Creative Writing

Prerequisite: "C+” or better in Creative Writing 1 [or MSA Application & Audition if not an incoming 9th grader]

Creative Writing 2 continues to foster and develop a collaborative, engaged, passionate group of student writers. Students will continue to have choice in the content, and frequently the format of their writing, but will also be pushed to try new writing genres and formats that may not have been explored in the first year. Students will continue to have opportunities to perform at showcases and soirées, and to participate in engaging interdisciplinary projects with other MSA programs, including Cinematic Arts, Drawing & Painting, and Photography.

Prerequisite: "C+” or better in Creative Writing 2

In the third year of Creative Writing, students continue engaging in a variety of writing genres, but have more options for the writing projects they choose. Public performance is also more heavily emphasized, with students expected to present their work at showcases, soirées, poetry readings, school events, and other public performances. Students also have more leadership opportunities in the Creative Writing program starting in the third year, from assisting with the Creative Writing Anthology, to working on the curation of the MSA Showcase Gallery. Students also reflect on their growth as writers over the course of the program, highlighting the pieces they are most proud of for future submission to Scholastic Art & Writing Awards during their Senior year.

Prerequisite: "C+” or better in Creative Writing 3

Creative Writing 4 is designed for high school seniors who have successfully completed Creative Writing 1, 2, and 3. This fourth year brings even more student voice and choice, as well as leadership opportunities in Creative Writing, including facilitating the annual Creative Writing Anthology. Students also submit their strongest pieces of writing to the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards during Fall semester. Internships and student-driven projects are also encouraged during the fourth and final year of Creative Writing.

Prerequisite: "C+” or better in Creative Writing 1, 2, or 3 -- or approval from Instructor.

Creative Writing Workshop & Performance class is for students who would like to experiment with Creative Writing in a mixed grade level environment that includes an independent writing project each semester. The workshop will be an opportunity for students to earn Visual and Performing Arts credit, and to have more voice and choice in the format and audience for their writing. There will be an emphasis on submitting work to contests, literary reviews, and other publications, as well as an emphasis on performance of writing. We will also read and discuss notable books on the art of writing, such as Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, Annie Dillard’s The Writing Life, and Robert McKee's Story: Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting. *NHS and MSA students who are not in the Creative Writing program can submit a brief introduction letter explaining who they are and their interest in the course.