boston college creative writing seminar

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Creative Writing Workshop

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In-Person/On-Campus

**Course is Full**

Through the study of creative nonfiction, fiction, and poetry, students will explore their own unique voices and the diverse voices of published writers. Students will identify and analyze different styles of writing and collect a "toolbox" of craft techniques that they will put into practice by writing their own original creative pieces. Classes will consist of reading, discussion, writing exercises, and writing workshops in which students will have the opportunity to give and receive constructive feedback on their work. As a seminar capstone, students will have the opportunity to present their work in a class reading.

Faculty: Allison Adair and Christopher Boucher  

COURSE IS FULL

Session dates:.

7/18/22-7/29/22

Session Times:  

Week One: Monday-Friday 9am–12 p.m. and 1pm–3pm

Week Two: Monday-Friday 9am–12pm. and 1pm–3 pm

Program Costs

Sample Schedule

College Prep/Enrichment Class

Planned social activities on-campus

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First-Year Writing Seminar & Literature Core

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The English Department's First-Year Writing Seminar (FWS) and Literature Core form a key part of BC's Core Curriculum. These courses are designed to complement each other by helping students to develop essential skills for a liberal arts education. Some 1,600 students take a First-Year Writing Seminar each year, and more than 2,000 enroll in the Literature Core.

First-Year Writing Seminar

Literature core.

The First-Year Writing seminar (FWS) encourages students to understand why people write: not just for grades or to complete requirements but because writing is an intellectual and personal tool for living. In our small, workshop-centered seminars, students use writing to discover new insights, orient themselves to broader conversations, deepen their understanding of ideas, and create changes in service of the common good.

Each seminar is a 15-person workshop designed to help you develop and practice skills in writing and research. Over the semester you will learn to write rhetorically, devising effective writing processes for a variety of purposes and audiences, including but not limited to, academic writing. Each workshop allows you to work creatively on a variety of writing tasks and to put yourself in conversation with other writers. You’ll meet regularly with your instructor to make revision plans, learn to give and receive productive feedback to other writers, and develop skills for revising essays before submitting them for evaluation. You may also work with classmates to present and "publish" your work within various classroom, campus, or internet settings.

One goal of FWS is to teach you a variety of strategies to practice in a range of writing situations which, in turn, will help you to understand and plan for subsequent writing challenges in your future academic, professional, and personal lives. Another goal of FWS is to give you the tools and the incentive to keep writing after the course has ended: in other courses, in your community, and for your own pleasure. Part of learning to write well, especially in academic settings, involves putting yourself into conversation with current arguments using the conventions and tropes of relevant discourses. In FWS you will also be introduced to library resources and will practice writing and documenting secondary research.

Learning Outcomes

By the successful completion of a semester of First-Year Writing, students will be able to demonstrate:

Rhetorical Knowledge

• Focus on a purpose in their writing
• Respond to the needs of different audiences
• Respond appropriately to different kinds of rhetorical situations, including but not limited to academic rhetorical situations
• Write in several genres

Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing

• Use writing and reading for inquiry, learning, thinking, and communicating
• Understand a writing assignment as a series of tasks, including finding, evaluating, analyzing, and synthesizing appropriate primary and secondary sources
• Integrate their own ideas with those of others

Writing Processes

• Be aware that it usually takes multiple drafts to create and complete a successful text
• Develop flexible strategies for generating, revising, editing, and proof-reading
• Understand writing as an open process that permits writers to use later invention and re-thinking to revise their work
• Understand the collaborative and social aspects of writing processes
• Productively critique their own and others' works
• Balance the advantages of relying on others with the responsibility of doing their part

Knowledge of Conventions

• Learn common formats for different kinds of texts
• Develop knowledge of genre conventions ranging from structure and paragraphing to tone and mechanics
• Practice appropriate means of documenting their work
• Control such surface features as syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling

Ability to Compose in Electronic Environments

• Use electronic environments for drafting, reviewing, revising, editing, and sharing texts
• Locate, evaluate, organize, and use research material collected from electronic sources, including scholarly library databases; other official databases (e.g., federal government databases); and informal electronic networks and internet sources
• Understand and exploit the differences in the rhetorical strategies and in the affordances available for both print and electronic composing processes and texts.

Writing Core Requirement

Students may fulfill their Writing Core requirement through a BC Summer course with the ENGL1010 course number. (Woods College ADEN English courses will not be counted.) However, we do not permit the Writing Core requirement to be fulfilled over the summer at other institutions or in Study Abroad programs.

First-Year Writing Seminar Staff

Paula Mathieu

[email protected] | S447 Stokes Hall

Martha Hincks

Associate director.

[email protected] | S446 Stokes Hall

Dacia Gentilella

Fws mentor & learning specialist.

[email protected] | 50 College Road

Brian Zimmerman

[email protected] | S456 Stokes Hall

Why take the Literature Core?

At its heart, the Literature Core is designed to introduce first-year students to the study of literature at the college level. The focus is on the appreciation of the extraordinary range of what counts as literature, and on what skills studying literature teaches.   

According to the University Mission Statement on the Literature Core:

By taking three credits of the Core Curriculum in literature, students read in order to explore the characteristics and values of their own and other cultures; to discover alternative ways of looking at the world; to gain insights into issues of permanent importance and contemporary urgency; and to distinguish and appreciate the linguistic and formal satisfactions of literary art.

To read literature critically is to examine the human condition through language’s expressive power and to place the reception of literary works in cultural, historical, and social contexts. Literature, in all its genres, is a fundamental vehicle for understanding human experiences.

Students will be introduced to disciplinary skills including close reading, analysis of texts, and the practice of writing about them with clarity and engagement. Through shared critical and reflective inquiry, students will explore ways in which meaning is textually produced in the world.

ENGL 1080 Literature Core

You can fulfill the university’s Literature Core requirement by enrolling  in ENGL 1080 (followed by a section number, e.g. .01, .02, and so on). If you plan to take First Year Writing (FWS), you can take your Literature Core course before or after FWS.  We strongly encourage you to take ENGL1080 during your first year at BC.

All of our sections have common goals and shared guidelines about exams, the amount of writing you do, and so forth. We all emphasize discussion-based pedagogy, active learning, and collaborative work. Meanwhile you will also quickly discover that we offer many different, exciting topics across our Literature Core offerings, each taking a slightly different approach to these common goals. For instance, one instructor might focus on Detective writing; another on family relations in English and American drama; another on the idea of “money,” or political dissent, or social marginality. For this reason, it is very important to choose a section that stimulates your interests—and that starts with consulting our complete listing of course descriptions for all sections.

Literature Core courses are included in the Core Renewal program, which offers opportunities to study Enduring Questions through cross-disciplinary, parallel courses in two departments.

Students can also fulfill the Literature Core requirement through select courses in Classics, Slavic and Eastern European Languages, Romance Languages and Literatures, and German.

Students may fulfill their Literature Core requirement through a BC Summer course with the ENGL1080 course number. (Woods College ADEN English courses will not be counted.) However, we do not permit the Literature Core requirement to be fulfilled over the summer at other institutions or in Study Abroad programs.

English Department Stokes Hall South, 4th floor

617-552-3708

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33 Best Creative Writing Classes in Boston

Showing 33 courses that match your search.

Intro to Playwriting

Intro to Playwriting is a six-week course designed for beginners who want to write their first stage play, and intermediate playwrights seeking a refresher on the fundamentals.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/intro-to-playwriting-su24

Categories: Playwriting and Fiction

Start date:

Prerequisites: For writers age 13 - 18 ONLY.

Jumpstart Your Writing

Through a series of engaging writing exercises, we will mine our experiences and imagination for material and bring what we find to life on the page, constructing characters and settings, shaping vivid dialogue, creating imagery, and exploring the nuances of voice.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/jumpstart-your-writing-su...

Categories: Book, Fiction, Memoir, Nonfiction, and Poetry

6 Weeks, 6 Essays

In this fun, intensive class, over the course of six weeks, writers will produce six short essays (between 500 and 1,000 words each). Each week we will look at model essays, and students will respond to prompts based on the works we have read.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/6-weeks-6-essays-summer-2...

Categories: Essay and Nonfiction

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Developing Your Short Fiction

In this course, we'll learn and practice the tried-and-true elements of fiction—style, voice, character, narrative, dialogue, point of view, and revision—with an emphasis on the short story form. Classes will include discussions on various elements of craft and close readings of essays on writing and published stories.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/findaclass/class/developing-your-s...

Categories: Fiction and Short Story

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

Find Your Voice in Fiction

In this class, we’ll discuss strategies for developing and implementing an engaging voice to carry a compelling story. We’ll cover the importance of point-of-view and its relationship to voice in fiction.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/seminar/find-your-voice-in-fiction...

Categories: Book, Fiction, and Short Story

Prerequisites: Come prepared to write, and bring a brief one to two paragraph description of your project.

Jumpstart Your Memoir (In Person: Seaport)

This course has a very clear mission: to get you started on your memoir. Through a series of targeted writing exercises, we will explore the terrain of memoir writing: mining for material, constructing settings, finding emotional stakes and turning points, and looking for connecting threads to identify your overarching theme.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/jumpstart-your-memoir-su2...

Categories: Book and Memoir

Far Out: World-Building in Short Stories

In this class, we’re exploring the art of inventing new worlds in the small space that is the short story. We’ll experiment with different tools for developing speculative worlds, whether they be sci-fi, fantasy, surrealism, magical realism, horror, or otherwise

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/far-out-world-building-in...

Prerequisites: Please come to the first class with a copy of "an elevator pitch" for your memoir.

Jumpstart Your Memoir (Online: Zoom)

This course has a very clear mission: to get you started on your memoir. Through a series of targeted writing exercises, we will explore the terrain of memoir writing: mining for material, constructing settings, shaping vivid dialogue, and honing your voice.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/jumpstart-your-memoir-und...

Categories: Memoir

Poetry Revision Workshop

This online class is meant for poets who have written a few drafts of poems and want a supportive environment and concrete set of tools to polish them. In this class, we will focus on sharpening your editing and revision skills.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/seminar/poetry-revision-workshop-u...

Categories: Poetry

The Art of Immersive Setting

Setting and place are a collection of details that will captivate readers. We will uncover the ways to use place and setting to make your story sing. We'll discuss how to make the setting a natural extension of your characters and how to choose the right descriptive details.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/seminar/the-art-of-immersive-setti...

Categories: Book and Short Story

Speculative Fiction Workshop

Speculative fiction is an exciting and fast-evolving genre. This course will offer writers the chance to develop one to two speculative short stories and to participate in a critique workshop with peers. Along the way, study craft and learn from stories written by some of today's most prominent voices, such as Rivers Solomon, Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler and more!

Website: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/speculative-fiction-workshop

6 Weeks, 6 Stories

Over six weeks, participants will embark on a creative journey to produce six short stories, exploring various themes, genres, and writing techniques. This course offers a unique blend of writing prompts, workshops, and critical feedback sessions that encourage writers to experiment and grow.

Website: https://grubstreet.org/findaclass/class/6-weeks-6-stories...

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Boston

Congrats! By committing to taking a creative writing class in Boston, you’ve taken a big step towards improving your writing skills, and what better place to do it than in The City on a Hill? Some of the world’s most famous authors have come from Boston, including Robert Frost, Sylvia Plath, and Louisa May Alcott—and you may be next to join their ranks.

This directory of the best writing courses in Boston is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Boston? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Boston for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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UMass Boston

• Creative Writing Minor

Express Your Creativity & Develop Your Writing Skills.

Are your favorite classes the ones that foster creative expression? Do you dream of being a writer? Consider pursuing a minor in Creative Writing.

UMass Boston’s Creative Writing Minor program is designed for students interested in writing fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry. Through this program, you’ll connect with a creative writing community to foster your writing skills. The curriculum provides hands-on training, giving you the guidance you need to develop and shape your skills to the full extent of your talent. 

Once you complete the program, you’ll open the door to careers like writer, author, editor, literary agent, and writing instructor.

Expand Your Studies

How to apply/declare.

Current Undergraduate Students:   Declare or change your minor by completing an  Undergraduate Program Add/Change form .

Prospective Undergraduate Students:   Apply for admission to UMass Boston by completing an application. Start by reviewing the first-year and transfer application pages for important information about requirements, deadlines, and application status checks. Use the links below to apply: 

Apply as a First-Year Student

Apply as a Transfer Student

Creative Writing Courses (12 Credits)

Take four courses from the list below. At least two must be advanced workshops.

• ENGL 210 - Introduction to Creative Writing  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 211 - Creative Writing: Poetry  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 212 - Creative Writing: Fiction  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 300 - Intermediate Creative Writing Workshop  3   Credit(s)
• THRART 251 - Playwriting I  3   Credit(s)
• THRART 275L - Introduction to Screen and Television Writing  3   Credit(s)

Advanced Workshops :

• ENGL 301 - Advanced Poetry Workshop  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 302 - Advanced Fiction Workshop  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 303 - Advanced Special Topics in Creative Writing  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 304 - Creative Writing for Children’s Literature  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 306 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 496 - Creative Writing Honors Seminar  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 497 - Creative Writing Honors Thesis  3   Credit(s)

Literature Foundation Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• ENGL 200 - Introduction to Literary Studies  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 201 - Five British Authors  3   Credit(s)
• ENGL 202 - Six American Authors  3   Credit(s)

English, American, or Transnational Literature Courses (6 Credits)

Take two 300-level (or higher) English courses in English, American, or transnational literature excluding  ENGL 300 to 302, 306 to 308, 457 to 459, 475 to 477, and 496 to 499.

Completion Requirements

Complete 21 credits from seven courses, including four creative writing courses at the 200-level or higher, one literature foundation course, and two English, American, or transnational literature courses at the 300-level or higher.

Minimum grade:  No courses with a grade below C- may be applied toward the minor. Pass/fail:  No courses taken pass/fail may be applied toward the minor. Residency:  At least six courses for the minor must be completed at UMass Boston.

Eve Sorum, PhD, Department Chair Wheatley Hall, 6th Floor, Room 2 617.287.6753 Eve.Sorum [@] umb.edu

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Summer Challenge: Seminars

Note: summer challenge session 2 (july 7-july 19) is now closed, and we are no longer accepting new applications for summer 2024. , summer challenge session 1 (june 16-june 28) and session 3 (july 21-august 2) are  still open and accepting applications..

Boston University’s Summer Challenge seminars allow you to engage in a high level of learning and achievement with other high school students—without focusing on grades. Choosing two noncredit seminars (one morning, one afternoon), you’ll participate in lectures, discussions, individual and group work, project-based assignments, and field trips. Small class sizes ensure ample attention from experienced college instructors as you meet the challenges of college-level study. Each seminar culminates in a final class presentation.

Following the conclusion of your Summer Challenge session(s), a certificate of completion and letters of evaluation from both seminar instructors will be provided to you.

Morning Seminars

Abnormal psychology, business: from the ground up, chemistry of medicine, computer science, creative writing, electrical engineering, film and literature, international politics, visual arts, afternoon seminars, anatomy and physiology, criminal justice, infectious diseases, mass communication, persuasive writing, photography.

Investigate the experience and expression of psychological disorders—what it means to be “abnormal” and its effect on people’s lives. Students are encouraged to think analytically and challenge their beliefs regarding abnormal behavior and personality. Through dynamic group exercises and discussions, students gain a working knowledge of psychological disorders and an appreciation for the challenges of experiencing mental illness.

Morning Seminar: Sessions 2 & 3 Afternoon Seminar: Sessions 1, 2, & 3

Understand the structure and function of the human body through anatomical models, animations, and specimen dissections. Learn how body systems work both independently and together to support life. Special conditions and disorders will also be studied as perturbations of the normal anatomy and physiology of human body systems.

Afternoon Seminar: Sessions 2 & 3

Explore fundamental business principles and how they are applied in today’s marketplace. Learn what a business plan is and the importance of developing one to effectively market and finance any new venture. Students work in groups to develop product ideas.

Morning Seminar: Sessions 1, 2, & 3 Afternoon Seminar: Sessions 2 & 3

Gain an introduction to the science of medicinal chemistry through lecture and laboratory experiments, with a focus on the mechanisms of action of drugs and other biologically active compounds. Experiments focus on detection, isolation, and purification of these compounds from drugs and natural sources. You will also have the opportunity to synthesize the active ingredients of an over-the-counter painkiller. The laboratory portion of the course introduces students to important techniques and procedures commonly used in medicinal, organic, and biochemistry laboratories. This is an introductory-level seminar.

Morning Seminar: Sessions 1, 2, & 3

This seminar provides an overview of computer science concepts and teaches basic programming skills. Learn about algorithms, variables and expressions, input and output, if-else statements, for and while loops, functions and parameters, and simple data structures. The history of computer science, artificial intelligence, software engineering, computer networking, and computer-human interaction are covered. You will work in groups to code in two programming languages, Scratch and Java, and will choose one language to use for a final project.

Morning Seminar: Session 2 Afternoon Seminar: Sessions 1, 2, & 3

You will have the opportunity to study and write poetry, fiction, and screenplays, with the end goal of creating a varied, original writing portfolio. Together we will read and analyze both classic and contemporary literature, respond to diverse prompts, meet acclaimed authors, and rigorously workshop each other’s writing.

The seminar explores the role of corrections and the impact of incarceration in America. Through case studies, films, presentations, and discussions, consider topics such as correctional theory, mass incarceration, and strategies for successful rehabilitation of offenders.

This seminar examines the principles of economic behavior of individuals and firms. Through class experiments, you will become familiar with the theory of consumer choice as well as the strategic behavior of individuals and firms. By the end of the seminar, you will be able to use game theory to create a model of strategic decision making and find the predicted outcome of a game.

Afternoon Seminar: Sessions 1, 2, & 3

Learn engineering methods through topical challenges provided by the Smart Lighting Center. Investigate and experiment with tools and technologies used in the development of novel LED lighting, including its adaptation to applications such as visual light communication.

Morning Seminar: Sessions 2 & 3

Topic for summer 2024: The Journey in Literature & Film. Through seminar discussions, close reading, and film screenings, this seminar offered by BU’s Core Curriculum engages with works by authors that emphasize narratives of the journey both externally (environmental) and internally (psychological). The seminar encourages close reading at a university level, self-reflection, and critical observation of the journey narrative. A creative project based on the readings and the films will conclude the two weeks.

The goal of this seminar is to give you a basic understanding of the causes, pathology, and cures of human infectious diseases by engaging in lectures and conducting experiments. Specific diseases such as influenza, SARS, AIDS, and cancer are used to illustrate the mechanisms of human disease. The laboratory component of this seminar functions as an introductory microbiology lab that allows you to study the morphological and physiological characteristics of microorganisms.

This seminar analyzes in depth several United States foreign policy case studies by considering structural, politico-bureaucratic, and socioeconomic factors. Students work in groups and participate in class debates to better understand the intricacies of decision making in resolving international conflict situations.

This seminar examines various aspects of journalism, from print and newsreels to television and the internet, and culminates with the presentation of an original reporting project. Through lectures and practical exercises, you will learn concepts such as objective versus subjective reporting, features, reviews, ethics, and commentary. Class time is spent learning the histories of print and electronic media, studying the differences between the two formats, and presenting your work.  

Receive an introduction to the United States court system. Learn to read, interpret, and brief a court opinion as well as discuss the importance and effect of precedent under the common law. You will have the opportunity to sample the law school experience, gain fluency in legal vocabulary and procedures, and engage in mock adjudication sessions.

Learn about advertising, public relations, journalism, film, and television. Classes focus on the history, current trends, and future of these media in America. You will work in groups on communication-related projects such as the advertising pitch, film analysis, news reporting, and television and print advertising.

Learn how to translate the latest nutrition guidelines into appealing food choices for health promotion and disease prevention. Explore nutrition basics including carbohydrate, protein, fat, calories, vitamins, and minerals, as well as nutrition preferences such as vegetarianism. You will calculate unique nutrition needs for individualized meal planning and develop skills and strategies to implement a healthy lifestyle through interactive sessions.

Learn persuasive methods for expressing your ideas. Write convincing essays with an emphasis on research techniques, including the location, evaluation, and synthesis of secondary sources. Explore the special impact of evidence on persuasion as you develop core skills—analysis, argumentation, and sources used for academic writing.

Afternoon Seminar: Session 2

Topic for summer 2024: Great Debates. During our two weeks together, we will confront some of the great debates in the history of philosophy. We will address such questions as: Do we know anything? Is there free will? What makes us morally responsible for our choices? Does life have any meaning? Is it possible for a computer to become capable of human-like consciousness? Through engaging in great debates, we will hope to understand something about the nature of philosophy, including why and how we should go about doing it.

You will learn the technical and aesthetic possibilities available when working in digital photography. Through a series of sequential assignments, you will explore the “digital darkroom” using digital imaging software and then output a portfolio of printed images. This course introduces the basic tools, techniques, and concepts of photographic media. Emphasis is placed on composition, narrative, and use of natural light. Each student must be equipped with a digital SLR camera with manual features.

Through drawing and painting, this seminar offers you an opportunity to work from observation and memory while exploring the use of representation, color, and abstraction to capture feeling and meaning. On-site drawing experiences at locations around the city such as a visit to the Museum of Fine Arts provide inspiration for students. No previous experience required.

A Day in the Life

What's it really like to be a Summer Challenge student?

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Check out our answers to commonly asked questions.