Intro to Creative Writing
Penn State Fayette (Fall 2025)
67% Online | 33% Tuesdays via Zoom (3:05 to 4:00)
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Welcome!
Welcome!
My name is Allain (pronounced Al-len). My love of storytelling probably comes from growing up in a small rural town. Books, movies, and video games were how I explored the world, and after some narrative twists through Scotland, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, I'll soon be living with my wife in New York State. I'm a big nerd who loves stories in all their forms.
If I had to describe myself as an instructor, I'd say that I'm patient, kind, and focused on improvement over time. Writing process is more important to me than 'perfect' writing. I want to help you refine your craft, learn about stories you might not know about, and develop your own voice.
What is this course about?
What is this course about?
How does a story transform from a half-baked idea to a full draft? Can you become creative if you’re not a creative person? What are the stories that would never be told if you didn’t share them? As AI tools become better at generating writing, what remains uniquely human about stories and storytelling?
Whether they're fiction, non-fiction, or somewhere in-between, stories help us answer these questions. Creative writing helps us express something true and meaningful about what it means to be human to other humans.
This course is designed to introduce you to the practice of storytelling (a.k.a. creative writing). While some people appear 'naturally creative,' a great deal of writing and storytelling is built on techniques that can be learned and practiced.
In this course, you'll...
...learn how to build a story from rough core elements to completion.
...read and analyze a mix of (mostly contemporary) fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and multimedia.
...combine text, audio, and images to tell multimedia stories.
How This Course Works
How This Course Works
You don't need to be a writer or an English major to take ENGL 50. The course is designed to help you develop foundational creative skills for storytelling in any field.
This is a hybrid course: we meet on Tuesdays over Zoom to gather and workshop together, and we'll collaborate online throughout the week.
You'll be graded on creative exercises, three short stories, and a final revision
Our first day of class is August 26th; our last day of class is December 9h.
The best way to reach me is by email (akd6078@psu.edu). I'll almost always respond to an email within 24 to 48 hours during the week.
Course Outline
Course Outline
Note: This schedule is subject to change, and is meant as a general overview.
Week 1
Finding Your Creativity
Week 2
Recognizable People
Week 3
Building Small Worlds
Week 4
Say Yes To Conflict
Week 5
Peer Review Workshop
Week 6
Poetry Interlude
Week 7
Showing and Telling
Week 8
Who's Telling This Story, Anyway?
Week 9
Getting Beyond Facts To Truth (So What?)
Week 10
Peer Review Workshop
Week 11
Multimedia Workshop
Week 12
Multimedia Storytelling (Part 1)
Week 13
Multimedia Storytelling (Part 2)
Week 14
Shitty First Drafts
Week 15
Locally Sourced Stories
Course Textbook
Course Textbook
How To Be Successful In This Course
How To Be Successful In This Course
Keep up with the course schedule of reading and writing.
Be willing to try new things in your writing.
Read the directions and rubrics for each assignment (I'll keep my grading transparent and based on easy-to-understand criteria).
Ask me questions.
Ask your classmates questions.
Be willing to be vulnerable.
Visit the writing center!
Learning Agreement
Learning Agreement
What you can expect from me:
What you can expect from me:
I'll curate readings and exercises that will help you develop foundational skills in creative writing.
I'll help you learn storytelling techniques that you can use in any professional context.
I'll give you regular feedback on your work in the course.
I'll make assignment requirements clear and transparent so you know the criteria you'll be assessed on.
I'll always be kind, but I'll also always find ways to help you push your craft to the next level.
What I will expect from you:
What I will expect from you:
Be present and actively communicate with the class.
Regularly engage in the online activities scheduled outside of class.
Take risks and be willing to try something new in your writing.
Be kind and thoughtful with your peers' works.
Trust that your own original work and voice has value.
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