Ms. Caswell's Writing Classes

Mary G. Montgomery High School

Semmes, Alabama

Website Objective: Engage students in creative writing and submit their best works.

Creative Writing Class

Ms. Caswell

Syllabus 2011 - 2012

This class is not meant to judge a student’s skill or fail them if they are not “good” writers. It is a stepping stone to learning how to write or improve writing.

Reading is part of writing. One, it promotes and supports other writers. Two, it gives writers examples of various styles and modes of writing. Expect to read.

Class Materials:

Spiral Notebooks for Journal entries only

3 – Ring binder (dividers: Fiction, Poetry, Script Writing)

$10 club fee includes T-Shirt

Students will be able to:

• Write a peer response paper (250 words)
• Listen to critiques
• Submit a piece of work over 1,000 words to be peer critiqued and published – provide to teacher ahead of your turn so I can make copies for the class.
• Read a book or short story and write a critique.
• Maintain a Journal
• Expand vocabulary

Writing Project Requirements:

One rough draft of a manuscript (short story, novel, screenplay, poem) – project is to be decided on by the beginning of the second week of school. First rough draft will be submitted week 3 of class. Students will work on this project throughout the class and will submit a publishable draft two weeks prior to semester’s end. Students will sign up for a critique week to have their manuscript critiqued by peers.

Class Regular Schedule:

• One peer response (critique) per week will be collected for an individual grade. 60% of grade
• Short Activities – 40% of grade
• Writing Activities – 60% of grade
• All days are writing days.
• Writing responses – peer and professional

WARNING: This is a CREATIVE WRITING course and although there is more to writing then just writing, you need to be prepared to write as much as possible – IN CLASS AND OUT OF CLASS. (Outside writing and reading is required)