Creative Writing Studio Workshop

CW 1800:0019
Spring Semester 2022
Thursday 12:30-2:20
240 BHC / Dey House Lawn

Instructor: Julia Wohlstetter

Office Hours: XXXXX and by appointment
Office Location: 215 Dey House
Email: [email protected]
Course Supervisor: Katie Knoll and Amelia Maggio
Office: 102 Dey House, (319)335-0416
Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

Course Description & Goals:

“Tell all the truth but tell it slant.”

Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson wrote, “tell all the truth but tell it slant.” Dickinson argues that as writers, we must “dazzle
gradually,” approaching the truth from strange new angles. In this course, we will explore creative
interventions in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction writing which enable us to “tell it slant”. From found poetry
and surrealist writing games to flash-fiction and memoir, we will explore “slant” techniques different writers
have employed over time, and try our hands at them. We will read the works of Audre Lorde, Terrence Hayes,
Robin Coste-Lewis, Bhanu Kapil, Clarice Lispector and Renata Adler, to name a few. Come ready to write, to
experiment with language, and to challenge your conceptions of genre and form.
We’ll start off by reading wonderful published works of fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, and
responding to those works with writing exercises and discussion, and then move into workshopping writing
of your own. Each student will workshop one piece of writing. Through workshop, you’ll be reading and
responding to the works of your peers.
Each week outside of class, students will be expected to read both assigned texts and classmates’
writing, and to do creative writing prompts. During class, we will discuss the assigned texts, workshop student
writing, and most importantly, generate material through a variety of writing prompts and games.

No midterms or finals. Grades will be evaluated based on workshop participation, weekly writing assignments
and a final creative portfolio.
I look forward to writing with you!

Course Goals:

1. Learn the basic elements of craft in three genres: poetry, fiction, and personal narrative.

2. Create work: poems, short stories, and personal/lyric essays.

3. Improve your writing through revision of work inspired by peer workshop and teacher’s comments.

4. To cultivate a sense of play through creative exercises.

Students admitted Summer 2017 or after

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 • Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
Students admitted Summer 2011 to Spring 2017
• Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts
Students admitted prior to Summer 2011
• Fine Arts
• Humanities

This course explores fundamental questions about human experience from a variety of perspectives. You will consider
topics in relation to your own values and actions and will gain a deeper appreciation of how cultural differences arise
and the importance of diversity.
Required Texts:
All readings will be posted on ICON.

Required Materials:
Writing utensils and notebook.

Best Practices:
I always recommend writing your creative work out by hand before you type it up and hand it in. I promise,
this will make it easier in the long run. Writing by hand stimulates the creative synapses in your brain. Typing
to generate material short circuits this process. Being able to delete a thought as you are composing it
undermines your creativity.

For readings: I advise reading every poem at least twice, and at least once out loud. Poetry is meant to be
heard. Read everything early and read it multiple times throughout the week. For stories and essays, give
yourself enough time to absorb the material and take notes. Notes and questions are essential to class
discussion. Come ready to speak in each class.

For creative prompts: Start early. Trying to write a creative piece the day before it is due is a pointless exercise.
It is a waste of my time and yours! The more time you give yourself, to free write, to explore your ideas, to
take notes and scribble, the better. Turning writing into a leisurely activity will also make it exponentially more
fun. I know you all have other homework and many commitments—maybe think of this class, and your
creative writing, as a way to procrastinate from doing other work :)

Grading Policy:
Your final grade will be determined by your participation, written assignments, workshop letters, and your
final portfolio. I will use A-F grading on all of your work. The scale is as follows:

-Attendance and Participation: 30%

-Writing Assignments: 30%
-Workshop Critique Letters: 10%
-Final Portfolio: 30%

-There will be no final exam in this course

A 93-100% A- 90-92% B+ 87-89%

B 83-86% B- 80-82% C+ 77-79%

C 73-76% C- 70-72% D+ 67-69%

D 63-66% D- 60-62% F 59% and below

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Final Grade Percentages:
30% Participation – Participation includes attendance, active listening, and thoughtful contribution to
discussion. Thoughtful contribution can come in the form of an honest or thought-provoking comment or
an honest or thought-provoking question. I am more interested in quality than the amount of time you speak.
Quality participation best happens when you are prepared, so please come to class armed with genuine
comments or questions that the class can explore together. Take advantage of my office hours, and don’t be
afraid to reach out.

30% Written Assignments – This includes responses to readings, short writing exercises, and the first draft of
your poems, short story, and essays.

10% Workshop critique letters – To prepare for workshop, you will write a one-page double spaced critique
for each piece that will be discussed that day. You will give a hard copy of your letter to the writer and me
after workshop discussion. Workshop can only work as a community effort. Your peers rely on your feedback
for their improvement, as you rely on theirs for yours.

30% Final Portfolio – On the last day of class, you will submit a portfolio of your creative work this
semester.

Attendance Policy and Participation:

This classroom community is only as strong as all of our voices combined, and thus participation in this
classroom means much more than simply filling a seat. I need to hear from you every week. If I don’t hear
your voice every class, your grade will go down.

Come to class on time and prepared to take part in conversation. Attendance will be taken at the beginning
of each class. Each tardy (more than 5 minutes late) will lower your final participation grade by 1/3. So, if
you are tardy twice and your final participation grade for your effort in class merits an A, it will drop to a B+.

While you should attend every class, you are permitted one unexcused absence. Each absence after that will
lower your final grade by one full letter.

1 Absence: Final Grade Unaffected

2 Absences: Final Grade Drops 3%
3 Absences: Final Grade Drops 15%
4+ Absences: Automatic Failure

Excessive absences will result in automatic failure of the course. You are responsible for getting notes
and homework assignments from the class missed.

If you must miss class because of illness, religious observance, or a University function, we can arrange an
excused absence. If you know you will miss class, please e-mail me at least 24 hours in advance about the
absence, and provide documentation.

Late Assignments:
For every day an assignment is late, your letter grade for the assignment will drop by 1/3 (e.g., A to an A
minus). After one week, I will not accept the assignment. That all being said, extensions are available on a
case-by-case basis. If you are having trouble, please come and talk to me. Make use of my office hours! Let
me know in advance (aka not the night before the assignment is due) and we can make a plan together.

Formatting for Typed & Printed Work:

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All work should be double-spaced, single-sided and paper-clipped. It should be in Times New Roman, 12-
point font, 1-inch margins on all sides, with page numbers at the top or bottom corner. Always use this
heading:

Your Name
Instructor’s Name (Julia Wohlstetter)
Course Title & Course Number / Section
Date (If a submission for workshop, date of the week you’re up for workshop)”

Turning in Work & Picking Up Packets for Workshop

All written assignments will be turned in on ICON. This will include your creative writing assignments,
workshop pieces, workshop letters, and critical responses.

If your piece is up for workshop, you must upload your work to ICON by Midnight on Monday, two weeks
before you are up for workshop.

For ex. If you’re up for workshop on Tuesday Oct 12, you must upload your piece on Icon by Monday
September 27th.

All readings will be on ICON. If you prefer a hard copy, readings and workshop stories will be also be
available in our class’s Course Shelf in the lower floor of the Dey House. My cubby is labeled with my name
and our class section number.If there are no more copies, go to the desk and ask to have a copy made from
the master copy they have.

Keep in mind that the Dey House is open from 8:15am to 4:45pm Monday to Friday. It is not open on the
weekends.

Workshop
During the second half of the semester, we will begin informal workshops of each others written work. Each
student will be workshopped once during the semester. During your workshop, you will silently observe a
peer-driven discussion regarding your piece. This time is meant to give you a sense of how an audience
responds to the piece as written. Hearing the response of readers not influenced by your commentary will
assist you greatly in revision. These discussions will focus on the structure, successes, questions, and future
needs of each piece. Workshop will last approximately 10-15 minutes. The point of these discussions is to
assess what is actually there in each piece, and to hear a variety of impressions, feedback and readings of your
work. This is not a space for harsh language or unfair critique.

Courtesy Policy:
Treat your colleagues with kindness, respect, and generosity.

Writing is a form of self-expression, and this can be deeply vulnerable.

Please have an open mind when reading other writers’ work: our purpose is to grow from experiences that are
both similar and not similar to our own. Come to class on time and prepared to participate. Listen actively
and respond thoughtfully to your classmates’ comments.

I encourage an open classroom and the sharing of ideas in a safe, respectful environment. In order to
facilitate this open exchange of ideas, as members of this class, we agree that we will not engage in
derogatory language, writing, or expressions against race, ethnicity, religion, gender identification, sexuality,
dis/ability, economic position, and political views. Any disagreement in class discussion with me or with your
fellow students must be respectfully expressed so that there can be an equal exchange of thoughts.

Mask Policy

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I will be wearing a mask in class and during office hours because your health and safety is my absolute
priority, as is the health and safety of our community, and myself!

I expect you to wear a mask at all times when we’re in the classroom together. As per university policy, I
cannot force you to wear a mask. However, I urge you to wear one in the strongest possible terms. If you do
not have a mask available, I will be happy to provide one for you.

Community Compassion Pledge

I value the health and safety of my classmates, my instructor, our loved ones, and myself. If I know that I
have come into contact with someone with Covid-19, or if I show symptoms, and especially if I test positive
for Covid-19, I will not come to class, and I will email my instructor, Julia Wohlstetter at julia-
[email protected] promptly so that my teacher can let the rest of my classmates know they may be at-
risk.
Student Signature______________

Zoom Meetings
Ideally, we will hold every session this semester in-person. I want to be in the classroom with you as much as
you do. However, our safety is my absolute first priority. If one of us becomes sick with or knows they were
exposed to Covid-19, we will switch to holding class sessions over Zoom until we can safely meet in-person
again. You’ll find the Zoom links on our ICON site, and I’ll let you know with as much advance notice as I
possibly can on a week when we will switch our meeting space.

Content Warning and Class Climate

Our course readings and classroom discussions will at times focus on mature, difficult, and potentially
challenging topics. Some of us may have emotional responses to readings; some of us may have emotional
responses to our peers’ comments on the readings; all of us should feel responsible for creating a space that
is both intellectually rigorous and respectful, even when you strongly disagree. Be mindful of the ways that
our identities position us in the classroom.

If you find yourself struggling with the course materials, here are some tips: read the syllabus so that you
are prepared in advance. You can approach me ahead of time if you’d like more information about a topic
or reading. If you think a particular reading or topic might be especially challenging or unsettling, you can
arrive to class early and take a seat by the door so that you can easily exit the classroom as needed. If you
need to leave or miss class, you are still responsible for the work you miss. If you are struggling to keep up
with the work because of the course content, please speak with me and/or seek help from the counseling
center.

Technology Policy:
Cell phones are not permitted to be used or pulled out during class time. Because so much of our class
comprises discussion based on work you’ll have in hard-copy in front of you, laptops will not be needed in
this classroom.

Collaboration & Plagiarism:

Collaboration on assignments is strictly prohibited unless I instruct you to do so. It is perfectly fine to get
feedback on your work from your peers or to toss around ideas with one another, but to collaborate in
writing your poems, short stories, or essays defeats the purpose of you being here: to develop and trust your
creativity and voice. The University takes plagiarism very seriously and this can be grounds for failing the
class.

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) Information and Policies for Undergraduates

Administrative Home The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the administrative home of this
course and governs its add/drop deadlines, the second-grade-only option, and other policies. These policies

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vary by college (https://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook).

Electronic Communication Students are responsible for official correspondences sent to their UI email
address (uiowa.edu) and must use this address for all communication within UI (Operations Manual, III.15.2).

Accommodations for Disabilities UI is committed to an educational experience that is accessible to all

students. A student may request academic accommodations for a disability (such as mental health, attention,
learning, vision, and physical or health-related condition) by registering with Student Disability Services
(SDS). The student should then discuss accommodations with the course instructor (https://
sds.studentlife.uiowa.edu/).

Nondiscrimination in the Classroom UI is committed to making the classroom a respectful and inclusive
space for all people irrespective of their gender, sexual, racial, religious or other identities. Toward this goal,
students are invited to optionally share their preferred names and pronouns with their instructors and
classmates. The University of Iowa prohibits discrimination and harassment against individuals on the basis
of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, and other identity categories set forth in the
University’s Human Rights policy. For more information, contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and
Diversity (diversity.uiowa.edu).

Academic Integrity All undergraduates enrolled in courses offered by CLAS have, in essence, agreed to the
College’s Code of Academic Honesty. Misconduct is reported to the College, resulting in suspension or other
sanctions communicated to the student through the UI email address (https://clas.uiowa.edu/students/
handbook/academic-fraud-honor-code

CLAS Final Examination Policies The final exam schedule for each semester is announced around the
fifth week of classes; students are responsible for knowing the date, time, and place of a final exam. Students
should not make travel plans until knowing this final exam information. No exams of any kind are allowed
the week before finals (https://clas.uiowa.edu/faculty/teaching-policies-resources-examination-policies

Making a Complaint Students with a complaint should first visit with the instructor or course supervisor
and then with the departmental executive officer (DEO), also known as the Chair. Students may then bring
the concern to CLAS (https://clas.uiowa.edu/students/handbook/student-rights-responsibilities

Understanding Sexual Harassment Sexual harassment subverts the mission of the University and
threatens the well-being of students, faculty, and staff. All members of the UI community must uphold the
UI mission and contribute to a safe environment that enhances learning. Incidents of sexual harassment must
be reported immediately. For assistance, definitions, and the full University policy (https://osmrc.uiowa.edu/)