The Biggest Things
- Last Lecture: "Am I a writer?"
- David Haynes: "My goal is to produce novelists, not novels."
- Take My Survey about Novels in MFA Programs
- Why Downton Abbey is Addictive (and Instructive)
- SOP: Do's and Don'ts
- MFA FAQ: The LOR
- When Students Friend Me
- Midnight in Paris & Fantasy Linda
- Kim Barnes: Learn the Craft, Trust the Process
- The Swamp
-
Recent Posts
Subscribe
-
Tags/Topics
AWP Ball State Beth Turcotte Big Thing blogging Cole Porter creative writing programs description Downton Abbey Facebook Fiction Writers Review gamification I Jennifer Egan Keeble Kim Barnes Linda Porter Madison Smartt Bell manuscript MFA minimalism NaNoDra2Mo NaNoWriMo notecards novel novel workshop pedagogy Powerpoint prescription process blog short story show down tell Statement of Purpose storyboard students syllabus teaching creative writing The Circus in Winter The Millions Twitter Winesburg workshop Writer's Center of Indiana writing group writing processArchives
Recent Comments
Students
- 9 Circles of Computer Hell
- amywhipple.com
- Aubrey Hirsch
- Awkward Happenings Punctuated by Moments of Charm
- be cool, soda pop
- C.M. Humphries.com – www.fullofcrow.com
- Cyberpunk Apocalypse
- Digital Esoterica
- Fear of Syndication
- Gear Up for Packers Football
- Idle Thoughts
- Jeanine Skowronski
- Knowingly Whimsical
- May I Have a Word?
- Michelle Brower at foliolit.com
- Salvatore Pane
- The Hypermagic Headphase
- Ugliness and Inspiration
- You Will Know Elasticity
Monthly Archives: March 2011
“No Writing is Ever Wasted” by Lowry Pei
I’ve “met” some extremely cool people since starting this blog, such as writer-teacher Lowry Pei. He’s the author of the novel Family Resemblances, as well as many short stories, essays, and book reviews. He teaches writing at Simmons College, and … Continue reading
Memo: Course Descriptions are due for Fall 2011
Are you ready to get serious about leading a Big Thing writing class? I know I am. Here’s my plan for my Advanced Fiction Writing course during Fall 2011. Course Description In this class, all students will be required to … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching, Writing
Tagged Andre Dubus, drafting, horizontal writing, storyboard, syllabus
14 Comments
You’re Not Ready to Write a Novel: by Rebecca Rasmussen
If you would like to write a guest post for “The Big Thing,” by all means, let me know. Maybe we could trade? That’s what debut novelist Rebecca Rasmussen and I did. My essay on “Literary Citizenship” appeared on her … Continue reading
Posted in Teaching, Writing
Tagged novel, Rebecca Rasmussen, Sabina Murray, short story, workshop
14 Comments
The Big Thing in Film School & Fiction School
Here’s part 2 of my interview with Alexander Georgakis, a young filmmaker fresh out of film school, who has lots of smart things to say about making art in and out of school. Read part 1 here. A lot of … Continue reading
The Short Film is to Film School what the Short Story is to Fiction School
After my essay came out in The Millions, I started wondering: does the problem of accommodating short vs. long forms extend into other disciplines and art forms? Do film schools, for example, use short films as their primary pedagogical tool … Continue reading
This is How You Do It: John Vanderslice (Part 3)
This is the end of a three-part interview with John Vanderslice. During Fall 2010, we each taught a Big Thing creative writing course. We had never met, and at the time, we had no idea we were doing almost exactly … Continue reading
Posted in CW Programs, Teaching
3 Comments
