Week 1:  Introductions and Orientation  - 

Introductions and Orientation

Welcome to the Online Creative Writing Workshop//Introduction to Creative Writing at Irvine Valley College!

The Online Creative Writing Workshop is an introductory class in writing techniques for short fiction or poetry..  Students will participate in online discussions, read and critique weekly writing exercises and workshop submissions, and write weekly exercises.  

This class requires a substantial amount of reading and writing, so you might want to make sure that you have sufficient time to spend to insure a valuable experience and improve your writing! (To find out more, you can read "About Your Class.")

Each week we will read and respond to students' Weekly Writing Exercises and address some specific issues about writing style and mechanics.  The activities for each week will include four important steps:

1.  Online Lecture

2.  Assigned Reading

3.  Weekly  Writing Exercise 

4.  Class Discussion and Critique

5.  Work on your piece for the Formal Writing Workshop.

During the first week, we will concentrate on getting to know each other.  You will be reading and commenting on each other's work in the weeks ahead, so any information you can share about your writing background, where you live, what you do, your interests and goals will be relevant.  You can post your own Personal Introduction on the Discussion List and send me a word.doc by e-mail!

This first week, you might want to spend a couple of days looking around the website, seeing where you can access information you need.  As soon as you feel familiar with the scope of the class, you will want to do these things for the first week:

1.  Read the Lecture for Week 1. 

2.  Do the Assigned Reading.  

3.  Post an entry in the Discussion Group list - tell us what you would like us to know about yourself, what past writing experiences you have had, and what you would like to write during this class for the Workshop Section.  This is your Weekly Writing Exercise for the first week.

4.  Read the section in Week 1 Assignments [Section 4.  Class Discussion and Critique] about submitting your work, guidelines for critiquing, and using feedback. 

5. Check out the Schedule of Class Workshop Submissions and choose a date to have one of your completed works considered.  Begin writing a piece for the Formal Writing Workshop.

6.  Read the model for the Weekly Writing Exercise (I have provided an example for you for most of the Weekly Exercises) in Exercises.  Then, read the submissions of other members of the class on the Discussion Board and respond. (This week your class exercise is to write a short piece about yourself, your writing, and your goals for this class.)

7.  Be sure to e-mail me with any questions about your participation and enjoyment in the class.

About Your Class // Class Syllabus // Workshop Pieces // Weekly Writing Exercises // Lecture Notes // Reading List // Recommended Reading // Assignments // Grading Policies // Contact Your Instructor // Announcements // Discussion

Marjorie Coverley Luesebrink, your Instructor, is a Professor of English in the School of Humanities and Languages

Irvine Valley College, Irvine, California