Have a passion for storytelling? It doesn’t matter what your program or major is — you can take a creative writing course as an elective or simply for pure interest.

The Department of English and Creative Writing offers creative writing courses at the second-, third-, and fourth-year level. The catch is, space is limited and all students applying need to submit a sample or samples of their work along a completed application form.

“For the second-year course (ENGL2710) students need to submit a 10-page portfolio (double-spaced),” says course instructor Nicole Markotić. “Your portfolio may be one work or a combination of prose and poetry. We are looking for interest and a spark, not polish.”

Applications to ENGL2710 also include two short writing exercises. All applications are reviewed “blind,” which means the creative writing faculty do not see the name of the student or what program they are in while reviewing their portfolio.

“With Microsoft Teams expanding the number of participants visible at one time on screen, everyone in the CW courses this fall will see everyone else,” Dr. Markotić says. “ENGL 2710 and 4710 will offer seminar classes with lively discussions, both on and off screen.”

Creative writing portfolios for ENGL2710 and ENGL4710 are due by the end of the day, Thursday Aug. 20. Find the application form on the departmental website.

Courses in creative writing include:

• ENGL2710 – Creative Writing I - six credits (fall 2020 and winter 2021)
  For ENGL2710, the portfolio you upload and attach to the online application form must include: one prose exercise, one poetry exercise, 10 to 15 (double-spaced only) pages representative of your best work. Download the exercises at the admission link above.
• ENGL4710 – Creative Writing III – six credits (fall 2020 and winter 2021)
  For ENGL4710, the portfolio you upload and attach to the online application form must include 15 to 20 (double-spaced only) pages representative of your best work.
• ENGL3710 Special Topics – 3 credits (winter 2021)
  Portfolios are due by Sept. 30, 2020.

Learn more about the creative writing program.

For further information, contact professor Louis Cabri, creative writing chair, at lcabri@uwindsor.ca.