Tag Archives: pedagogy

Last Lecture: What matters more: Story or Sentence?

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

Every time I teach novel writing, I end the semester with a “Last Lecture” on a topic that’s been on my mind all semester long. Last spring, I wrote about learning to self-identify as a writer; this post, “Am I … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

“I can’t do this anymore.”

Posted on December 6, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

I’m having a real crisis. I’m starting to wonder if teaching a novel-writing class with 15 students can really be done. Let me explain. This semester, I taught Advanced Fiction, a 400-level course at Ball State which I teach as … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Is “literary citizenship” just a nice way of saying “hype?”

Posted on October 18, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

Last week, I created a mid-term survey for my novel writing class. I wanted to know how things were going. Fine, it seems, but I did get this comment: “Though the class has a solid layout, I feel it’s taught … Continue reading →

Posted in Literary Citizenship, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

David Haynes: “My goal is to produce novelists, not novels.”

Posted on March 11, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

This is important: no matter what Chad Harbach and John Stazinski say, my little informal survey did NOT indicate that MFA programs concentrate solely on short stories. They are not “anti-novel.” At least not on purpose anyway. The perception that … Continue reading →

Posted in CW Programs, Teaching, The Biggest Things | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Survey Results: 56% say MFA favors story over novel

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

It is possible to teach novel writing in MFA programs, and many do. My panelists (David Haynes, Patricia Henley, Sheila O’Connor, and Elizabeth Stuckey-French) prove it here, by sharing their syllabi with you. You’ve got everything you need to design your … Continue reading →

Posted in CW Programs, Teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Novel-Writing Class Best Practices

Posted on March 1, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

If you’d like to teach a class in novel-writing but don’t know how, have no fear. My panel is here! David Haynes, Patricia Henley, Sheila O’Connor, Elizabeth Stuckey-French, and I have all taught the course, and we’ve compiled a Best … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Take My Survey about Novels in MFA Programs

Posted on February 14, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

“Of all the ambient commonplaces about MFA programs, perhaps the only accurate one is that the programs are organized around the story form.” Chad Harbach said this in his n+1/Slate essay, “MFA or NYC?” Do you think he’s right? I … Continue reading →

Posted in CW Programs, Teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 14 Comments

Weekly Words

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

I require my novel-writing students to turn in 2,250 words a week for 12 weeks. If they turn in the words, they get 25 points. If they don’t turn in the words (or turn in less than 2,250), they don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Novels to Stories, Stories to Novel

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Cathy Day
Share

If you’re looking for a way to turn a novel into short stories or (more likely) turn stories into a novel, try these activities. First, novel into stories.  1.) Find a copy of The Paris Review 10, Fall 1955. On … Continue reading →

Posted in Teaching, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Celebrating (and Celebritizing) Teaching Creative Writing

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Cathy Day
Share

Today, Fiction Writers Review is running “Where Are We Going Next? A Conversation about Creative Writing Pedagogy (Pt. 1),” a co-written article by myself, Anna Leahy, and Stephanie Vanderslice. This lively, wide-ranging conversation took place during the summer of 2010 … Continue reading →

Posted in CW Programs, Teaching, Writing | Tagged , , | 8 Comments