About Our Creative Writing Program
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 vital role in our culture.
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Courses
All courses focus on the reading of established authors, classic and contemporary, and provide the opportunity for extensive feedback on original work, attendance of literary events, publication in the college literary journal, Acorn Review, participation in student performance events, and inclusion in on-line event programs.
Creative Writing: English 126
Introduction to the basic elements of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and drama
writing, including study and analysis of techniques in the works of contemporary and
established writers. Practice in writing in the four genres as well as introduction
to the workshop method. Transfers to CSU, UC.
Short Fiction Writing: English 130-131-132-133
Repeatable writers workshop focused on the composition and revision of short fiction,
as well as an analysis of genre, structure, techniques, and style. Transfers to CSU,
UC (credit limited).
Creative Nonfiction Writing: English 134-135-136-137
Repeatable writers workshop focused on the composition and revision of creative nonfiction,
including memoir, the personal essay, literary journalism, cultural criticism, music,
travel, and nature writing. Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).
Poetry Writing: English 140-141-142-143
Repeatable writers workshop focused on the composition and revision of free verse
and formal poems, as well as an analysis of the fundamental tools, techniques, and
forms of poetry. Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).
Acorn Review Editing: English 145-146-147-148
Reading, selecting, editing, proofreading and arranging student creative writing and
art for Acorn Review, the Grossmont College student literary journal. Transfers to
CSU, UC (credit limited).
Drama Writing: English 160-161-162-163
Repeatable writers workshop focused on the composition and revision of writing for
the stage and screen, as well as an analysis of genre, structure, dramaturgy, and
style. Opportunities to participate in local productions. Transfers to CSU, UC (credit
limited).
Novel Writing: English 175-176-177-178
Repeatable writers workshop focused on the composition and revision of novels, as
well as an analysis of novel construction, character development, plot outline, scenes,
and themes. Transfers to CSU, UC (credit limited).
Creative Writing Faculty
Sacramento native JULIE CARDENAS co-coordinates Grossmont College’s Puente Program and teaches a variety of subjects for the English Department, including composition, creative writing, and Chicano literature. She also serves as advisor to the student-produced literary journal, Acorn Review, for which she also teaches English 145-148: Acorn Review: Editing and Production. Julie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Spanish from California State University, Sacramento, and a Master’s Degree in English from the University of San Diego. In addition to having served as the faculty advisor of a college newspaper for two years before coming to Grossmont, she edited a variety of professional newsletters and trade journals. Her writing career includes the publication of news and feature articles, poetry, and short fiction. Her writing career includes the publication of news and feature articles, poetry, and short fiction.
Fiction writer, poet, and former Grossmont College student, ENRIQUE CERVANTES holds a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from San Diego State University. Enrique’s writing has appeared in Aztec Literary Review,The Writer, The Blue Agave Literary Journal, San Diego City Beat, as well as the anthology The Far East: Everything Just As It Is. His novel-in-progress is about dancing, the border, and ghosts. Enrique will, again, teach the Short Fiction Writing workshop next semester as an on-campus course.
ADAM DEUTSCH is one of three Co-Coordinators of the Creative Writing Program and teaches Poetry Writing workshops during the fall semesters. He also operates Cooper Dillon Books, a poetry press for writers and poets. He has held editorial positions on a variety of small presses and journals, including Ninth Letter and Barn Owl Review. His own poems have appeared in Iron Horse Literary Review, Forklife OH, Thrush, Ping Pong, Arsenic Lobster, Across the Margin, Spinning Jenny, and Typo. His first full-length collection of poems, Every Transmission, was recently published by Fernwood Press.
KARL SHERLOCK carries an M.A. degree in Creative Writing from Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, and an M.F.A. in Writing from University of California, Irvine. A Fulbright alumnus and a recipient of an Academy of American Poets Prize, he obtained his M.A. degree in Creative Writing from Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, received his Master of Fine Arts in Writing from University of California, Irvine, and completed a year of Doctoral studies in English at Binghamton University. His queer and disability themed poetry and literary nonfiction have been published, or are forthcoming, in a variety of journals and anthologies, including After Happy Hour, Broken Lens, Cathexis North West, Lime Hawk, Mollyhouse, New Feathers, RockPaperPoem, Science WriteNow, Stoneboat, Streetlight, Wordgathering, and others. His personal essay, “Clear,” about his pre-Prop 8 marriage to a torture survivor of electroconvulsive conversion therapy at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, was a 2014 finalist for Sundress Publication's Best of the Net. He teaches Poetry Writing online during the spring semesters.
DANIELA SOW co-coordinates the Grossmont College Creative Writing Program and teaches English
126: Creative Writing. She received her Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing
(Poetry) from San Diego State University, and her Post-secondary Reading and Learning
Certificate from California State University, Fullerton. Her poetry has been published
(or is forthcoming) in San Diego Poetry Annual, Encompassing Seas, West Trestle Review, Sky Island Journal,
Twelve Mile Review, Porch Literary Magazine, and others. As a spoken word artist, she has competed in the National Poetry Slam.
Daniela teaches English 126: Intro. to Creative Writing. Her debut poetry collection,
Half Moon Rising, is due for release by Kelsay Books in 2024.
RICH FARRELL is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. In addition to leading workshops on narrative for San Diego Writers, Ink, he is the Creative Non-Fiction Editor at upstreet and a Senior Editor at Numéro Cinq. His work, including fiction, memoir, essays, interviews and book reviews, has appeared, or is forthcoming in, Potomac Review, Hunger Mountain, New Plains Review, upstreet, Descant, Contrary, Newfound, Numéro Cinq, and elsewhere. His first novel, The Falling Woman, was recently acquired by Algonquin Books and is expected to be released fall 2020.
About the Literary Arts Festival
An annual tradition since 1996, the spring LITERARY ARTS FESTIVAL brings a diverse range of living, established and respected authors from around the country. The experience of writers who read their work, teach their craft, and discuss their sources of inspiration, proves the power and relevance of contemporary literature. Always free of charge.
Co-Directors
Daniela Sow
Adam Deutsch
Subject Matter and Event Etiquette
Guest readers and presenters at our literary events are neither censored for language nor edited for the content of their readings, which may at times be considered suited for mature audiences only. Visitors who attend with young children, or who may be sensitive to such language and topics, are urged to research the writers in advance
The Creative Writing Program at Grossmont College is generously supported and sponsored
by a variety of organizations and programs that, over the years, have helped to make
our Literary Arts Festivals a reality, one of which is the Foundation for Grossmont
and Cuyamaca Colleges.
We invite you to use the "Foundation Giving" link to make a secure, tax deductible contribution to The Foundation on behalf of the Creative Writing Program. Your support helps us to achieve excellence in our literary events and our Program mission.