Write a creative story. It might be a report of a real experience (creative nonfiction) or it might be imaginary (fiction). It might be somewhere between the two (which is still called fiction). The story will have a beginning, middle, and end, and your first draft will be approximately 800 words. Let me re-emphasize something here that is sometimes troublesome: The story must have an end. Don’t start typing your magnum opus future dystopia trilogy and then hand me the beginning of chapter one on the day it’s due. Write a complete story that takes 800 words to tell.
There are three limitations to what you write about.
- Do not write stories that mock or belittle other students, faculty, or staff at the college.
- Do not write stories that condone hate speech or hate crimes.
- And, for my sake, please do not write stories about people getting chased around by monsters. I’m tired of reading those. Please also note that I consider human monsters to be part of this: someone stalking a person on the way home, serial killers, etc. Even writing this, I am already bored
- Sometimes stories can tackle sensitive or intense subject matter. This is okay. However, do take a moment to consider that we will be doing a peer review of these stories, and other students will see your work. Subjects that might be interesting to you might be traumatic to others, who may have a personal history of injury around the topic you’ve chosen. I appreciate it if the author can make a note of this at the top of the page. Something like, “This story contains a scene of graphic battlefield violence,” can help.Furthermore, if you feel uncomfortable reading a story, you can pass on peer reviewing it. I want people to be able to write the stories that are important to them, and I also want to respect the boundaries of the audience. Hopefully, we can accomplish both.