Introduction to Creative Writing: Literary Translation

Catalog description

Creative writing and literary translation are deeply connected. Many of our greatest literary texts come to us through translation, and writing your own fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry often means writing with a sharp awareness of cultural and linguistic richness and diversity (in other words, writing with an awareness of how translation shapes us and our writing). In this course, you will explore creative writing and translation together, working to translate exemplary samples of poetry and creative prose as a way of learning and practicing craft in several fundamental genres and forms. You will then take what you learn about craft and form to write and workshop your own original creative writing and co-translations of fellow students’ creative work. We will work primarily in English and Chinese, though texts written in other languages will provide models and examples for discussion and practice. This course may be used to fulfill the prerequisite requirement for intermediate Creative Writing workshops. Prerequisite: None. Fulfillment: This course is designed to fulfill the same fundamental requirements as Introduction to Creative Writing with the key difference being that, in addition to writing their own creative works, students will also study form and genre by translating exemplary works of poetry and narrative prose. Pending further discussion, development and approval, students would be able to take an intermediate literary translation course to complete a Creative Writing Minor with an Emphasis in Literary Translation.