English in a Flash: Creative Short-Form Writing in English

Inspired by masters of short-form writing in such literary genres as flash nonfiction, flash fiction and prose poetry, we experiment with a variety of styles to expand our repertoire of writing strategies in English. We compose creative texts weekly to strengthen our habits of writing. We read like writers: to practice the connection between critical reading and evocative writing. We engage in conversations, share work with our peers, exchange feedback, become stronger communicators.

This course combines creative writing, literary studies and advanced English language practice. We read selected examples of short-form writing to observe how such brief texts (from 6 words to 750 words) use language to suggest larger narratives. We read like writers, that is, we treat short-shorts as our master texts in order to understand better how we can compose images, build scenes, create engaging characters and develop our own style of writing.

Thanks to this course, you will:

• become a more nuanced reader of contemporary literary texts,
• get to know a variety of short-form writers and styles,
• learn how to incorporate the lessons of reading into your own writing,
• gain confidence in sharing opinions and offering feedback,
• diversify and improve your writing skills in English.