[E06-3] Advanced Trio Reading 6 (阅读三剑客6-写作单元, 周六线上课)

Course Description

This course will introduce students to creative writing, teach them how to think like a writer, and have them write multiple short pieces of their own culminating in a short story. Creative writing exercises will include fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, as well as lessons on practical writing skills such as editing and proofreading. In addition to these exercises, students will also read a few short pieces on the topic of the writer’s craft and sample passages by famous writers in various forms.

Course Objectives (students will…)

1. Write multiple shorts pieces, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry

2. Develop an understanding of the writer’s craft and the elements of story telling

3. Acquire confidence as writers through self-expression and peer editing

4. Compose daily writing journal entries and create a personal writing portfolio 

5. Compose a short story over several weeks and present it orally to the class (as a culminating task)

All writing homework assignments must be handed in no later than 11:59pm two days before the next class (but preferably the day after the session). These assignments will mostly be brief writing exercises, and will not have a negative impact on any other schoolwork the student may have. As creative writing need not conform to the conventions of academic writing a style guide will not be used for this course, however, in some writing assignments students will be asked to follow specific stylistic guidelines.

Course Schedule

Session One

Course introduction/objectives

Writing journals intro (and “About the Author” personal intro exercise)

Elements of Descriptive Writing (analysis of sample descriptions)

Homework:  Descriptive Piece (250 words)

Session Two

Introduction to Editing and Proofreading

Elements of a Story or Narrative (discussion and analysis of sample narratives)

Homework: Flash Fiction Piece (250 words)

Session Three

Writing Fiction (use of point of view, character development and dialogue)

Sample Stories, handouts, and articles

Practice developing characters and using dialogue

“Beat the Author” (writing practice)

Homework: Planning for Short Story 

Session Four

The Influence of Myth on Narrative

Study of Various Myths

Group Assignment: Creating a Modern Myth

Homework: Planning and Developing Short Story (rough draft due by Session 7)

Session Five

Introduction to Poetry (poetic techniques and devices)

Study of various poems (traditional forms vs. modern forms)

Homework: Writing a traditional poem for class anthology

Mr. Boland 英语文学硕士学位(专攻20世纪诗歌)。自1991年一直任职于安省一所公立高中，并于2019年退休。他的莎士比亚、创意写作以及人类学课程非常受学生欢迎。

Mr. Boland还是业余作家和编辑，并从2003至今担任加拿大Royal Canadian Legion写作比赛评委。

Mr. Boland的第一部长篇诗集《Toward the Chrysalis》于2005年由Stone Flower出版社出版。之后又有多篇诗歌和评论发表在加拿大和美国的各种文学期刊上。

Mr. Boland 的教学严谨，但深受学生喜爱，原因是，老师认真且专业，课堂管理要求高，不允许开小差，不允许关闭摄像头，学生普遍反应上过Boland老师的课后，受益匪浅。

教学风格：严谨、清晰、精准、专业、高要求