Kathie Bergquist

This class serves as an entry into the historical, theoretical and practical concerns of creative writing as an art form in itself and as a vital element of interdisciplinary projects. We explore the possibilities of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays and hybrid practices as writing for the page, as well as for performance, sound, installation, and image-based pieces. Readings include diverse examples of genre and form, as well as investigations of literary and thematic terminology. Students generate weekly responses to reading and writing exercises that focus on understanding the mechanics of writing, and are introduced to workshopping techniques and etiquette.

This class serves as an entry into the historical, theoretical and practical concerns of creative writing as an art form in itself and as a vital element of interdisciplinary projects. We explore the possibilities of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, plays and hybrid practices as writing for the page, as well as for performance, sound, installation, and image-based pieces. Readings include diverse examples of genre and form, as well as investigations of literary and thematic terminology. Students generate weekly responses to reading and writing exercises that focus on understanding the mechanics of writing, and are introduced to workshopping techniques and etiquette.

This class aims to help students develop their styles and to uncover the rhetorical possibilities traveling under the name 'essay.' Depending on your habits, you may write anywhere from two to two hundred essays this semester. Your obligation to the workshop, however, is to turn in your best two essays for the scrutiny of others. This means taking a piece of writing as far as possible on your own, to achieve what feels, at least for the time being, like a stable, fully amplified, stylistically polished text. You will read 3-7 essays per week and turn in a reaction paper every other week that identifies and discusses the essays you have read. Class culminates with a take-home exam with three short-answer questions, asking you to think about what you learned in the workshop and how. This class is an excellent introduction to the essay form, useful to all students who intend to put themselves forward in writing.

This course immerses participants in the life and work of Franz Kafka, surrealist thought, and contemporary Prague arts, including the installation art of David ¿erný. Students will visit cultural landmarks such as the DOX Center for the Arts, Franz Kafka Museum, Museum of Communism, and more, as well as excursions to Terezin Concentration Camp, Kutná Hora's ossuary, and Karlstejn Castle. The program coincides with the Prague International Fringe Theater Festival, providing students with a wide range of further cultural activities to experience. Students will explore surrealism, the uncanny, and the absurd, using journaling and sketchbooks to engage with dream imagery, hone attention to both assigned texts and the city, experiment with multiple modes of writing, and cultivate a surrealist sensibility, all while drawing on Prague's unique landscape, history, and creative culture for inspiration.

What makes James Baldwin¿s voice so unmistakable? Why is it easy to distinguish between the works of Virginia Woolf and Vladimir Nabokov? This course investigates the art of sentence construction¿the building block of creative writing¿showing how a well-crafted sentence is not merely a vehicle for information or plot, but a vital tool for shaping voice, tone, and style. Through close study of sentences from iconic writers such as Baldwin, Woolf, Ocean Vuong, and Maggie Nelson, students will explore the intricacies of syntax, structure, and stylistic devices. Combining critical analysis with creative experimentation, students will deepen their understanding of the power of sentence-level techniques, honing their ability to cultivate a distinct literary voice. The course culminates in a creative portfolio, accompanied by a thoughtful reflection on individual writing processes and stylistic choices.