ENGL 2650 - Introduction to Creative Writing
Fall 2026 Syllabus, Section 01, CRN 42773,
Credit hours: 3
Course Meeting Times
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Instructor
Russell Brickey
Email: rwbrickey@ysu.edu
Course Description
2650. Introduction to Creative Writing. Intro to Creative Writing introduces the devices, conventions, and techniques of creative writing, particularly fiction writing and poetry writing, although creative nonfiction, scriptwriting, and other formats may be included at instructor's discretion. 3 s.h.
Course Readings
| Group | Title | Author | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Required | Haiku | Russ | |
| Required | What Is Poetry? | Russ | |
| Required | Image Selection 1 & 2 | Russ | |
| Required | Dramatic Monologue | Russ | |
| Required | What is Ekphrasis | Russ | |
| Required | Can-Can | Vivante | |
| Required | Hips | Cisneros | |
| Required | A Good Man is Hard to Find | O'Connor | |
| Required | Everyday Use | Walker | |
| Required | Deep Breathing Exercises | Card | |
| Required | The Thing in the Forest | Byatt | |
| Required | What We Talk About When We Talk About Love | Carver | |
| Required | Hills Like White Elephants | Hemingway | |
| Required | Desert Breakdown, 1968 | Wolff | |
| Required | The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation | Alexie | |
| Required | Tomorrow and Tomorrow and So Forth | Updike | |
| Required | The Boy Who Grew Up | Barzak |
Almost every class period we will look at examples of either poetry or fiction or, on occasion, an author interview or essay. These are meant to provide ideas, principles, and inspiration. They will be posted on Blackboard for each day (see schedule). Please read ahead. Hopefully, you will enjoy what I have posted, and we can talk about them in class.
The course readings are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, research developments, current events, and/or to ensure better learning.
Assignments/Assessments
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Schedule of Topics and Assignments
| Day | Date | Reading(s) | Proposed Topic | Due/To Prepare for Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue | 8/25 | In Class Reading | Haiku / Syllabus | Bring your big brain |
| Thu | 8/27 | Read Selection in “What is Poetry?” & “Haiku” (Posted in Blackboard) | What is poetry anyway? 1 point | More big brain, laptop, or paper to write on |
| Tue | 9/1 | Read "Image Selection 1" (Posted on Blackboard) | Poetry of Image 1 point | Bring laptop or paper |
| Thu | 9/3 | Read "Image Selection 2" (Posted on Blackboard) | Poetry of Image 1 point | Laptop or paper |
| Tue | 9/8 | Read "Poetry of Voice" (Posted on Blackboard) | Poetry of Voice | Laptop or paper |
| Thu | 9/10 | Read "Dramatic Monologue" (Posted on Blackboard) | Poetry of Voice 1 point | Laptop or paper |
| Tue | 9/15 | Read Your Peers' Poems in Class | Workshop 5 points | Bring at least 2 original haiku & 1 longer poem (3 copies of each) |
| Thu | 9/17 | Bring in revised poems from last workshop | Workshop 5 points | Bring in revisions of haiku & longer poem for a second workshop |
| Tue | 9/22 | "What is Ekphrasis" (Posted on Blackboard) | Ekphrastic poetry 1 point | Feel free to volunteer images, musical excerpts, or other media for inspiration |
| Thu | 9/24 | Meet in the Butler Museum | Meet in the Butler Museum / find inspiration 3 points | Bring Writing Materials / Phones |
| Tue | 9/29 | Workshop Ekphrastic Poems | Workshop 5 points | Bring at least 1 poem inspired by something you found in the Butler Museum |
| Thu | 10/1 | Poems Read Aloud to Your Classmates | "Open Mike" 20 Points | Bring approximately 5 to 10 minutes of poetry to read aloud |
| Tue | 10/6 | In-Class Readings | Intro to Fiction 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Thu | 10/8 | Read "Hips" (Posted on Blackboard) | Intro to Fiction 5 points | Laptop or Writing Paper Bring Fiction Exercises 1 & 2 |
| Tue | 10/13 | Read: "A Good Man is Hard to Find" & "Everyday Use" | Plot Structure / Character 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Thu | 10/15 | Read "Deep Breathing Exercises" & "The Thing in the Forest" (Posted on Blackboard) | Plot Structure 3 points | Bring in "Plot Breakdown" exercise |
| Tue | 10/20 | Bring in an original scene for workshop | Scene Workshop 5 points | Bring in your own scene for workshop / 2 - 4 pages (3 copies) |
| Thu | 10/22 | Read "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" & "Hills Like White Elephants" (posted on Blackboard) | Dialogue 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Tue | 10/27 | In Class Exercises & Examples | Dialoge 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Thu | 10/29 | In-Class Reading | In-Class Read Aloud 5 points | Bring an original dialogue to read aloud with your classmates |
| Tue | 11/3 | Read "Desert Breakdown, 1968" & excerpts in class | Description & Character 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Thu | 11/5 | In-class reading | Character Invention 3 points | Bring "Character Exercise" |
| Tue | 11/10 | Read "The Only Traffic Signal on the Reservation" (posted on Blackboard) | Voice (1st Person) 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Thu | 11/12 | Read "Tomorrow and Tomorrow and So Forth" | Voice (3rd Person) 1 point | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Tue | 11/17 | In-Class Review / Bring Draft of Story | Workshop 5 points | Review of Peers' Stories |
| Thu | 11/19 | In-Class Review / Bring Redraft of Story |
Workshop 5 points | Bring Redraft of your Story |
| Tue | 11/24 | Read "The Boy Who Grew Up" (posted on Blackboard) | Barzak Story / Review / Draft Questions | Laptop or Writing Paper |
| Thu | 11/26 | THANKSGIVING | THANKSGIVING | Eat & Rest |
| Tue | 12/1 | In-Class Reading | Student Examples of Professional Writing 5 points | An Excerpt of a Published Story for Review During Class |
| Thu | 12/3 | Final Open Mike Fiction | Final Open Mike Fiction 20 points for student reader | Bring Original Story |
| Tue | 12/8 | Final Open Mike Fiction | Final Open Mike Fiction 20 points for each student reader | Bring Original Story |
| Thu | 12/10 | Final Open Mike Fiction | Final Open Mike Fiction 20 points for each student reader | Bring Original Story |
The course schedule, policies, procedures, and assignments in this course are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances, by mutual agreement, and/or to ensure better learning.