and readings. Non-degree earning students are welcome to enroll by submitting an instructor-signed Course Audit application to Admission and Records.   

 

Courses listed in red are not offered every semester. Check the current Class Schedule for course availability.


INTRODUCTION TO CREATIVE WRITING

ENGLISH 126

Introduction to the basic elements of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama writing, including study and analysis of techniques in works by diverse writers. Practice in writing in the four genres as well as introduction to the workshop method. Transfers to CSU, UC. Satisfies General Ed credit.


SHORT FICTION WRITING I-IV

ENGLISH 130-131-132-133

A four-course sequence of workshops focused on the study, analysis, and application of fundamental tools, techniques, and forms used by diverse authors of short fiction. By composing and submitting original short fiction, students learn to use the writers' workshop to develop their skills as critics and writers of fiction.  Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).


CREATIVE NONFICTION WRITING I-IV

ENGLISH 134-135-136-137

A four-course sequence of writers’ workshops offering study, analysis, and application of forms used by diverse creative nonfiction practitioners, including memoir, the personal essay, literary journalism, cultural criticism, and others.Enrollment is not conditioned upon completion of all four courses in the sequence.Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited). Satisfies General Ed credit.


POETRY WRITING I-IV

ENGLISH 140-141-142-143

A four-course writers’ workshop to develop poets’ skills as writers and critics of contemporary poetry; includes the study, analysis, and application of the poetic tools, techniques, and forms of poetry. Enrollment is not conditioned upon completion of all four courses in the sequence.Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).


ACORN REVIEW EDITING AND PRODUCTION I-IV

ENGLISH 145-146-147-148

A four-course practicum in reading, selecting, editing, proofreading and arranging manuscripts for publication in the campus’s official literary journal. Enrollment is not conditioned upon completion of all four courses in the sequence. Transfers to CSU (credit limited)


DRAMA WRITING I-IV

ENGLISH 160-161-162-163

A four-course script writer’s workshop for the composition and revision of writing intended for dramatic production; includes analysis of genre, structure, dramaturgy, and style. Opportunities to participate in local productions. Enrollment is not conditioned upon completion of all four courses in the sequence.Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).


NOVEL WRITING I-IV

ENGLISH 175-176-177-178

A four-course writers workshop focused on the composition and revision of long-form writing such as  novels, memoirs, and literary journalism, as well as an analysis of construction, point of view, characterization, plot outline, scenes, and themes. Enrollment is not conditioned upon completion of all four courses in the sequence. Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).

 

 

DEGREE CERTIFICATE IN CREATIVE WRITING

Grossmont College is one of the few community colleges in California to offer an Associate Degree with an English major that fulfills lower division requirements at most four-year colleges and universities and thus provides a broad-based foundation for transfer.  Any student who completes 24 units in the courses for this major, and chooses to complete 6 additional units from our Creative Writing Program's upper-level workshop courses (see below), qualifies for a Certificate of Achievement in English–Creative Writing. For more information, click HERE or select "Creative Writing Program" from the main menu.