Graduate Prose Workshop

Curiosity is the antidote to judgement.

This graduate prose workshop is a place to generate new work, take risks, and question yourself and others about your writing.  As you do so, you should be developing a good sense of your own passions, obsessions, and fears as writers. In addition to these responsibilities to yourselves, the workshop asks that you be responsible to each other, to help each writer figure out the very best way to accomplish their goals.

Class will be split into two modes this quarter:

• generation of new fiction and/or nonfiction and workshops using the Critical Response Process or The Asking
• study of prose style

You can always find the class schedule (topics and requirements) by clicking on the Syllabus or Assignments link to the left.

Class Meetings

TTh, 12:30-2:20 pm, MGH 085

We will always meet in person unless we have a snow day. If that's the case, I will email you with a Zoom link.

Office Hours

T 3:00-4:00 & Th 10:30-11:30 & by appointment, Padelford B-431

Requirements in Brief

Writing

4 submissions of new fiction or literary nonfiction, or 3 submissions of new work and 1 revision, circa 15,000 words (45 pages).

Prose Style Exercises

Written comments on your peers' writing.

Reading

Your peers' writing!

Nina Schuyler, How to Write Stunning Sentences

Various essays on aspects of prose style. Readings will be in the course reader or through links in Canvas. Course reader available at Professional Copy'n'Print, 4200 University Way NE, Seattle, WA 98105, (206) 634-2689.

List of recommended books related to prose style in case you feel like delving into the topic further.

Grades

All the prose you submit for this class will be graded on completion. That means that as long as you turn in the required work, you will receive full credit. I won't be grading your fiction or creative nonfiction based on "quality." The point of workshop is for you to submit works in progress. That said--and actually, this should go without saying for a graduate workshop--if typos or unintentional grammatical errors make your work impossible to understand, that will have an effect on your grade. Please note that I highlighted UNINTENTIONAL.

Your written peer reviews will also be graded on completion as long as you follow the instructions and complete the work.

Your prose style exercises will be graded on how accurately and correctly you complete the assignments.

I will also expect you to participate fully in our class discussions.

Submitted Prose: 200 pts
Prose Style Exercises: 100 pts
Written Peer Reviews: 50 pts
Participation: 50 pts
TOTAL: 400 pts

Getting to Know Me

I use she/her pronouns.

I was born and raised in New York City, attended pubic high school in Manhattan and Wesleyan University in Connecticut before receiving my MFA in creative writing from Brown University. My parents were both visual artists, but I always wanted to be a writer. I focus on short fiction and personal essays, and have been teaching at UW since 1993.

When I'm not writing or reading, reading, reading, I attend movies, plays, and concerts, bake (too much!), and knit.

Visit my website Links to an external site. to see what writing I've been up to recently.

Drop by during office hours, or email me (mayas@uw.edu) with questions. I'll get back to you within 24 hours during the week or 48 hours over the weekend.