Course Syllabus

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Syllabus Creative Writing, Short Fiction

Welcome

Welcome to Creative Writing: Short Fiction! We’re so glad you’re here.

Every lesson is designed to help you grow as a thinker, problem solver, and global learner. As a Mizzou Academy global student, you will complete lessons and assignments on your own schedule, interacting with course content, participating in interactives, and completing practice activities, as well as drafting and revising assignments, preparing for quizzes and assessments, and taking exams.

To stay on track, we recommend using a pacing guide. You can find more information about pacing in the Course Resources section, along with helpful tools, technology support, and tips for online learning success.

As you begin, remember that online learning requires both independence and communication. Be curious, stay organized, and don’t hesitate to reach out to your teacher if you need support.

We’re excited to learn with you, and we’re happy you’re part of our Mizzou Academy community! 

Pacing

This course can be completed in as few as six weeks or take up to 6 months (180 calendar days). The six weeks are counted from the date of the first lesson submission and not the date of enrollment.

This course is asynchronous, meaning you can complete lessons and assignments at your own pace.

Most students spend approximately 10 hours per lesson interacting with course content, participating in interactive activities, and completing practice exercises, as well as drafting and revising assignments, preparing for quizzes and assessments, and taking exams. Your time may vary depending on your goals and learning style. 

We encourage you to work at a consistent pace, allowing time to absorb new ideas, build skills, and reflect on what you’ve learned. Use a pacing guide to plan ahead, stay organized, and finish strong. 

Course Description

Storytelling is a strong human urge. We seem to feel compelled to create and then share worlds and situations and characters, and as writers, we do that with words. This ability—language—and this drive toward creative, fictional artistry is a big part of what separates us from other creatures of the earth. Imaginative writing is a rewarding, valuable activity—one that you can enjoy for a lifetime, not just during your school years. This joy of creation can enhance our lives, helping us to grow and perhaps even discover more about who we really are.

Whatever your personal goals for this course may be, what we know for sure is that the more you write, the better you write. In this way, the fictional story-writing that you do for this class should help you succeed not only here, but in all of your classes and situations that require writing. Communication skills are in great demand in our world because our world runs on words. And, let's be honest, as AI continues to grow and threaten human artistry, imaginative, creative people and original thinking and writing are more important than ever. Your ability to create, to see the world in unique ways, and to imagine new ways to explore and resolve conflict is a uniquely human quality. It is also a valuable skill that will serve you well in the future, no matter what career you pursue.

This course is designed to improve your creative writing skills by giving you lots of writing practice. You will learn concrete strategies for generating ideas and working purposefully and productively through each stage of the writing process. By the end of this course, you will have written three complete, fully developed, and polished short stories.

Course Essential Questions

How do we begin writing our own stories?

How do we become master storytellers?

Course Overview

Lesson

Objectives

Quiz

Assignment

1: Introduction to Short Fiction
  • explain why storytelling is meaningful to you as both a reader and as a writer.
  • define the elements that distinguish short stories from other kinds of fictional storytelling.
  • identify the signature features of the following short story genres: suspense, fantasy, humor, science fiction, and adventure. 
  • generate writing ideas for the short story monologue you will develop and submit for grading at the end of Lesson 3.

Lesson 1 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

No Assignment

2: Building Blocks of Short Fiction
  • define the five core elements common to all short stories: character(s), setting, plot, conflict, and theme. 
  • recognize the five short story elements in sample reading selections.
  • generate writing ideas for the short story you will develop in Lesson 3.

Lesson 2 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

No Assignment

3: Monologue
  • analyze the roles of focus and voice in a story’s point of view.
  • define the limited first person point of view.
  • identify the signature features of direct interior monologue.
  • write an original direct interior monologue that demonstrates control over each of the short story elements: setting, character, conflict, plot, and theme.

Lesson 3 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

Lesson 3 Assignment (50 Points)

4: Subjective Narration
  • identify the features of subjective narration.
  • define dramatic irony and its role in making a narrator meaningfully unreliable.
  • draw inferences to support your understanding of a story’s characters, conflict, plot, and theme.
  • employ narrative strategies to imply meaning that is never stated directly.

Lesson 4 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

Lesson 4 Assignment (50 Points)

5: Great Writing = Rewriting
  • evaluate your own writing to assess quality, effect, and editorial polish.
  • enhance character, setting, and plot development in a story draft with detail and precision.
  • employ figurative language to enliven storytelling.
  • use strong verbs and syntax variety to improve your sentences.
  • demonstrate control over format, grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

Lesson 5 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

Assignment Title and brief description 


(or n/a)

Midterm Exam (25 MC Questions, 2 Points Each & Midterm Writing Assignment, 250 Points)

6: Mastering Point of View
  • explain the concept of worldbuilding in fiction writing.
  • identify the features of third person anonymous narration.
  • identify the signature features of a limited-omniscient point of view.
  • analyze the relationship between point of view and time in a story.
  • evaluate the short story elements in selected readings.
  • generate initial writing ideas for the anonymous, limited-omniscient narration draft you will write for the Lesson 7 assignment.

 

Lesson 6 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

No Assignment

7: Characterization
  • enhance and enrich the S.T.E.A.L. characterization methods in your character development. 
  • employ techniques of both direct and indirect characterization.
  • use the following character types strategically based on their function within a story: protagonist (hero), antagonist (villain), antihero, foil character, parallel character, caricature, archetype, and stereotype.
  • write a complete character sketch for a protagonist that demonstrates intentional worldbuilding, strong characterization, and is told from the anonymous third person, limited omniscient point of view.

Lesson 7 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

Lesson 7 Assignment (50 Points)

8: Context and Setting
  • distinguish between a story’s setting and its context. 
  • explain the relationship between a story’s space (the physical environment) and time (historical, present day, or future). 
  • use imagery in your descriptive writing to create an immersive setting.
  • use deliberate diction and syntax choices to shape the atmosphere of your story.
  • recognize techniques, devices, and narrative strategies that contribute to setting in selected readings.
  • establish meaningful relationships between character, conflict, context, and setting for your Final Exam Assignment story plan.

Lesson 8 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

No Assignment

9: Plot Building = Scene Building
  • design an original plot arc that avoids tropes.
  • construct a scene outline as the framework for your plot arc.
  • write authentic and purposeful dialogue.
  • use foreshadowing to build the plot arc smoothly and believably.
  • develop complete, cohesive scenes that show rather than tell.
  • write a complete first draft of your anonymous narration for the Final Exam Assignment that you will submit at the end of the course.

Lesson 9 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

Lesson 9 Assignment: Anonymous Narration Complete Rough Draft (75 Points)

10: Craftwork and Polish
  • employ self-evaluation strategies to identify both strengths in your own writing and opportunities to improve.
  • enhance your descriptions with imagery.
  • add foreshadowing to your story in order to build your plot arc smoothly and believably.
  • sharpen the dialogue in your scenes.
  • revise your rough draft for expression of theme.
  • edit your rough draft for diction (word choice).
  • revise your complete first draft of the anonymous (third person), limited-omniscient narration in preparation for your final exam assignment submission.

Lesson 10 Quiz (10 MC Questions, 2 Points Each)

No Assignment

Final Exam (25 MC Questions, 2 Points Each & Final Exam Writing Assignment, 250 Points)

 

Grades

Your final grade will be based on the number of points you earn on submitted work and exams. The available points are distributed as follows:

Source Available Points
Lesson Assignments 225
Lesson Quizzes 200
Midterm Exam 300
Final Exam 300
Acceptable User Policy and Handbook Quizzes 2
Total 1027

 

Textbook & Technology Requirements

To fully participate, make sure you have:

  • A computer that meets our Mizzou Academy technology requirements
  • A microphone and webcam for recording audio and video assignments
  • Any other required textbooks or materials for the course

Textbook

No textbook is required for this course.  All readings are contained with the course materials.

Technology

The most up-to-date requirements can be found here: 

Additional requirements for the course are below: 

  • audio and video recording capabilities (e.g., smartphone, camera)

If you ever have trouble accessing course materials or recording tools, reach out to your teacher for support. We are here to help!

Accessibility

If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this course, please let Mizzou Academy know as soon as possible. If disability-related accommodations are necessary (for example, a scribe, reader, extended time on exams, captioning), please contact Mizzou Academy.

Canvas Technical Support

Canvas will be used as the primary platform for accessing course materials and assignments for this class.

Course Summary:

Course Summary
Date Details Due