Intermediate Fiction Workshop · CREAW
2 hours on a normal week, 10+ on a week where you have a short story due, around 8 for the midterm.
Never thought I'd say this, but NOT ENOUGH work! Two drafts of stories Critiques (one page each) of two or three other students' stories every week Occasionally a published story to read "Final Portfolio"--actually just a revision of one story
Not too heavy at all. Submit pieces of fiction (anywhere from like 3-100 pages) two or three times a semester; write one-page critiques of three other people's submissions each week.
2 stories (10-15 pages each) over the course of the semester, as well as weekly responses to the two stories submitted by your classmates. Also, supposedly, weekly reading, but it's never mentioned in class.
One 2 hour class a week, about 2-3 stories to read and review per week, and 2-3 submissions per student, with one final portfolio based on one of the previous submissions.
Pretty light: short weekly writing exercises (nearly half are optional), weekly peer critiques, weekly reading assignment (usually 20-30 pages), two stories for workshop (7-25 pages), one revision at the end of the semester, attendance and class participation are essential.
3 critiques weekly, 1 page each, 3 story submissions
Light. 2 stories with no strict length requirements. Weekly written feedback (2 paragraphs per story) which many people started to skip once they realized it wasn't being collected or graded by the professor.
You will write 3 stories, which can range from 8-20 pages, evenly spaced over the semester, but that means there is no final! You also write a one page review of each of the stories submitted by your fellow classmates (there are 3, then later 4 per week.) She generally cares about quality, no matter how few or many pages you need to do it.
That class was the worst workshop I've ever been in. I pondered for literal months how to describe Halle Butler, and I think the best way to describe her is a well-read but entirely oblivious person. She certainly has the vocabulary to sound impressive, but in reality, the words coming out of her mouth are pretty and lack any substance. She's very good at making you think she's giving you feedback, but in reflection, you realize that she genuinely hasn't said anything at all. She is genuinely one of the most unpredictable people I've ever met in my life. One minute, she's yelling at you in front of the entire class, the next she's sickly sweet and interesting, and the next she fantasizes herself a personal vendetta against her students. The review before this said that she's a dry millennial, and I completely agree. Her nonchalant attitude is not enjoyable to be around. She quite literally creates an environment where her "interpretation" is the only "correct" interpretation. If you "disagree" with her (you have any other opinion), she will make it her personal mission to insult your character and take you down. One day before class, she was joking around asking us about our favorite films. She said something along the lines of "Don't worry, it's technically still before class so you're allowed to disagree with me." Directly. Halle creates a workshop environment where she gets…