Creative Nonfiction
Crafting the Essay is a Writing course in the CTY program with no prerequisites. Its course code is WRT3, and it is offered at all five CTY sites in the continental US: Baltimore, Carlisle, Lancaster, Los Angeles, and Saratoga Springs.
Course Desciption
Crafting the Essay is a writing course that teaches the fundamentals of writing a basic essay. The course takes a unique focus on personal essays and examines the work of humorists such as David Sedaris. The course assumes basic knowledge of writing, and thus nowhere is found the basic and often ill-conceived concepts of the five-paragraph essay; rather, the course takes an in-depth look at many varied styles of writing through very interactive and creative lessons and assignments.
This class should also be looked at as a nonfiction course with some teachers. Discussion explores the topic of "truth" and perception. When can a piece be labeled "nonfiction"? Narratives by Gay Talese and excerpts from other works such as Angela's Ashes are observed.
Students write a profile, memoir, and travel essay, among other things.
Class History
Taught by Ross Markonish in Lancaster from 2003-2006.
Taught by Eric Song in SAR.06.
Taught by Tim Ross in CAR.06.
Taught by Dona in JHU.06.1.
Taught by Veronica Guttierez and Danielle Roderick in LMU.07.
Taught by Chris McVey, who was absolutely brilliant, in SAR.09.
Crafting was taught by Angela Balcita in JHU.06. Angela taught the course through four different types of essays: Memoir, Personal Essay, Place Essay, and Lyric Essay. The students all wrote through pen names. The class examined many genres of essays, from deMontaigne to medical memoirs.
In 08 and 09 at LMU, the class was taught by Danielle Roderick and TAed by Granger Abuhoff. (In 09 they taught/TAed the B class). Danielle was wonderful as always, and Granger was... well, Granger. Any alum of the class now know far too many Granger jokes.
At CAR.10, Crafting the Essay was taught by Michael Horton, with TA Jessica
