ENGLISH CNYA: Creative Nonfiction Workshop: Young Adult Writing

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I won't grade your creative pieces, but I will give you extensive written feedback. If you turn in your piece on time and you follow the assignment guidelines then you will receive what amounts to 100% grade-wise. 

"Workshop" and "workshopping" simply entails that you will write essays/true stories/pieces about your own life, the people you know, the things that you've experienced and then we as a class will read your piece and give the best and most constructive feedback (written and spoken) that we can. This means that you will likely share/write personal details about yourself, but, of course, you don't have to share anything that you don't feel comfortable sharing. Each workshop will be about twenty minutes long, and I ask that everyone speak and discuss the piece that is being workshopped. The author can ask questions and join in the discussion, but I also ask that the author listen closely and wait to explain their piece or answer questions at the end of their workshop. 

Grade Distribution:

 

10%     Essay 1 (first person POV) 

10%     Essay 2 (research/reportage) 

10%     Essay 3 (experimental/remix) 

20%     Final portfolio (includes revisions of 2 of your pieces and a 2-page revision reflection) 

20%     Critical responses/feedback to other writers in the class

30%     Class participation and attendance and in-class writing exercises 

 

Writing Assignments 

Please have a writing journal every class period.

You will write both in-class and at home exercises and share these with the class and in small groups. Many of these lower stakes prompts are already in the class schedule and align with the readings that we are doing for that day. 

"Workshop" and "workshopping" simply entails that you will write essays/true stories/pieces about your own life, the people you know, the things that you've experienced and then we as a class will read your piece and give the best and most constructive feedback, written and spoken) that we can. This means that you will likely share personal details about yourself, but, of course, you don't have to share anything that you don't feel comfortable sharing. Each workshop will be about twenty minutes long, and I ask that everyone speak and discuss the piece that is being workshopped. The author can ask questions and join in the discussion, but I also ask that the author listen closely and wait to explain their piece or answer questions at the end of their workshop. 

Your three workshop pieces will be 8-12 pages each. 

Peer Feedback

Because this is a writing workshop, you will be required to provide useful, constructive, critical responses (approximately 350 words, typed) to each of your workshop peers (3 people). These will be due to the writers in class on the day they are getting workshopped. You must also turn in your responses to me via email before class (please send me individual Word docs for each workshopped writer). While I will not pass back the critical responses individually, I will read them all; your thoughtful and timely completion of critical responses will represent 20% of your grade. It is likely that these critical responses will accelerate your development as a writer more than anything else in this course.  

 

Office Hours

I will hold office hours for this class on Friday from 11-1 pm, as well as by appointment via Zoom. If you’d like to meet outside of the scheduled time, please email me with your best three times and dates and I’ll do my best to accommodate your request.

Office hours are a good time to talk if you are having a problem with some aspect of the course. But also keep in mind that office hours are not only a time to address problems. I’d be happy to talk with you about your areas of special interest, help brainstorm topics for your final paper, etc. If you have questions or just want to explore an idea, come by!

 

Instructor Contact and Bio: 

I can be contacted via email melissacundieff@fas.harvard.edu. I'll always respond to your emails within three hours

This is my first year teaching at Harvard! I’ve taught a variety of creative writing and literature classes at both institutions. I received a BA in English Literature from Arizona State University and an MFA in Creative Writing (poetry) from Vanderbilt University. My topics and areas of interest include Indigenous literature, creative writing (poetry, fiction and nonfiction), violence and trauma, gender, sexuality, and feminist studies, as well as visual art.

 

Course Requirements 

-3 CNF essays (true stories about your life; we will talk in-depth about what this means, and you have plenty of time to write and prepare these pieces in- and outside of class time)

-Participation 

This portion of your grade is based on attendance and discussion participation.

You will be asked, also, to “lead” discussion several times in the semester – this simply means that you prepare for class by directing us towards something in the texts that you find particularly compelling. You’ll speak a bit to whatever that interest might be, why you find it compelling, how you seeing it aligning with other texts, etc. 

Participation also includes coming prepared to complete in-class writing exercises and with at-home writing exercises completed. 

-Feedback to your peers (spoken feedback for everyone, written feedback only for 3-4 people)

-Final Portfolio

For your final portfolio, I'd like for you to turn in two revisions -- these revisions can be as radical or minimal as you want, but I do ask that you take your revisions seriously. These revisions, your writing, are/is for you; don't revise according to feedback that you don't like. 

Yes, your flash piece can one of the revised pieces. 

I'd also like for you to turn in 2-3 page reflection on your work this semester, including your revision choices. Think critically about your writer growth and development by articulating your relationship with both craft and formal components (and as you see those components functioning in your work.) Think about the choices you make as a writer and why. 

-Attendance 

This course is discussion based and class participation is essential. Please come to class with the reading completed and with questions and opinions ready.

You will be permitted one excused absence. Absences due to illness and other unavoidable special circumstances will be excused with some form of documentation. Please don't be late to class! 

 

Name/Pronouns  

I will do my best to address you by a preferred name or gender pronoun that you have identified. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records.

Accommodations

I am committed to providing assistance to help you be successful in this course. Reasonable accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities. Please visit https://osa.gse.harvard.edu/student-support-services-1 for more information. 

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism is the presentation of another’s words or ideas without proper attribution, so that it appears that you are claiming them as your own. If you are uncertain about how to properly quote and cite sources, please always come talk to me. Plagiarism on any assignment is grounds for failure of the assignment, at a minimum.

Content Warnings

Many of the materials/essays that we read in this class might include triggering content. For this reason, I’m providing a blanket content warning for the essays that we read. Regarding your own essays, please include content warnings essays when you feel it’s necessary. Racial slurs and derogatory language are prohibited. Please come talk to me if you have any questions. 

Class Schedule: Coming Soon