The University of Western Ontario
WRITING 2211F
Fundamentals of Creative Writing
Fall 2008
Thursday 10:30-1:30 PM
KB K208
Instructor:
Terence Green
tgreen23@uwo.ca
www.tmgreen.com
Room: 270 Stevenson-Lawson
Office Hours: Wednesday, 6:00-7:00 PM; Thursday, 9:30-10:30 AM & 1:30-2:30 PM .
I am available during these hours by appointment.
COURSE OUTLINE
1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Students will explore fundamentals of creative writing by writing creative nonfiction, poetry
and fiction. In classroom discussion and small workshops, students will examine their own work
and that of others in an attempt to understand what makes a piece of prose or poetry come alive,
trying always to apply what has been learned to improve their own writing.
This is not a lecture course. It is a discussion, reading and workshop course, and as a result
students must be prepared to participate in the workshop process: peer evaluation, editing,
drafting, discussion topics, etc. And clearly, as there are only 13 classes (and no final
examination), attendance is mandatory. I will take attendance at the beginning of each class.
Should you arrive late, it will be your responsibility to ensure that you are not marked absent by
seeing me after class. [See note regarding Writing Program policy for documenting absences
and penalties for absences in Section 5 of this Course Outline.]
Students will keep a journal throughout the course, to be submitted as part of final grade on
November 20 (week 12), near the end of course (grade value: 10%). Entries (maximum: 1
page each) are expected to be made a minimum of twice weekly throughout the course.
* Journals submitted for grading must be computer-printed.
* Hand-written journals will not be accepted.

There will be a workshop participation mark (grade value: 10%).
Writing 2211F: Course Outline, Fall 2008
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2. REQUIRED TEXTS

On Becoming A Novelist, by John Gardner

(book about writing, by a noted teacher of writing) [To be read by Week 2, September 11]
Flash Fiction, ed. by Thomas, Thomas & Hazuka [$19.50 est.] (72 very short stories)

Wilderness Tips, by Margaret Atwood [$21 est.] (short stories)

Custom Course Book for Writing 211F 2007 [$21 est.] (essays, fiction, poetry)
[$17.50]
[To be read by Week 8, October 23]
[To be read by Week 11, November 13]
[Read and consulted throughout the course]
(above texts available in university bookstore)
3. RECOMMENDED TEXT

Shadow of Ashland, by Terence M. Green [$20] (Forge Books, NY, 1996)
[Voluntary reading due by Week 12, November 20]
(novel: available from instructor)

Students who choose to read the recommended text (novel: Shadow of Ashland) may earn up
to 5 bonus marks (5%) by submitting a personal response paper, 2 pages, typed, doublespaced.(Students must solicit topic from instructor before proceeding).
This may be submitted anytime up until Week 12,
November 20.
4. SCHEDULE

WEEK 1: Thursday, September 4
Introduction to course
Discussion regarding Journals
Assigned reading:
 On Becoming A Novelist by John Gardner (for next class, Week 2, September 11)
Assigned writing for next class: 1-page written response (in journals):
Pick the sentence from the Gardner book that makes the most sense to you,
explaining your reasons clearly.
Be prepared to share your response in class discussion.


Bring Custom Course Book to each class.
 Bring Journals to each class
WEEK 2: Thursday, September 11
▪ class discussion and sharing of written responses assigned September 4.
Writing 2211F: Course Outline, Fall 2008
▪ writing workshop; students will work from passages in On Becoming
A Novelist (plus Custom Course Book).
Assignments for next class (Week 3, September 18):
 Read “Learning to Chill Out” by Frank McCourt (Custom Course Book) for
September 18. Prepare 3 written questions (about
autobiographical writing in general which can be used to promote discussion).
*Again (reminder): Bring Custom Course Book to each class.*
WEEK 3: Thursday, September 18
▪ Autobiography/Memoir: class discussion and sharing of questions/responses assigned
September 11.
▪ writing workshop: researching your own life: students will work on
5-paragraph autobiography/memoir, due next class (Thursday, September 25).

WEEK 4: Thursday, September 25
▪ (minimum) 5-paragraph autobiography/memoir due today September 25 at
beginning of class (grade value: 10%).
“Inventing the Truth:” class discussion.
▪ “Time Travel to a Place:” writing workshop for 2-page piece,
due next class (Thursday, October 2).

WEEK 5: Thursday, October 2
▪ 2-page “Time Travel to Place” assignment due today October 2 at beginning of
class (grade value: 10%).
 Poetry introduction; read/discuss poems from Custom Course Book
(and other sources)
 establishment of criteria for good poetry;
grading and evaluation of poetry, based on criteria established as a class.
 brainstorm/share toward 1st poem using the given shared-template.
Poem #1 (10-20 lines) print and bring enough copies to workshop with the class next
day (Thursday, October 9).

WEEK 6: Thursday, October 9
▪ Poem #1 workshop class.
Final version of Poem #1 due October 16 (at beginning of next class)
(grade value: 10%).
▪ brainstorm/share toward 2nd poem, using one of 3 given templates.
Poem #2 (10-20 lines) print and bring enough copies to workshop with the class next
day (Thursday, October 16).
3
Writing 2211F: Course Outline, Fall 2008

4
WEEK 7: Thursday, October 16
Poem #1 due at beginning of class.
 Poem #2 workshop class.
Final version of Poem #2 due October 23 (at beginning of next class)
(grade value: 10%).
 Reading Assignment for next class (October 23): Complete reading of stories
from Flash Fiction.
Journal Assignment for next class (October 23): Select the 5 stories that you liked
the best, and explain clearly the reasons for your choices in a page or two of
journal entry. Be prepared to read and share your responses in class discussion.

WEEK 8: Thursday, October 23
Poem #2 due at beginning of class.
▪ Fiction introduction
Class discussion and sharing of journal responses assigned October 16.
Writing Assignment #1 for next class (November 1): Write a “flash fiction”
(circa 750 words) modeled on a story you admired.
Print and bring sufficient copies to share with the class.

WEEK 9: Thursday, October 30
 Flash Fiction #1 Workshop
Final copy of Flash Fiction #1 to be submitted for grading
at beginning of next class (November 6). Grade value: 10%.
Writing Assignment for next class (November 6): As before, write a “flash fiction”
(circa 750 words) modeled on a story you admired.
Print and bring sufficient copies to share with class.

WEEK 10: Thursday, November 6
Flash Fiction #1 due today at beginning of class.
▪ Flash Fiction #2 workshop
Final copy of Flash Fiction #2 to be submitted for grading
at beginning of next class (November 13). Grade value: 10%.
Reading Assignment for next class (November 13):
Complete reading of the 10 stories in Wilderness Tips.
Writing 2211F: Course Outline, Fall 2008

WEEK 11: Thursday, November 13
Flash Fiction #2 due today at beginning of class.
Introduction to the Short Story.
(*Bring text Wilderness Tips to today’s class.*)
▪ discussion re short stories from Wilderness Tips assigned last class
General Writing Assignment: students will begin working on drafts of their own
short story (5-10 pages in length, typed, double-spaced),
due Thursday, November 27 (grade value: 20%). If you would like to workshop
any portion of your story-in-progress, make enough copies to share with the class
and bring them next day (Thursday, November 20).

WEEK 12: Thursday, November 20
Journals to be submitted at beginning of class. Grade value: 10%.
* Bonus assignment due today (voluntary). *
Brief discussion re Shadow of Ashland and voluntary response paper.
Short story writing workshop, discussion:
story ideas; exercises, story models, character, setting, point-of-view; structure.
Writing workshop: students should have copies to share with the class
of portions of their own stories which they feel could benefit from workshopping
with class and bring them to today’s class.
Final drafts due next class (November 27).

WEEK 13: Thursday, November 27
Completed draft of student short story (5-10 pages, typed,
double-spaced)
due today November 27 at beginning of class (grade value: 20%).
NOTE: Since this is the last class, stories cannot be returned. Please ensure you keep a copy.
Comments and story grade may be obtained via email.
Class discussion re stories and experience of writing a story.
Summary evaluation. Discussion of learned experience.
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Writing 2211F: Course Outline, Fall 2008
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5. EVALUATION SUMMARY
Regular attendance and participation in workshops is required.
Students will be graded on the writing they produce in each of the 3 course sections:
 creative nonfiction 20%
 poetry 20%
 fiction 40%
 as well as a separate grade for the submitted journal 10%
 and a workshop participation mark 10%.


NOTE: All work submitted for grading or shared with other students in a workshop setting
must be computer-printed for legibility. All writing must be backed up on CD or disk, for
submission if requested.
Late assignments will be penalized 5% a day (including weekends) unless an extension has
been negotiated at least 48 hours in advance of due date.
ABSENCE POLICY
Attendance is required to improve as a writer. If you miss more than 6 hours of class
meetings your final grade will be penalized a full letter grade (an earned grade of 80%
would be reported as 70%); if you miss more than 9 hours of class meetings, you will not be
given a passing grade for the course.
This policy will only be waived for medical or compassionate reasons.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Medical Accommodation Policy:
For UWO Policy on Accommodation For Medical Illness, see:
http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/medical.pdf
(downloadable Student Medical Certificate (SMC): https://studentservices.uwo.ca under the Medical
Documentation heading)
Students seeking academic accommodation on medical or other grounds for any missed tests,
exams, participation components and/or assignments worth 10% or more of their final grade
must apply to the Academic Counselling office of their home Faculty and provide documentation.
Academic accommodation on medical grounds cannot be granted by the instructor or the Program
in Writing, Rhetoric, and Professional Communication, and the Program requires students in
these circumstances to follow the same procedure when seeking academic accommodation on
non-medical (i.e. non-medical compassionate or other) grounds. Students seeking academic
accommodation on medical grounds for any missed tests, exams, participation components
and/or assignments worth less than 10% of their final grade must also apply to the Academic
Counselling office of their home Faculty and provide documentation. Where in these
circumstances the accommodation is being sought on non-medical grounds, students should
consult in the first instance with their instructor, who may elect to make a decision on the request
directly, or refer the student to the Academic Counselling office of their home Faculty. Students
should also note that individual instructors are not permitted to receive medical documentation
directly from a student, whether in support of an application for accommodation on medical
grounds, or for other reasons (e.g. to explain an absence from class which may result in a grade
Writing 2211F: Course Outline, Fall 2008
7
penalty under an Attendance‘ policy in the course). All medical documentation must be
submitted to the Academic Counselling office of a student‘s home Faculty.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Statements on Scholastic Offences (Including Plagiarism) and Prerequisites. There are two
statements that UWO Senate has mandated for inclusion, verbatim, in student handouts:
i) Scholastic Offences: "Scholastic Offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the
appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following
Web site: http://www.uwo.ca/univsec/handbook/appeals/scholoff.pdf.
All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial
plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All
papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference
database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system.
Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement currently between The University of
Western Ontario and Turnitin.com (http://www.turnitin.com). N.B.: These required statements do
not rule out additional cautions by the instructor. Above all, every instance of egregious
plagiarism "with intent to deceive" must be reported to the Writing Program Office, in order to
determine the penalty with the authority of the Director of the Writing Program, and to check for
previous offences. A second offence will result in more serious penalties at the Dean's level.
Some instructors use the "Turnitin" program, available through Weldon Library, for on-line
checks; others simply use the Google search engine.
ii) Prerequisites: "Students are responsible for ensuring that their selection of courses is
appropriate and accurately recorded and that all course prerequisites have been successfully
completed, and that they are aware of any antirequisite course(s) that they have taken. If the
student does not have the requisites for a course, the University reserves the right to remove the
student from the course and to delete it from the student's record. This decision may not be
appealed. A student will receive no adjustment to his or her fees in the event that he or she is
dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites." (In course outlines for
22—series courses, please add the following: ―The prerequisite for registration in this course is
a) a final grade of 65 or more in one of Writing 2101, 2121, 2111, or 2131, or b) Special
Permission of the Program.)
Plagiarism: ‘Students must write their essays in their own words. Whenever students take an idea or
a passage from another author, they must acknowledge their debt both by using quotation marks
where appropriate and by proper referencing such as footnotes or citations. Plagiarism is a major
academic offence (see Scholastic Offence Policy in the Western Academic Calendar). The University
of Western Ontario uses software for plagiarism checking. Students may be required to submit their
written work in electronic form for plagiarism checking.’
In the area of creative writing, any student found to have submitted the work of another person will
automatically fail the course.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Prerequisite: At least 65% in Writing 2101 (101)F/G or Writing 2121 (121)F/G
No audits allowed.
3 hours; 0.5 course