Courses | Creative Writing Center

Shayla I. Lawson
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 18 students. If Overenrolled: The instructor will seek to achieve representative equity (majors, class years, gender, background, etc.).

ENGL-223 Sound, Movement, and Text: Interactions and Collaborations

Wendy Woodson
Requisite: Previous experience in composition in one or more of the central media, or consent of the instructors. Limited to 16 students. If Overenrolled: Priority given first to majors in theater and dance, music, and English, then to others with experience in these media.

ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I

Susan E. Stinson

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-270 Letter Writing and Epistolarity

Benigno R. Sanchez-Eppler
Limited to 18 students. If Overenrolled: Preference given to senior, junior, and second-year English majors.

ENGL-323 On The Edge: Writing for Performance

Ana Candida Carneiro
If Overenrolled: Priority given to Theater and Dance, Film and Media Studies, Art & Art History, English, and Music majors from the 5 Colleges.

ENGL-324 Writing Poetry II–Poetry in Translation

Kirun Kapur(Section 01)
Limited to 12 students. If Overenrolled: The instructor will seek to achieve representative equity (majors, class years, gender, background, etc.).

It is normally supposed that something always gets lost in translation; I cling, obstinately, to the notion that something can also be gained.― Salman Rushdie

What can we learn about the craft of poetry through the practice of translation? How can engaging with poetry in another language (even in translation) transform our own thinking and writing? This class will explore these questions by reading and translating poetry from around the world and across the centuries. Readings from Homer, Sappho, Catullus, Montale, Ghalib, Mir and a variety of contemporary Arab poets will be augmented with a mix of essays on the practical and theoretical aspects of translation. Students will experiment with a variety of translation-inspired writing exercises and design a final translation project of their choice. There is no language requirement.
Kirun Kapur's email is kkapur97@amherst.edu

ENGL-325 Her Story Is: Feminist Approaches to Theater and Performance

Ana Candida Carneiro
Limited to 18 students. If Overenrolled: Priority given to THDA and SWAG majors.

ENGL-326 Fiction Writing II—Moving Beyond Plot

Thirii M. Myint
Requisite: ENGL 226 Fiction Writing I. 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.).

THDA-348 Moving Elsewhere: Performance, Poetry and Psychoanalysis
Wendy Woodson
Admission with consent of the instructor. Limited to 12 students. If Overenrolled: Priority given first to majors in theater and dance, music, and English, then to others with experience in these media.

MUSI-267 Song Writing

Eric W. Sawyer
Requisite: Students should have some background in music performance, chords, or writing. Limited to 12 students. If Overenrolled: Preference will be given to first-years, sophomores, and music majors.

Previously: Fall 2019

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.

Creative Writing Center Courses

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Creative Writing Courses

Fall 2023

Spring 2022

ENGL-221 Writing Poetry I

ENGL-226 Fiction Writing I

ENGL-388 Screenwriting