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EWRT 30: Green Sheet
Kim Palmore, PhD Cell Phone: 408-674-3005
Email: Palmorekim@fhda.edu Office: F1-11
Course Introduction:
EWRT 30 is an introductory creative writing course for students who want to explore and refine their techniques of creative
writing through both critical analysis and intensive practice in creative writing. This class emphasizes the fundamental
elements of creative non-fiction, fiction, drama, and poetry. We will read and discuss published stories, plays, and poetry,
trying to understand how authors make successful use of various literary tools. We will explore elements of fiction with in-
class and take-home assignments. The ultimate goal of this course is to understand and be able to employ the elements of
creative writing to create your own multiple genre portfolio of work.
Course Objectives:
Ø Identify the major technical and stylistic elements of diverse literary works and analyze their role in imaginative
writing.
Ø Analyze and critique diverse student and professional examples of literary/imaginative writing.
Ø Apply knowledge of creative process, literary elements/techniques, cultural knowledge and self-knowledge, and
critical lessons to your own writing.
Ø Write and revise new poems and stories.
Ø Collaborate on writing projects.
Course Requirements:
Ø Regular attendance and active participation in class discussions
Ø Regular posting of assignments to our course website.
Ø Keeping up-to-date on writing assignments and readings.
Ø Manuscript critiques.
Ø Unannounced quizzes, in-class assignments, and presentations.
Ø Participation in original work readings.
Website:
Our class website is http://palmoreenglish.wordpress.com. In order to do the homework, you must establish an account.
To make your own FREE Word Press account, go to wordpress.com. The system will walk you through the steps to
signup for a username or to set up your own user-friendly Word Press blog. Alternatively, you can sign into our
website through Facebook.
If you prefer not to use your own name, you may use a pseudonym. Just make sure you sign in with YOUR Word Press
username before you post on our class page so you get credit for your work. Please email me your username once
you have established which account you shall use for the quarter.
If you cannot establish your website and username, please come to my office hours as soon as possible, and I will help
you with the process. Much of our work will take place online, so establishing this connection is mandatory.
Required Materials:
Ø Access to an online web page, where you will post homework and find reading selections
Ø A college-level dictionary
Ø A stapler, USB flash drive, loose-leaf paper or a notebook for note-taking, and pens or pencils
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Every creative writing student should be able to do the following:
1. Closely read and understand both prose narratives and poems.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of various forms and structures of fiction and poetry.
3. Demonstrate familiarity with a variety of professional writers’ styles and voices in fiction and poetry in order to
develop an individual style.
4. Become comfortable with the workshop process of self and group analysis and critique.
5. Identify strengths in both his or her own and others' writing; offer helpful commentary and constructive criticism.

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6. Construct prose and/or poetry pieces that demonstrate knowledge of the aspects of fiction, creative nonfiction,
and/or poetry including, but not limited to, narrative perspective, character, plot, time, setting, and language.
7. Apply relevant constructive criticism made by peers and teacher to the revision of creative pieces, thus
demonstrating receptivity to readers' responses.
8. Demonstrate precision in the use of language with attention to word choice, internal and external rhyme, line
breaks (in poetry), and by effectively managing metaphor, descriptive image, dialogue, and narrative voice.
9. Demonstrate knowledge of editing and revision techniques.
10. Produce an extended work of fiction and poetry.
11. Demonstrate some familiarity with media and blogging
GRADING:
Grades for this course will be based on a 1000-point scale divided as follows:
Assignment My Score Point
Value
Assignment My
Score
Point
Value
Project #1 Poetry 50 Website Posts 200
Project #2 Fiction 50 Tests 2x30 1x25 85
Project #3 Fiction 50 Writer’s feedback 100
Project #4 Drama 100 Participation/Quizzes/Activities/
Readings
115
Portfolio: A collection of your
best poetry and fiction
250
Total 1000 points
I will assign traditional + and – grades: for example 90-93 A- 93-97 A 98-100 A+
Grade Points Required Grade Points Required
A 900-1000 D 600-699
B 800-899 F 599 and below
C 700-799
CLASS POLICIES:
Essay Submission:
All out of class essays are to be submitted to me electronically before the class period in which they are due.
1. Before you submit your essay, please save your file as your last name and the number 2, like this: Smith 2. That
will help me keep your essays organized.
2. Submit your essay through Kaizena, a Google Drive add-on, at https://kaizena.com/palmoreessaysubmissiongmail.
Or simply use the link on our class website home page. This system allows me to respond to your essay with both
voice and written comments and to insert helpful links.
3. Sign in to your Google Account and allow Kaizena access to your Google Drive. You may want a dedicated Gmail
account for this class.
4. Click on the “Ask Dr. Kim Palmore for feedback” link.
5. Choose your document from your Google Drive. You will be directed to a new page to choose a delivery box from
a drop down menu.
6. Add your essay to the appropriate ELIT box (Essay #1 or #2). Then, click the “Ask for feedback” button again.
7. Once I have graded your paper, Kaizena will automatically share with you the link to the Google document in the
comments section — located on the top-right corner of the Google document.
8. Click on the highlighted sections of the paper to find both audio and written comments concerning your essay or
links to materials that will help you improve your writing.
Academic Dishonesty:
Plagiarism includes quoting or paraphrasing material without documentation and copying from other students or professionals.
Intentional plagiarism is a grave offense; the resulting response will be distasteful. Depending upon the severity, instances of
plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the paper or the course and possible administrative action. All assignments will be
scrutinized for academic dishonesty. Please refer to your handbook for more information regarding plagiarism.

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Attendance:
Attendance is a significant part of this course; participation points will be part of our daily activities. If you are not in class,
you cannot earn these points. You should save absences for emergencies, work conflicts, weddings, jury duty, or any other
issues that might arise in your life.
It is your responsibility to talk to me your absences or other conflicts. Work done in class cannot be made up. If you must
be absent, please arrange with a classmate to get assignments and notes. Also, please arrive on time, as you will not be able
to make up work completed before you arrive, including quizzes.
Conduct, Courtesy, and Electronic Devices:
In this class, we will regularly engage in the discussion of each other’s work. Because writing is so personal, I ask each of
you to be both kind and honest. Do share helpful critiques so each writer may grow. Courtesy will allow each person to
have the opportunity to express his or her ideas in a comfortable environment.
Courtesy includes but is not limited to politely listening to others when they contribute to class discussions or while they
give presentations, not slamming the classroom door or walking in front of classmates giving presentations if you do arrive
late, and maintaining a positive learning environment for your fellow classmates. To help maintain a positive learning
environment, please focus on the work assigned, turn off all cell phones and iPods before class, and do not text-message in
class. If your behavior becomes disruptive to the learning environment of the class, you may be asked to leave and/or be
marked absent.
Participation:
Participation includes doing all work asked of you inside and outside of class, maintaining a positive learning environment
for your classmates, and contributing to class discussion.
Quizzes:
I may decide to include pop quizzes from time to time to ensure you are completing all readings in a timely fashion. There
are no make up opportunities for quizzes
Tests:
We will have several terms tests during the quarter. I will also offer one opportunity late in the quarter to retake (or make-
up) one of the first three terms tests.
Late Work
I do not accept late work except in the case of extreme emergencies. Please talk to me as soon as possible if you find
yourself in this situation.
Adding and Dropping:
Adding and dropping this class is the responsibility of the student. Please observe all deadlines regarding the same should
you wish to add or drop this class.
Educational Use of Student Papers:
Occasionally, I retain copies of written work to share with this class or future sections of the course; selections of student
work used in these ways will be anonymous. However, if you absolutely object to the use of your work in these ways,
please let me know now, so that I can respect your preference.