Writing Courses

Creative Writing Courses

Fall 2019

In the Fall of 2019, the Creative Writing Center will offer workshops in both poetry and fiction, as well as other cross-listed courses in playwriting and translation.

You can search the Five College online catalog for writing classes at other colleges.

Questions? Email Catherine Newman at crnewman@amherst.edu

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Kirun Kapur(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. 
If Overenrolled: The instructor will seek to achieve representative equity (majors, class years, gender, background, etc.).
 
ENGL-222 Playwriting I
The Department(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students.
If Overenrolled: Preference to theater and dance majors. Decisions made after the first class.
 
ENGL-225 Non-Fiction I or Personal Story
Min Jin Lee(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Fall semester. Writer-in-Residence Lee.
If Overenrolled: The instructor will seek to achieve representative equity (majors, class years, gender, background, etc.).
 
ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Min J. Lee(Section 01)
Thirii Myint(Section 02)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. 
If Overenrolled: The instructor will seek to achieve representative equity (majors, class years, gender, background, etc.).
 
ENGL-227 Reading and Writing Electronic Literature
Judith E. Frank(Section 01)
Marisa Parham(Section 01)
 
ENGL-320 Literature as Translation
Anston L. Bosman(Section 01)
Catherine A. Ciepiela(Section 01)
Requisite: two years of college-level study of the chosen language. Limited to 15 students. 
If Overenrolled: Students will be dropped randomly to attain limit.
 
ENGL-324 Writing Poetry II–The Lyric Essay
Shayla I. Lawson(Section 01)
Requisite: ENGL 221 Writing Poetry I. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. 
If Overenrolled: The instructor will seek to achieve representative equity (majors, class years, gender, background, etc.).

Previously: Spring 2019

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Kirun Kapur (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Amity W. Gaige (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-255 Unreliabilities
Amity W. Gaige (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-322 Playwriting Studio
Karinne Keithley Syers (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 10 students. If Overenrolled: Instructor will decide after first class meeting.
 
ENGL-324 Writing Poetry II
Shayla I. Lawson(Section 01)
Requisite: ENGL 221, Writing Poetry I. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-426 Writing the Novella
Judith E. Frank (Section 01)
Requisite: A previous fiction-writing workshop. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 10 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-473 Hybrid Forms
Shayla I. Lawson (Section 01)
Open to juniors and seniors. Limited to 16 students.
 
ENGL-328 Writing Historical Fiction
Susan E. Stinson (Section 01)
Requisite: ENGL 226, Fiction Writing I. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.

Previously: Fall 2018

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Shayla I. Lawson (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.

ENGL-222 Playwriting I
Karinne Keithley Syers (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Not open to first-year students.

ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Judith E. Frank (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.

ENGL-326 Fiction Writing II
Amity W. Gaige (Section 01)
Requisite: Completion of a previous course in creative writing. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.

Previously: Spring 2018

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Kirun Kapur (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-222 Playwriting I
Connie Congdon (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Not open to first-year students.
 
ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Judith E. Frank (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-321 Tones in Black and White
Peter Kimani (Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 25 students. Preregistration is not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-322 Playwriting Studio
Connie Congdon (Section 01)
Requisite: THDA 270 or the equivalent. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 10 students.
 
ENGL-326 Fiction Writing II
Peter Kimani (Section 01)
Requisite: Completion of a previous course in creative writing. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Preregistration is not allowed.
Admission instructions here.

Previously: Fall 2017

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Daniel J. Hall
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-222 Playwriting I
Karinne Keithley Syers
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. If Overenrolled: Preference to theater and dance majors. Decisions made after the first class.
 
ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Susan E. Stinson 
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 15 students. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-228 Narrating the Nation
Peter Kimani
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 15 students. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-426 Writing the Novella
Judith E. Frank
Requisite: A previous fiction-writing workshop. Admission with consent of the  instructor. Limited to 10 students. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-440 Imitations
Daniel J. Hall
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 15 students. Admission instructions here.
 
EUST-303 Literature as Translation
Catherine A. Ciepiela
Requisite: two years of college-level study of the chosen language.  Limited to 15 students.
 

Previously: Spring 2017

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Daniel J. Hall(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 12 students. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-222 Playwriting I
Connie Congdon(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 15 students. Not open to first-year students.
 
ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Judith E. Frank(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 15 students. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-322 Playwriting Studio
Connie Congdon(Section 01)
Requisite: THDA 270 or the equivalent. Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 10 students.
 
PLEASE NOTE: FICTION II WILL NOT BE OFFERED IN SPRING 2017
 
ENGL-440 Imitations
Daniel J. Hall(Section 01)
Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 15 students. Admission instructions here.

 

Previously: Fall 2016

ENGL-221 WRITING POETRY I
Kirun Kapur (Section 01)
Limited enrollment. Pre-enrollment not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-222 PLAYWRITING I
Djola Branner (Section 01)
Enrollment limited to 15; not open to first-year students; if overenrolled, enrollment will be decided after the first class.
 
ENGL-226 FICTION WRITING I
Abigail N. Jackson (Section 01)
Pre-enrollment not allowed. Admission instructions here.
 
ENGL-320 LITERATURE AS TRANSLATION
Catherine A. Ciepiela (Section 01)
Requisite: two years of college-level study of the chosen language. 
 

Previously:

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I
Hall (Section 01)
Admission requirements
 
ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I
Ted Thompson (Section 01)
Admission requirements
 
ENGL-256 The First Person
Amity W. Gaige (Section 01)
Admission requirements
 
ENGL-326 Fiction Writing II
Amity W. Gaige (Section 01)
Admission requirements
 
THDA-270 Playwriting I
Connie Congdon (Section 01)
 
THDA-370 Playwriting Studio
Connie Congdon (Section 01)

Previously: Fall 2015

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I

David R. Sofield (Section 01)
Admission requirements

ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I

Judith E. Frank (Section 01)
Admission requirements
Amity W. Gaige (Section 02)
Admission requirements

ENGL-388 Screenwriting

Chris Mason Johnson (Section 01)
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors.  Preference will be given to English and FAMS majors.  Admission with consent of the instructor.  Limited to 12 students.  Please complete the questionnaire to be considered for admission.