Students develop their acuity in the craft of fiction writing, and explore the variety of fictional forms to which they might aspire. Through exercises, close analysis of published fiction, and their own writing, students explore elements of fiction writing such as character building, setting, point of view, genre, and the use of specifics to create a vivid world. By the end of the semester, students will have written numerous short fictional pieces and written and revised one long (7-10 page) story. Readings include, among others, E.M. Forster, Flannery O’Conner, Samuel Beckett, Grace Paley, John Cheever, Harold Brodkey, Raymond Carver and George Saunders. Prerequisite: Writing the Essay.