CWL 300 Basics:

Where CWL 202 offers a sample of multiple writing genres, this course picks one and runs with it. The chosen genre is studied through readings, discussion, and regular submission of original work. The course explores methods of expressing the human condition made available through creative nonfiction, with examples from the tradition and exploration of the nature of fact, memory, subjectivity and perspective. Areas of study include Personal Essay, Memoir, Blogs and Alternate Forms, the Journal, Historical Inquiry and Social Commentary. This course satisfies the following Stony Brook Curriculum (SBC) learning objectives for Write Effectively within One’s Discipline (WRTD) and Humanities and Fine Arts (HFA+):

  • Collect the most pertinent evidence, draw appropriate disciplinary inferences, organize effectively for one’s intended audience, and write in a confident voice using correct grammar and punctuation.
  • Students must use the skills elected from their Versatility courses to study and practice them in greater depth, with further study applied to the area in which they are certified.

CWL 300, Section 01:

Memoirs are written by the brave, and there’s no shortage of bravery in the memoirs of the LGBTQ* community, so that’s where we’ll turn to for inspiration as we find our own voice. This course offers a brief dip into the waters of historical, non-heteronormative stories before we plunge into the depths of gender identity and sexual orientation in the 21st century. We will read from across ethnicities and cultures about what it’s like to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual for cisgender and transgender memoirists. And while we do this, we’ll be writing and revising our own stories. We will hunt for our own truth, wrestle with our own insecurities, and discover the sheer bravery that our memoir demands of us. By the end of this semester, you will know your strengths as a memoirist and understand how these strengths can enrich the diversity of our literary canon.