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Create Original Fiction: Write original short stories that demonstrate creativity, genre awareness, and narrative control
Assessment Strategies
Written creative works
Criteria
Write original fiction that demonstrates a distinct voice, creative risk-taking, and narrative cohesion
Apply core fiction elements, including character motivation, setting, plot structure, conflict, and resolution
Create dynamic characters with clear desires, internal/external conflicts, and credible arcs
Construct vivid, story-appropriate settings that influence plot and character
Use narrative structure to shape compelling plots
Demonstrate control over point of view (e.g., first person, second-person, third-person)
Describe how point of view influences readers’ perceptions
Develop a genre-appropriate tone and effective pacing and style across drafts
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Develop Core Fiction Techniques: Apply essential fiction-writing techniques to create engaging, immersive narratives
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Use showing vs. telling strategies to develop character, setting, and emotional impact
Employ concrete sensory details to build immersive and credible scenes
Develop effective dialogue that reveals subtext, character traits, and tension
Control scene construction, using beats, turning points, and transitions to sustain reader interest
Integrate backstory and exposition smoothly through action or reflection
Shape narrative pacing to match story stakes, tone, and emotional intensity
Discuss how craft decisions (e.g., tense, voice, structure) impact readers’ experiences
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Develop Voice and Style: Develop a distinct narrative voice and style through experimentation with literary techniques
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Experiment with narrative distance, emotional expression, and stream of consciousness when developing characters
Explore sentence variation, syntax, figurative language, and tone to refine style
Establish and maintain a consistent voice appropriate to narrator, character, or story tone
Develop a recognizable style through word choice, rhythm, and diction
Take risks in writing to deepen theme, irony, or psychological complexity
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Use the Writing Process: Implement stages of the fiction writing process, from idea generation to polished final drafts
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, graphic, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Generate imaginative story ideas through creative brainstorming (e.g., mind-mapping, what-if questions, character sketches)
Revise for structure, character arc, and scene structure
Edit for clarity, style, voice consistency, and narrative rhythm
Proofread for mechanics, grammar, and syntax, preparing the story for potential submission
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Peer Review and Feedback: Use and generate feedback to improve your fiction drafts
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, self-assessment, and/or discussion
Criteria
Create specific feedback that is constructive and kind
Generate/ask clarifying questions that support the writer’s intent
Analyze constructive criticism, recognizing areas for revision
Demonstrate effective listening, speaking, and/or writing within peer work group
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Revise and Edit Work: Use instructor and peer feedback to finalize your fiction drafts
Assessment Strategies
Written, oral, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Revise your stories by addressing plot logic, scene pacing, character depth, and emotional stakes
Make substantial structural changes where needed, rather than surface-level edits
Edit for prose economy, removing redundancy and enhancing rhythm
Edit tone and diction to align with the story’s mood and purpose
Final, polished drafts show evidence of improvement from earlier versions
Written reflection includes analysis of revision decisions and craft development
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Reflect on Writing Practices: Analyze your fiction-writing practices and growth as a writer, setting goals for future improvement
Assessment Strategies
Written reflections and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Identify strengths and areas for improvement in fiction writing
Explain how specific feedback informed revision choices
Analyze patterns in storytelling
Goals address specific fiction techniques
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Contribute to Creative Communities: Collaborate with other writers
Assessment Strategies
Discussion, written reflections, and/or self-assessment
Criteria
Provide written and verbal feedback during workshops
Generate comments on peers’ work
Revise your work based on feedback and be open to receiving feedback
Explain strategies for submitting fiction to campus literary journals or external venues
Show interest in the broader literary environment beyond your own work
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Analyze Published Works of Fiction
Assessment Strategies
Written analysis and/or skill demonstration (reading)
Criteria
Study/read published short fiction to examine use of theme, symbolism, scene construction, and narrative tension
Analyze how authors build character complexity and maintain narrative focus
Identify techniques such as foreshadowing or flashback
Explore how historical, cultural, and social contexts influence narrative choices
Articulate how published work might influence your own creative decisions