The Writer as Critic: Reviewing Contemporary Poetry, Fiction, and Non-Fiction

Catalog description

Students will write and revise book reviews of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction for a variety of newspapers and literary magazines. ENGL 570 The Writer as Critic: Reviewing Contemporary Poetry, Fiction, and Non-Fiction (3) In this class, students will read books and write reviews of those books, following a detailed schedule of readings and assignments established in the syllabus. Success in this class depends upon the student's ability to set priorities, organize materials, followup on initial contacts with presses and editors, and revise all reviews to publishable standards. Students begin by reading published book reviews and two texts (one poetry, one fiction) assigned by the instructor. Analyzing the structure of the published reviews, students draft model 200- and 550-word reviews, using the published reviews as guides. As the course progresses, students contact publishing houses and presses to request review copies, while simultaneously writing to editors with project proposals. With longer reviews--700 and 1,000 words--students engage complex issues about the economics and politics of publishing. Readings from the course Sampler (provided by instructor) inspire students to position themselves as literary citizens in the national conversation about contemporary writing. "The Writer as Critic" supplements the MFA course offerings in non-fiction. Students in all genres may practice advanced expository prose while gaining a practical skill. For students in the MFA program, this course fulfills a literature seminar requirement. Students will be evaluated on the quality of final reviews, the timely completion of all drafts, participation in editing teams, and final portfolio of correspondence. This course, for which MFA students have first priority, will be offered approximately every other year with a maximum of 12 students.