Independent Studies

Literary Landscape

In this class, students with serious ambitions for their writing explore their lives as writers once they leave Campbell Hall. Beginning with an examination of the ways in which programs at their likely college choices will build on—or break radically from—their experiences here, students will go on to explore the challenges of time management, inspiration, habit, self-promotion, the changing nature of publishing, shrinking markets, the ability to simultaneously absorb and deflect criticism, and financial solvency that are likely elements of an artist’s life. Through research, readings, guest speakers, conversation, and projects, students will build toward asking themselves what will make writing worth the trouble for them, and also help them develop sustainable strategies for continuing to create.

Literary Apprenticeship

In this class, each student, in partnership with the Director of Creative Writing, selects two to three authors whose work holds particular interest, technical fascination, and/or thematic relevance for the student’s work. The student then reads a substantial portion of the authors’ output, as well as delving into critical commentary and debates that that work has engendered, in an effort to determine which specific techniques make that writer so appealing. Students will then develop exercises to help them practice and master the techniques they have identified.

For their final projects, students will produce new creative pieces in which they employ (or respond to, or build upon, or react against) the techniques or thematic concerns they have gleaned from studying their authors.