Creative Writing courses at MPC may be taken to complete the Associate in Arts degree in Creative Writing or The MPC Creative Writing Certificate Program; to pursue an interest in exploring, strengthening, and expanding one's own creative writing interests without pursuing a degree or certificate; to augment and complement the critical/historical study of literature in pursuit of a degree in English; or to complement study in other disciplines.

Whatever your reason for enrolling, our creative writing classes will engage you in the study and practice of literary arts from poetry to novels, short stories to memoir to screenwriting -- and more.

Classes may be offered online or on campus. Please consult the Schedule of Classes each semester for details.

 

CREATIVE WRITING COURSES

Each of the courses described below satisfies a requirement for the Associate in Arts in Creative Writing degree and the MPC Creative Writing Certificate.

Pursuit of the A.A. degree or Certificate is not a requirement for enrolling in a Creative Writing class.

Each of these courses can be taken for a letter grade or on the Pass/No Pass basis. Please specify your preference when completing your registration. (There is a limit to the number of Pass/No Pass classes can be counted toward any MPC degree or certificate; please consult an academic counselor for the details.)

ENGL 31: Introduction to Creative Writing

ENGL 31 introduces the essential tools and techniques of poets and fiction writers, providing examples and exercises to stimulate your creativity and strengthen your writing skills. You will read works by writers in various genres and write your own poetry and prose throughout the semester. ENGL 31 makes use of the Writing Workshop approach, in which writers read and discuss the original work of their classmates in a respectful and supportive environment. Workshops are guided by principles found in "How to Give and Receive Critiques," an essay by Dawn Copeland. ENGL 31 is offered in the Fall semester annually.

 

ENGL 32: Creative Writing II

An introductory course in the writing of fiction, poetry and other genres (as time and class size permit), Creative Writing II provides opportunities to expand your writing skills, sharpen your eye and ear for significant detail, strengthen your powers of description, and recognize the best form -- poem? short story? novel? memoir? -- for capturing and communicating the observations, feelings, insights, and mysteries that move you to write. You will read works by writers in various genres and write your own poetry and prose throughout the semester. Offered in the Spring semester.

 

ENGL 51: Fiction Writing

Study and employ the elements and techniques of fiction writing in this semester-long writing workshop suitable for those with an interest in writing short stories or long-form fiction. Reading and discussing the narrative craft at work in stories and chapters written by writers of imaginative prose both classic and contemporary, you will also complete writing exercises in the creation of characters; dialogue; scene building; narrative point of view; and more, before completing your own original short story or chapter(s) from a longer work-in-progress. Offered in the Spring semester.

 

ENGL 52: Creative Nonfiction Writing

Creative Nonfiction (also called Narrative Nonfiction) is the most popular literary genre in the United States. Best Seller lists and magazine pages are heavy with Memoir, Personality Profiles, Events Features, and Immersive/Participatory Journalism (which includes, among other forms, Travel Writing, Food Writing, and Nature Writing) -- ample evidence that readers can't get enough. This class will immerse you in the work of renowned Creative Nonfiction writers, and in writing your own original, polished works of narrative nonfiction. Prepare to tell real-world stories -- suitable for publication. Offered in the Fall semester, alternating annually with ENGL 53: Poetry Writing. See the Schedule of Classes to determine which course is offered next.

 

ENGL 53: Poetry Writing

ENGL 53 offers an intensive and inspiring immersion in poetic techniques, forms, and habits of mind. Course work will sharpen your imagination, deepen your sensory awareness, and enliven your love of language and the effects to be achieved with sound, image, and attention to detail. Recognizing that poetry is, as Poe argued, the first and essential literary art, ENGL 53 is strongly recommended for all who pursue the A.A. in Creative Writing or the MPC Creative Writing Certificate. Offered in the Fall semester, alternating annually with ENGL 52: Creative Nonfiction Writing. See the Schedule of Classes to determine which course is offered next.

 

ENGL 54: Novel Writing

Suitable for writers who have a novel in progress, an idea for a novel, or simply a desire to give novel writing a try, this course examines what makes a novel a novel, how novels are structured, the function of chapters, and other essential elements -- all within a learn-by-doing, writing workshop environment. It is not expected that you will complete a novel while taking this class -- but you will certainly get one started (or work farther into the novel you have underway). Offered in the Fall semester.

 

ENGL 55: Novel Writing II

Novel Writing II engages the challenges of structure, consistency, and development that accrue as a book-length work of fiction continues on from its initial pages, while not neglecting the basics that matter from beginning to end. ENGL 54: Novel Writing, is recommended but not required for enrollment, and as in that class it is not expected that you will complete a novel while taking Novel Writing II -- though if you get there, that's fine with us. Offered in the Spring semester.

 

ENGL 57: Beginning Screenwriting

The focus of the course is on the basic elements, principles, and practices of screenwriting, with an emphasis on visualization, visual writing, the creation of scenes, and story structure. You will write the first act of a feature-length screenplay. This class can be taken as ENGL 57 and applied toward completion of the A.A. in Creative Writing or the MPC Certificate in Creative Writing, or taken as THEA 8A and applied toward the completion of the Theatre Arts program. Offered in the Fall semester.

 

Please explore related pages on this web site for more information about the Creative Writing Program and direct any questions regarding the program, its courses, and other features to Program Coordinator Henry Marchand: hmarchand@mpc.edu.