Character development and dialogue are essential tools in storytelling. This module explores how characters evolve through their interactions with others and how dialogue serves as a vehicle to express, challenge, or deepen character motivations and conflicts. Students will analyze key texts and experiment with dialogue in their own writing, focusing on how language builds character, reveals emotional tension, and advances themes.
In this module, students will explore narrative
techniques through a variety of classic and contemporary short stories and
narrative poems. Over the course of the module, students will work on creating
a short story or narrative poem, submitting parts of their work each
week. These submissions will build upon one another, allowing students to
refine their storytelling skills and develop their creative voice. Each week’s
assignments will connect directly to the readings, helping students apply
narrative tools such as character development, plot, point of view, and
symbolism.
Here, students will engage deeply with classical texts, exploring postmodern reinterpretations, archetypes, and reclaiming marginalized voices through feminist and postcolonial perspectives.
In this module, students will explore the concept of mimesis as outlined by Aristotle, focusing specifically on poetry. Mimesis involves the imitation of actions, emotions, and structures within a text. The goal is not only to imitate the content of a poem but also to trace its underlying emotional and thematic currents, applying the same principles to your own work. Each week, students will trace and re-imagine key texts through mimesis, starting with the masters and culminating in their own creation.
This module affirms the importance of traveling with a “map.” An outline is precisely that: a map of one’s particular literary journey. The outline is most often used by novelists and screenwriters; however, it is appropriate for any creative writer envisioning a book or chapbook. Even poets should outline their volumes. In fact, we contend that writers in every genre should outline their major works.
As writers, we are on a journey to discover our voice—an elusive but crucial part of the creative process. "Voice" in literature is defined as the unique style, tone, and perspective that each writer brings to their work. It is shaped by the writer's personality, experiences, cultural background, and worldview, making it a deeply personal aspect of writing.