English 392 syllabus dorsch fall 2020

1. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 1
Syllabus English 392 Fall 2020
English 392: Intermediate Fiction Writing
Instructor: Scott Dorsch
Office Hours: MW 1:30 – 2:30 pm
Email: sdorsch@uidaho.edu
Meeting Time: M/W/F 12:30pm-1:20pm
“. . .writing fiction doesn’t have any clear hierarchy. You can’t say that you must understand plot before
dialogue, description before point of view, or even beginnings before endings. There’s no rational order or
sequence in which those elements must be learned. They’re all necessary.”
–Jerome Stern, Making Shapely Fiction
“You should write because you love the shape of stories and sentences and the creation of different words on a
page. Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.”
- Annie Proulx, author of Close Range: Wyoming Stories
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to Intermediate Fiction Writing!
This course picks up where you left off in your fiction writing journey in Beginning Fiction and/or
Intro to Creative Writing. Together we will deepen our understanding of the myriad techniques, story
shapes and elements available to us as fiction writers, including things like plot, profluence, dialogue,
scene, summary (exposition), world building, world-building imagery, interiority, specificity,
cataloguing, and especially, point of view (POV). Above all, we will be creating a fun, comfortable, and
supportive writing community together, all working towards the same goal: become better readers
and writers of fiction. Expect to do a good amount of close reading, some podcast “listenings”, weekly
discussions and analyses of said material, and a considerable amount of writing. In rough order, we
will write daily-ish “freewrites,” some character and scene sketches, and the occasional focused
writing exercises that all work toward the creation of three original works of art in the form of the
short story. Point of View—first-, second-, and third-POV and their many iterations—will be the
focalizing lens for the course and your only parameter for writing your stories this semester.
Please note that this class will start out entirely on Zoom; for those students who do want an in-
person experience, stay tuned. We’ll discuss this together.

2. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 2
COURSE OBJECTIVES; By the end of the course, you should be able to:
• Convey an understanding—through class discussions, workshopping, and your own writing and
revising—of how relevant techniques of fiction are contributing to stories
• Accurately use terminology to discuss published and peer stories
• Offer contextualized, insightful advice for revision of your peer’s work
• Write and revise three original stories, from beginning to end, that shows an awareness and thoughtful
use of relevant techniques we’ve studied
• Contextualize your reactions to stories within an understanding of a range of styles and aesthetics,
recognizing possible alternatives to stylistic and craft choices
OTHER COURSE GOALS
• Adopt a daily reading routine (20 minutes a day? 40 minutes? 1 hour a day with your cat and coffee in
tote, listening to the birds sing out the sun?! That’s what David Mitchell does. . .just saying.)
• Adopt a personal writing routine through daily-ish freewrites, “sketches,” and the occasional, focused
exercise
o Note: An incremental writing routine will be offered in the beginning of the semester based on
endurance sports metrics—yes, you heard that right. You can take it or leave it. The goal is to
find what works for you!
COURSE WEBSITE
Course materials will be posted on the ENGL 392 BbLearn site, including readings and schedules. Log on
into BbLearn (http://bblearn.uidaho.edu) using your University of Idaho NetID and password, then
locate English 392.
REQUIRED TEXTS TO PURCHASE
1. The Ice at the Bottom of the World by Mark Richard (Anchor Books) 0-385-41544-3
2. Close Range: Wyoming Stories by Annie Proulx (Scribner) 0-684-85221-7
3. The Water Museum by Luis Alberto Urrea, (Back Bay) 0316334391
4. Home Remedies by Xuan Julianna Wang, (First Edition, Hardcover) 1984822748
The above story collections are available for purchase at the Vandal Bookstore. Book People of Moscow is
also a great place to purchase your books. betterworldbooks.com is my personal favorite online book
peddler (usually cheap, used books).
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
I will assign a few short stories from the web in the beginning of the semester to give you time to
purchase books and when it comes time to discuss Second-Person Narration near the end of the
semester. They will be free and accessible on our course’s Bblearn page.
PODCAST LISTENINGS
Some of this course’s required readings will actually be listenings. Listening to a story out loud can help
you absorb it in different ways. Hearing pro-writers and editors talk about stories as they do on the New
Yorker Fiction Podcast was very important to my own development as a writer and I’d like to share that
experience with you. The podcasts will be free and linked-to on the course’s BBlearn page. You may also
find the assigned episodes on apps such as Sticher (https://www.stitcher.com/) or Apple’s Podcast app. I
recommend using these app if available to you so you can walk and enjoy the podcasts at the same time.
The two podcasts we will most often listen to are episodes from The New Yorker Fiction Podcast and
The Writer’s Voice.

3. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 3
REQUIRED MATERIALS
“This is your equipment, like hammer and nails to a carpenter.”
– Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones
1. Pencil or Pen
2. A cheap notebook for reading notes and writing practice/drafts. I personally like the spiral
ones with funny covers that are less than $5 and therefore don’t elicit a need to write pure gold
every time I sit down.
3. Access to a computer
COURSE REQUIREMENTS/EVALUATION*
1. Story 1: The First-Person Point of View. 6-8 pages. 100 Points.
2. Story 2: Third-Person Point of View. 6-8 pages. 100 Points.
3. Story 3: Second-Person Point of View. 6-8 pages. 100 Points.
4. Writing Exercises (5). 1-2 pages max. 40 points each = 200 Points Total.
5. Workshop/Written responses to peer’s work (with annotations/markups). ½-1 Page.
• For this category, everyone will start the Workshop with 300 Points.
o 50 Points will be taken from total for every peer response letter not submitted to
peer and myself, without prior arrangements
o 100 Points will be taken from total if you miss your own workshop day, without prior
arrangements
o 25 points will be taken from total for every day your story is late without prior
arrangements when it’s your turn for workshop. This will ensure that we all have ample
time to prepare for your workshop. See late work policy below, under Deadlines.
6. Final Portfolio. 200 Points.
The Final Portfolio should be submitted as one document that includes the following:
a. A table of contents
b. 1-2-page Preface that discusses your writing process for the chosen story. The letter should
also contextualize your story in relation to the techniques and styles of the assigned
readings that influenced your work in some way.
c. 1 Fully Revised Story of your choice (#1, #2, or #3)
d. Plus, the other two stories you wrote in whatever form (revised or not)
*There are 1000 points available in the course (1000-900 = A; 899-800 = B; 799-700 = C; and so
on).
Reading and Listening
As Proulx says, “reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” Thus, we will read and listen to the above listed
collections and podcasts to better understand how to write fiction effectively. I expect you to read closely for
craft and writerly “moves”, and annotate the margins of the stories as you go (i.e. “WOW, how’d they do that?”, “!!!”,
“???”, “Cool Image.”, “Too much dialogue. . .I don’t know where I am,” “My disbelief is so suspended right now”,
“Wait, what? Confusing.”, “I Love this.”, “Wow, what a lede,” etc.). For podcasts, consider taking notes on a notepad
or notebook. Pro tip: When listening to podcasts on a walk or doing dishes, etc., verbally ask Siri (or your phone/
computer bot) to make a note for you.
Writing/Reading Notebook
Please dedicate a paper notebook to the course. This will serve as a depository for all freewrites, writing
sketches, reflections, and daily ruminations. This notebook will be checked at random times throughout the
semester for grading purposes.

4. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 4
I also recommend a small, pocket-sized notepad to keep with you throughout the day so you may record
thoughts, images, first-lines, etc. This is not required, however.
Feedback and Workshop
You’ll receive comments in class or in small-group conferences on some of your writing, and written feedback
on other pieces. Oral and written feedback will include what aspects of the piece are most successful and
engaging, aspects that could use continued work, as well as possible other directions you might take the piece.
Clearly, feedback on creative work is somewhat subjective, but we will work to read as informed readers, and
will explain our criteria and perspectives.
At the end of the semester, each of you will select one expanded piece you’ve written to be workshopped by
the full class. This can be Story 1, 2, or 3. Note: It is imperative that you come prepared with typed notes for
your classmates about their stories, as mentioned in the Course Requirements/Evaluations section above.
Workshop Written Responses
Two copies of your story critique are due on the day a story is discussed in Workshop. One goes to the author,
the other to me.
Format for Assignments
Please format all assignments with the following style guidelines (ala MLA):
7. Times New Roman, 12-point font
8. Double-spaced
9. Paginated (add page numbers)
10. With your name at the top.
11. Oh, and give all stories titles, even if it’s a working title.
GRADING
A word on grades and art: Becoming a “real” writer requires that you take risks with your work. I will never
“grade” early drafts of your fiction—stories will be given full credit if your story has a beginning, middle, and
end, an honest effort is put forth, and your story is turned in on time. All other assignments, such as writing
exercises and workshop letters, will simply be graded to completion. If you did what was required of you, A! If
you did not, a suitable point reduction will be given to the assignment. For point total breakdown, see Course
Requirements/Evaluation section above.
CLASS FORMAT (Until further notice)
Synchronous Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Meetings via Zoom:
For the first unit at least, we will meet “in-person” on Zoom during the allotted class time and have an
engaging conversation and perform virtual activities. The assigned readings, listenings and writings—
homework—for the given day will prompt and guide our conversations. Please come prepared, having read or
written what was assigned for that particular class meeting with notebook and books nearby (See schedule on
BBlearn for assignment due dates, etc.).

5. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 5
COURSE POLICIES
Participation
If you put in a good-faith effort, be good to your peers, take your work and your peer’s work seriously,
show up to class (unless you have a tech issue or a COVID-related issue), and come prepared, you will
very likely get an A in this course. With that said, please email me and let me know if you can’t make it to
one of our class meetings. No need to offer details—just let me know you won’t make it. If you miss class
regularly, I will reach out to you to check in. If it becomes a lasting issue thereafter, a reduction to your
final grade may be in order.
Also note that your daily participation is tied to your attendance—if you come to class, virtually or
physically, unprepared (don’t have the text with you, you haven’t read the assignment, you don’t have
your assigned writing done, or you refuse to interact or engage with course activities), you will not
receive credit for attending class that day. If a lack of participation becomes a lasting issue, a reduction to
your final grade may be in order.
For Workshop days, participation includes giving full respect to your peers by carefully reading and
annotating their manuscripts before their scheduled workshop and showing up for their day. Failure to
come prepared for a workshop, your own workshop, or any other class meeting may result in a point
reduction to your final grade. Please let me know in advanced via email if you won’t be able to make it to
your own workshop for any reason. Again, no details necessary. Just let me know so I can plan ahead.
Tardy Policy
Please do your best to make it to our class meetings on time. It is disruptive to the class flow when
someone shows up late, even on Zoom.
Classroom citizenship.
The classroom (and virtual classroom) is a learning community. Be respectful of your fellow students and
your instructor in all communications. If you have a problem with anything in the course, let me know
through email or schedule a Zoom meeting with me to discuss. Disruptive behavior during class
discussions and on discussion boards may result in expulsion from a class meeting or the entire course.
Email etiquette. I welcome your emails and questions–if you have questions about the course, your
work, meeting times, etc., please do not hesitate to contact me at the address listed above or on the
BbLearn home page. When you contact me, please treat it as a professional correspondence—your
message should have a greeting, be written in complete sentences, and signed with your name at the
bottom. Generally, you can expect a response during regular business hours, sometimes later (Monday-
Friday, 8 AM-5 PM).
Deadlines. Meeting deadlines is one of the most important things to do if you want to be a successful
writer. According to Neil Gaiman, a successful writer needs to 1.) be kind and easy to work with, 2.)
produce great work, and 3.) meet deadlines. For this course, stories may be accepted late if prior
arrangements are made 48 hours in advance of deadline, when an extension may be granted. Since this is a
graded gig and not a paying gig, 5 points will be subtracted from the final grade of the assignment
for each day late. A zero will be given to assignments that are more than one week late.

6. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 6
Original Writing. Of course, all work for this class must be written for this class and must be written by
you. Reusing an assignment or story completed for another class, or back in high school or elsewhere,
constitutes academic dishonesty.
Academic Dishonesty. Academic dishonesty, including inappropriate collaboration, will not be tolerated
in this course. There are severe sanctions for cheating, plagiarizing, and any other form of dishonesty to
include suspension or expulsion from the UI. Please read the document labeled “Statement on Plagiarism”
on our BbLearn site for more information on plagiarism.
The public nature of class writing and discussion. Please consider every piece of writing you do for this
class to be “public property.” Part of becoming a good writer is learning to appreciate the ideas and
criticisms of others, and in this course our purpose is to come together as a writing community.
Remember that you will often be expected to share your writing with others, so avoid writing about
things that you may not be prepared to subject to public scrutiny, or things that you feel so strongly about
that you are unwilling to listen to perspectives other than your own. This does not mean that you are not
entitled to an opinion, but that you adopt positions responsibly, contemplating the possible effect on
others.
Center for Disability Access and Resources Reasonable Accommodations Statement
Reasonable accommodations are available for students who have documented temporary or
permanent disabilities. All accommodations must be approved through the Center for Disability
Access and Resources located in the Bruce M. Pitman Center, Suite 127 in order to notify your
instructor(s) as soon as possible regarding accommodation(s) needed for the course.
Center for Disability Access and Resources
Phone: 208-885-6307
Email: cdar@uidaho.edu
Web: http://www.uidaho.edu/current-students/cdar
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO CLASSROOM LEARNING CIVILITY CLAUSE
In any environment in which people gather to learn, it is essential that all members feel as free and safe
as possible in their participation. To this end, it is expected that everyone in this course will be treated
with mutual respect and civility, with an understanding that all of us will be respectful and civil to one
another in discussion, in action, in teaching, and in learning.
Should you feel our classroom interactions do not reflect an environment of civility and respect, you are
encouraged to meet with your instructor during office hours to discuss your concern.
Additional resources for expression of concern or requesting support include the Dean of Students
office and staff (208-885-6757), the UI Counseling & Testing Center’s confidential services (208-885-
6716), or the UI Office of Human Rights, Access, & Inclusion (208-885-4285).
COVID-19 POLICIES
Visit U of I's COVID-19 page often for updated information. Questions related to U of I’s coronavirus
response can be sent to covid19questions@uidaho.edu.
If you are ill or caring for someone who is ill, documentation (a doctor's note) for medical excuses is not
required; instead, email me at sdorsch@uidaho.edu to make arrangements to submit any missed work.

7. ENGL 101 Syllabus, pg. 7
This class is designed hyflex but will begin online. If we move to in-person meetings, please take note of
the following:
• Do not attend class in-person if you are ill, if you are experiencing any of the known symptoms of
coronavirus, or if you have tested positive for COVID-19 or been potentially exposed to someone
with COVID-19.
• If you display symptoms and/or test positive, you should quarantine following the CDC's
recommendations. Do not return to class until you meet the CDC's requirements.
• If you have been exposed but are asymptomatic, you should stay home for 14 days from the last
exposure if you remain asymptomatic, adhering to the CDC's requirements.
FACE MASK REQUIREMENTS
All faculty, staff, students and visitors across all U of I locations must use face coverings over the nose and
mouth whenever in any U of I buildings. Thus, you are required to wear a face covering at all times.
Failure to wear a face covering over your nose and mouth will require you to leave the classroom
immediately. If a disruption to the learning experience occurs due to repeated offence and/or egregious
behavior, you will be reported to the Dean of Students Office for a potential code violation.
**NOTE: This syllabus is subject to change. I will inform you of any changes made.