Part I: Telling a story : literary nonfiction/fiction. Literary nonfiction: an overview --True experience : " Killing Chickens / by Meredith Hall Nonfiction in a reflective mood: "unwired" / by Hilary Masters Impressions of a real place : "On Leaving Florida" / by Marjorie Sandor "Westbury Court" / by Edwidge Danticat Creating your own literary nonfiction Fiction: the freedom to invent Finding and shaping fresh material "Escapes" : a story / by Ann Hood Viewpoint: who's seeing this? "Rwanda" : a story / by Stephen Minot The making of a story / by Stephen Minot Structure: from scenes to plot "A Simple Matter of Hunger" : a story / by Sharon Oard Warner Creating tension Setting: where am I? "Obst Vw" : a story / by Sharon Solwitz Dialogue: the illusion of speech Characterization : creating credible people Liberating the imagination Three flashes of fiction : "The Bank Robbery" : a story / by Steven Scotsman "Stockings" : a story / by Tim O'Brien "Girl" : a story / by Jamaica Kincaid Heightened meaning: metaphor, symbol, and theme "Gotta dance" : a story / by Jackson Jodie Daviss Style and tone Five ways to open up a story Troubleshooting guide: fiction Part II: The writing of poetry. What makes a poem a poem? Plunging in: a selection of poems Sources: where poems come from The impact of images Using the sound of language Traditional rhythms Stanzas: a choice of fixed forms Free verse: creating unique forms A sense of order Varieties of tone Finding the form : a revision narrative with exercises Poems for self-study-- Troubleshooting guide: poetry Part III: The writing of drama. Drama: a live performance Hello Out There: a play / by William Saroyan The dramatic plot Reckoning: a play / by Tony Padilla Conflict: generating emotional impact Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda: a play / by Glenn Alterman --The nonrealistic play Dramatic characterization Visual impact The voices of comedy --Dramatic themes Troubleshooting guide: drama Appendices. A: Submitting work for publication B: Resources for writers
