TEXTS
Literary Journalism. Edited by Norman Sims and Mark Kramer.
A book-length piece of literary journalism of your choosing.
THE DESIGN
When this course was originally conceived, the name was appropriate. Most literary, or narrative, journalism appeared in magazines and books. Today, narrative stories are being encouraged and produced at many newspapers across the country. Our focus will be on literary, or narrative, journalism in a variety of formats.
You'll write narrative, both short and long. In the writing, I hope you'll model your work on our readings in literary journalism. We'll read a great deal of literary, or narrative, journalism. Each of you will read a book-length piece as well as the shorter pieces contained in your basic text. With a close eye on what you've read, you'll write a short piece for newspapers, a longer piece for newspapers, and an even longer piece that might be suitable for magazine publication or expansion into a book.
POLICIES
Attendance: It's important, period, to attend class regularly. It's especially important in writing classes to attend regularly. We're working on a skill, not simply absorbing a body of knowledge. You'll be penalized for missing more than three classes
Deadlines: Whether a writer practices literary or conventional journalism, he or she won't survive for long without meeting deadlines. You'll be penalized for failing to meet deadlines.
Classroom decorum: Those of you who have had me in class know that it irritates me when students' diddling on the computers distracts me or a student who is talking. Please keep your hands off the mice and the keyboards until we have reason to use the computers for writing, researching, or looking at online publications.
GRADING
You'll have weekly quizzes on the reading assignments, a midterm, and a final. You'll write three journalistic pieces and a brief report on the book-length example of literary journalism you choose.
Here, roughly, is how your grade will be determined:
Quizzes: 15%
Midterm: 15%
Final: 20%
Warm-up newspaper piece: 5%
Longer newspaper piece: 15%
Book report: 10%
Magazine-length piece: 20%