If you’d prefer to download this syllabus in PDF form—including a working schedule for the whole semester— please click here.

ENW 210: Introduction to Creative Writing: 

Hybridity, Identity, and Getting Weird With It

lehmanfallcw.commons.gc.cuny.edu

Instructor: Prof. Zefyr Lisowski

MW 12:30 – 1:45 PM 

Fall 2020

Office Hours Monday 11:30 to 12:30 or by appointment

zef.lisowski@gmail.com | Zefyr.Lisowski@lehman.cuny.edu 

Course Description

How are we creative? What in our lives leads us to be creative? This course explores various types of creative writing—playwriting, fiction, and poetry—all through the lens of identity, hybrid-ness, and getting weird. Students should be prepared to listen closely to each other and the texts we’re looking at, push themselves in their writing and thinking, and develop skills in a wide range of forms. This can be intense work! As such, I invite you all to take your time with difficult assignments, let me know if you can’t complete a reading, and try and get yourself in a state to “create freely” through writing as frequently as you can, in as many different ways as you can. 

This class will emphasize developing craft through interrogating, writing from, and (in some cases) writing against one’s identity, so be prepared to get messy!

Course Expectations

We’ll draft up course expectations together on the first day, although regardless of what we decide on, compassion and deep engagement with each others’ work is as must. Avoid talking over other people if you can, and if you’re excited about something (or, conversely, really dislike one of the readings I’ve given you) say so!

As far what you can expect to take from this, here are the department’s outcomes:

• Build a community of creative writers sustained through insightful and constructive feedback
• Analyze, produce and learn about avenues for publishing a broad range of creative writing, including fiction, poetry, playwriting, and creative nonfiction

And here are my own addendums to this: 

By the end of the semester students will  be able to: 1) demonstrate their close reading skills by reading and discussing selections in all three genres; 2) develop their creative writing through weekly writing assignments covering all three genres; 3) refine and deepen their writing through revision exercises; a final project consisting of one piece in each genre; and written reflection on the writing process; and 4) engage in verbal workshop critiques of classmates’ work that draws on critical reading skills developed through discussion of literary selections.

Course Materials
Get a notebook for our class. Get a pen or pencil. If you have a smartphone, make sure you’re comfortable using the notes function on it—or even better, Google Docs (if not, don’t sweat it). Do you have all of these things? Incredible, that’s the majority of your required materials. 
This class is not a comprehensive survey of the history of creative writing in the English language; what we wind up talking the most about is subject to both my own interests and your own. We’ll look mainly at PDFs and web links of poems, stories, and essays, but you will also be responsible for selecting and purchasing at least one hybrid work from the list below to discuss; take some time to google what looks the most interesting to you. We will discuss these books individually by the halfway point of the semester, so reading them ahead is recommended.

Hybrid Works (Combine Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry) 

These works are available at a number of sources, including online, at used and new bookstores. You will select one of these books for a final presentation. Let me know if you have any issues with affording a copy. 

Zami: A New Spelling of My Name, Audre Lorde, The Crossing Press, 1982 (available as a free PDF here) ISBN 0895941228

Fierce Femmes and Notorious Liars, Kai Cheng Thom, Metonymy Press, 2017. ISBN 0994047134

Skim, Jillian and Mariko Tamaki, Groundwood, 2008*** ISBN 088899964X

***This book is a graphic novel/comic book; however, I invite you to think about the same ways it can also be a blurring of form!

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Requirements:

Readings: Come into class prepared to discuss all readings you were assigned. Think of things you liked and things you felt troubled by. Coming into your own as a writer so frequently involves coming into your own as a reader as well; connect these pieces w/ your own works in terms of techniques you could thieve, small details you noticed, and the emotional resonance of each work.

Writing Prompts: Each week you will have a creative/critical assignment due. Pick one element from the work you find interesting, and write in that mode. It could be writing a story using a similar narrator as the story we read, revealing information in the same kind of way as a specific nonfiction writer, or using a similar image to one of the poets we read. Revise as you feel necessary and turn in whatever you write. Some weeks, you will get a specific prompt, as opposed to being able to craft your own. Approach this much the same way! 

Forum Presentations: On forum presentation days, you’ll post an excerpt and short analysis on a book you’ve read outside of class that you’re especially excited by. In this post, you’ll discuss whatever you find interesting therein, and you’ll moderate (respond to, highlight, and discuss other people’s posts) a discussion on the forum.

Attendance: Attendance and participation are very important to this course. I expect everyone to be on time and be prepared for all classes; this means doing the reading, doing the assignments, and being prepared to respond to each other’s writing. However, if you have a disability, health, or family/work condition that makes completing the work (or punctuality, or attendance) difficult, let me know. 

Due dates, likewise, must be received within 24 hours of the deadline unless previously informed; the grade will drop by one letter grade each day after that. 

Workshops: Occasionally we’ll workshop each other’s work. This is indicated on the class website by “WORKSHOP” being written in all caps by the day in question. You’ll be assigned groups, and will only have to read each other’s work this week. Come in with comments, thorough questions, and a (kind) letter towards the writer on what you like or don’t like. 

University Policies:

Academic Dishonesty Academic dishonesty—which includes cheating, plagiarism, and more—is prohibited in The City University of New York. According to the Lehman academic integrity policy, penalties for academic dishonesty include academic sanctions, such as failing or otherwise reduced grades, and/or disciplinary sanctions, including suspension or expulsion. I encourage you all to read the policy in full if you haven’t already. Tutoring The Lehman Tutoring Center (LTC) offers two options for online tutoring: (a) online tutoring in writing with LTC or SLC tutors; and (b) online tutoring in writing with the assistance of a service called NetTutor : http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/academics/instructional-support-services/online-writing-tutor.php. Tutoring is still possible for creative assignments! If you ever want tutoring, please reach out to the LTC. Title IX CUNY is committed to maintaining a safe environment at all times and is a strong supporter of New York State’s policies and laws against sexual assault on college campuses. Lehman College encourages anyone experiencing harassment, discrimination or sexual misconduct to talk to a faculty member, counselor, or staff; confidential resources are available through the Lehman Counseling Center at (718) 960-8761. See also the CUNY Students Bill of Rights for more information.  International and undocumented students  The International Student and Scholar Office is dedicated to providing services, programs and activities that facilitate U.S immigration compliance and cross-cultural learning experiences to students and scholars in meeting their academic, personal growth and professional goals. Furthermore, as an educator, I support the rights of undocumented students to an education and to live free from the fear of deportation. If you have any concerns in that regard, feel free to discuss them with me, and I will respect your wishes concerning confidentiality. There are many resources on campus, throughout CUNY, NYC, and beyond. Disability Policy The mission of the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) is to offer students with disabilities equal access to all Lehman programs and activities in a climate that is welcoming and conducive to individual growth. Students with disabilities who may need classroom accommodations or assistive technologies are encouraged to register with the Office of Student Disability services. For more information, call 718-960-8441.

A Note on Grading

This course practices qualitative, not quantitative assessment.  So what does that mean? I won’t give you grades on every assignment, but will provide written and feedback for everything you turn in. I’ll meet in the middle of the semester with each of you to discuss course progress, and at the end of the semester will submit a final grade based on (1) assignment completion; (2) your own self-assessment; and (3) my own evaluation of your progress. Feel free to ask any questions! 
This policy is adapted from several other professors; here’s more information if you’re curious about why I’m doing this.

A Note on Scheduling

I realize that there are unique difficulties associated with digital learning. Our class is scheduled to meet twice a week on Lehman’s schedule, on Monday and Wednesday. We’ll be meeting every Wednesday synchronously, via Zoom. Mondays will be reserved for asynchronous work, a time to engage in forum posts, writing, class reading, and homework assignments in preparation for the next synchronous class. Occasionally, we may meet, either in person or one-on-one, on Mondays; you’ll receive ample notice over email when this is scheduled. We’ll discuss this more on the first day of class. 

I think it’s important to say: we’ll be reading some materials that may be difficult—either emotionally or formally. If you’re triggered by any of the materials we’re discussing, let me know and we can make accommodations together. 

This is a living syllabus; especially towards the end, what we’ll read and discuss will have as much to do with your needs and interests as my own. As such, check CUNYCommons and my class emails for the most up-to-date assignment lists.

A note on our identities:

We’re coming to this class from a wide range of different experiences, all of which impact our own writing. A lot of us may have experiences with violence that impact our comfort in the classroom and certainly can impact our writing. To this end, I encourage everyone to treat each other respectfully, including in the assignments you bring in; racist, homophobic, sexist, classist, ableist, transphobic, or otherwise discriminatory language won’t be tolerated, unless you can provide a full and convincing explanation of why you use it.

However, everyone makes mistakes (myself included)! If you see someone being rude, politely let them know. If someone tells you you were rude, consider where they are coming from! Hopefully, no one here wants to hurt anyone else.

I’ll try to put into place some safer space policies, including asking for pronouns and providing content warnings for pieces; however, I may slip up. Please, don’t feel afraid to tell me if I do so.

Above all, approach this with a sense of exploration. We’ll spend some of the first day talking about identities, but this is a conversation that is threaded through all of the works we’ll be discussing. Identities (especially gender and sexuality) can change throughout a semester. Keep that in mind, and, in your writing and class presence, try and explore who you are as much as what the writing is. Let’s jump into things.