Course description
CREATIVE WRITING
The Writing Workshop develops serious writers -- students who think of themselves primarily as writers and students for whom writing will be an important avocation. Workshop students learn the crafts of journalism, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, the play and the screenplay, and develop individual voices. They also learn to articulate and defend reasoned critical opinions. Course work must include six courses in literature and four workshops -- fiction, poetry and one of the following: playwriting, screenwriting, journal writing, the personal essay, journalism, publishing and the writing career. In consultation with the mentor, in special cases (involving a writing interest best served by study outside the literature track) students may substitute two courses from another discipline for one literature course. Seniors are required to complete a thesis. The thesis committee will include two full-time creative writing faculty and a third member from any other discipline. Concentrations in creative writing for theatre and writing for advertising and public relations are also available.
In the first year, students take any workshop at the 200 level and 100 or 200 level literature courses. In subsequent years, students build upon this foundation by 1) taking intermediate and advanced courses in fiction and poetry and courses in playwriting, screenwriting, journals, etc., and 2) developing a cluster of literature courses defined by a particular interest (e.g., modern and contemporary British and American poetry and fiction) and/or supported by courses from other disciplines (e.g., American studies or history of modern Britain).
Writing Workshop students are required to take fiction and poetry workshops at Eckerd College.
To minor in creative writing, students must take three Writing Workshop courses (in at least two genres) and two literature courses. One workshop and one literature course must be 300 level or above. The workshops must be Eckerd College courses.
Students wishing to double major in creative writing and literature must take ten literature courses and fulfill all other requirements for both majors. Literature courses taken for a major in literature may be counted for a minor in creative writing.
