CW 1

English 231-71157 Creative Writing Fall 2014 Cuesta College San Luis Obispo
Room 6301 lecture, discussion, writing, and workshop. M: 4:00-6:50
Prerequisite: Completion of English 201A with a C or better
Instructor
Mr. Patchell tpatchel@cuesta.edu (use wisely) Office 6220 x2767 Office Hours: (also
by appointment) MW 11-12 TTh 10-11 W 3:30-4-30

Mr. Patchell has taught college-level English courses from remedial to advanced since
1996 in a variety of settings: Cal Poly, S.L.O., East Los Angeles College, Loyola
Marymount University, L.A., and Mount Saint Mary's College, L.A. He has been
working with veteran writing groups since 2003 with Maxine Hong Kingston (he also
edited the collection Veterans of War Veterans of Peace with Kingston) and writes short
fiction in what little free time he has. Mr. Patchells current projects are writing his
fathers Korean War stories, off-beat L.A. detective fiction, and weird Central Coast
stories. His short story A Woman in the Boss Mans Yard was published in fall of 2012
in the e-collection War Stories and selected as a New Short Fiction Series and was
subsequently performed live on stage in North Hollywood, California This is his ninth
year at Cuesta College.
Required Texts
Cleaver, Jerry. Immediate Fiction: a Complete Writing Course.
Shaparo, Robert and James Thomas, eds. Sudden Fiction: American Short Stories.
Recommended
Queneau, Raymond. Exercises in Style.
Materials
You will need an ample supply of college-ruled notebook paper, blue or black ink pens,
something like a flash drive for storing work, an email account, access to the internet and
a good college dictionary or thesaurus.
English 231 presents an opportunity for creative literary expression and emphasizes
techniques in writing poems, and short stories. We will read some published authors, but
the class will focus on student writing. Students will write during class, read their writing
out loud for critique. Writing techniques and regimens will be presented by the instructor
and discussed by the class. Small groups will form for more in-depth workshop time and
review of student writing.

CW 2

Assessment
Grades will be calculated as follows: 70% finished writings 20% in-class work, minor
assignments, and participation (reading) 10% Final
Note Cuesta does not allow faculty to assign the C-. All work below 73% is not passing.
Also, there is now a limit of three attempts to pass a class.
Scale
100-90 (Excels all expectations of assignment) 89-80 B (Superior) 79-70 (Meets
expectations of assignment) 69-60 (Unsatisfactory) 59-0 (Fails to meet expectations)
Please do not mistake creative writing for an easy A course. Producing worthwhile
poetry and fiction takes a lot of work and skill.
We will complete three to four polished projects for submission. These will be short
fiction, a poetry series, or short drama (one acts, or vignettes).

Attendance
Attendance is required. This is a hands-on course, so plan to attend every Monday. After
two absences, you may be dropped at the instructors discretion. If this happens past the
drop date, you risk getting an F or equivalent in the class. Please see me about
extenuating circumstances. If you do stop attending the course, make sure you are no
longer on the roster.
Plagiarism
Do not copy another student or writers work (or idea[s]) and submit it as your own or as
part of your own. Do not have a ghostwriter do your work. These infractions may result
in failing the assignment, the class, or further discipline from Cuestas administration.
General Class Etiquette
This is a college-level, university transferable class. I expect all students to behave as part
of a community and acting appropriately for a professional environment. Turn off
electronic devices, do not text or distract yourself with materials unrelated to the class.
Eating, whether done on the sly or blatantly, will not be tolerated. Eat before or after class
water or soft drinks are okay. Be polite when the instructor or someone else talks or
reads; we are all here to work with each other.

CW 3
Student Learning Outcomes
Enhanced skill in techniques for creative writing, particularly fiction and poetry
Understanding that creative writing involves labor and the ability to recognize and
embrace inspiration
An understanding of the basic elements of fiction writing: Want, Obstacle, Conflict,
Action, Resolution, [Showing, Emotion, Revealing Character]
An understanding of the basic elements that make strong poetry: Concrete images, grasp
of Figures of Speech, Tension and Conflict, and Current Styles of Poetry
Proficiency in presenting work, whether in person or through media
Enhanced creative writing critiquing ability
An awareness of the larger world of fiction and poetry writing
[Daily] Writing Habits that outlast the class
A basic knowledge of publishing work
This class also aims to help students improve their literary writing endeavors through
theory and craft, and to become comfortable and proficient at editing and reworking
pieces in progress. Artistic writing brings another measure of value to life, and this class
assists in the development of that value.
Creative writing can be enjoyable, but like all writing it can be agonizing and take
discipline and time to master. We will talk about technique, process, and how writers who
have been successful work. We will read other writers, but the emphasis will always stay
on our own craftwelcome to the classget ready to write and develop your artistic
ideas in a serious workshop of words!