MA in Writing Graduate Course Schedule, Northwestern University School of Professional Studies - Northwestern School of Professional Studies

Program Courses

Please note that course schedules may be amended due to low enrollment, faculty availability, and/or other factors.

Online Sync Sessions are an integral part of the online learning experience. Additional information about learning concepts and assignments may be discussed and sync sessions offer valuable opportunities for students to interact with their faculty and peers during the term. We encourage all students to attend live, but if they are unable to, sync sessions will be recorded and posted within Canvas to allow for an asynchronous model of success as well.

MCW_SEMINAR 490-0 : Reading, Writing, and Publishing the Chapbook

Description

This elective will begin with a look at the history and evolution of the chapbook form, then explore the vibrant and often under-appreciated place of chapbooks in the contemporary literary and publishing landscapes. We will study a wide range of chapbooks (poetry and prose), including recent ones by Sandra Cisneros, Kaveh Akbar, Leah Umansky, and Emily Jungmin Yoon. Students will have the opportunity to select additional titles from a menu. Together we will consider what constitutes a chapbook in terms of thematic focus, length, and craft; how they differ from full-length books; and why so many emerging and established writers seek to publish chapbooks. We will also learn how to navigate the publishing process and how to design and make our own chapbooks. Additionally, any student interested in taking this course as a writing workshop will have the opportunity to work closely with the instructor to develop their own chapbook. Coursework will include readings, response papers, an extended analytic essay, original creative work (poetry and prose), and a handmade chapbook. Workshop students will produce a larger volume of original work as they work toward a finished draft of their own chapbook. The course will also feature one of the chapbook authors visiting our class as a guest speaker.