76-206 Intro to Creative Writing

9 units, Carnegie Mellon University

In this course we will explore how stories work and why we tell them. Using screenplays, short fiction and personal essays, we will analyze how narratives function and how, upon reflection, narratives often function in very similar ways no matter what the genre. Storytelling has a shape. It dominates the way all stories are told and can be traced back in history to the very beginning of the recorded word. We will study traditional structure in screenplays and contemporary prose pieces, and consider stories from fairy tales to serialized television shows. These master texts will be used to guide the students as they write and develop their own stories.

Prerequisites: none listed

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