The Art of Creative Writing

This course is an introduction to the practice of creative writing regardless of what form the work takes. It is also a community workshop for the sharing of your literary efforts, both raw and polished. While we will explore different poetic, non-fictional, and fictional forms, the course focus is on finding, building, and developing your stories. Every class session aims to include writing exercises and experiments in creative activity, with alternating conversations on student work and assigned readings culled from outstanding writers who precede us. All levels of experience are welcome.

No class on November 26.

Fall 2026 Topics

• Ekphrasis: Transforming visual art into narrative, philosophical, and sensory writing.
• Play as Technique: Using games, automatic writing, and collaborative techniques to generate new work.
• Fragment as Form: Exploring fragments, recombination, and unconventional structures.
• Personal Narrative: Discovering and developing compelling stories from memory and experience.
• Sound and Music: Using rhythm, sounds, and lyricism to shape writing.
• Experimental Approaches: Exploring hybrid forms, editorial approaches, and creative feedback techniques. 

This class is taught by Patrick Bernhard.

Extended! Registration closes at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026.