Class Title: “FICTION: FINDING YOUR INSPIRATION”

Objectives: Students understand how to channel and source inspiration, applying innovative concepts and topics to fiction, gaining basic knowledge of prose, language, and imagery. 

Learning Outcomes: Understand how to creatively brainstorm topics, draw inspiration from existing literature or life experiences, and apply ideas to fiction. 

Class Timeline: 45 mins. per lesson (20 mins. for instruction, 20 mins. for discussion & debate, 5 mins. for homework review & Q/A) 

Detailed Lesson Plan:   

Part 1: Flash Fiction (1 month)
Week 1a: Flash Fiction—What is it?
Week 1b: Read and Reflect—Jamaica Kincaid, Ernest Hemingway, Roxane Gay
Week 2a: Brainstorming—How to creatively ideate topics
Week 2b: Structure—How to experiment with structure
Week 3a: Character Construction—Explore character flaws and psychology
Week 3b: Emotion—How to incorporate emotions into fiction
Week 4a: Capstone Project—Create your own work of flash fiction from scratch
Week 4b: Evaluation and Feedback

Part 2: Humor (1 month)
Week 5a: Humor—What is it?
Week 5b: Read and Reflect— Oscar Wilde, George Saunders, David Sedaris, Week 6a: Inspiration—How to draw inspiration
Week 6b: Dialogue—How to creatively use dialogue
Week 7a: Language—Strategically using vocabulary
Week 7b: Experiences—How to utilize life experiences
Week 8a: Capstone Project—Create your own work of humor from scratch
Week 8b: Evaluation and Feedback

Part 3: Magical Realism (1 month) 
Week 9a: Magical Realism—What is it?
Week 9b: Read and Reflect—Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Laura Esquival, Haruki Murakami
Week 10a: Imagination—How to explore creative possibilities
Week 10b: Fantastical Elements—How do they work?
Week 11a: Incorporation of Myth—How to reference mythology
Week 11b: Realistic Settings—How to incorporate life-like settings into writing
Week 12a: Capstone Project—Create your own work of magical realism from scratch
Week 12b: Evaluation and Feedback