Literary Genres for Writers

This course deals with the four core literary genres: Drama, Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry. These genres are distinguished from one another in two ways: first, by the relative weight each genre gives to the key cross-genre elements, and second, by each genre's distinctive approach to structure and form. Within each genre, subgenres have evolved over time, each recognizable by particular patterns, each playing by a distinct set of rules. Whether writing within or across or even against those rules, writers need to understand how literary genres work in order to write effectively. This course aims to foster that understanding and prepare students to shape their writing in ways that align with their creative vision.