Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing (Face-to-Face)

ENGL 4030-01

Course: ENGL 4030-01
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: ENGL
CRN: 32274

Course Description

Advanced study in the theory and practice of the modern essay and extended nonfiction prose. Particular attention to prose style. Enrollment is restricted to 15 students. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): ENGL 3040 - Prerequisite Min. Grade: C-

Required Texts

  • Student-selected essays from online lit journals and magazines of the past 5 years
  • One book-length creative nonfiction text to be chosen together by the class

Learning Outcomes

  1. Research and identify publications that advance student's writing and publishing goals
  2. Identify and articulate the characteristics of successful CNF pitches
  3. Compose three successful pitches/cover letters for student's own work
  4. Write and revise one essay, incorporating and responding to editor feedback in multi-stage revision
  5. Develop professional skills including self-promotion and networking
  6. Communicate critically and professionally with peers and editors

Course Requirements

Discussion Prep, 30%
For each assigned reading, students are responsible for annotating and preparing comments and questions to contribute to discussion and submitting those notes to Canvas. Once in the semester, each student will be responsible for leading analysis and discussion on a particular day's readings.

Pitches and Peer Feedback, 30%
Students will generously generate ideas for pieces to pitch, then refine and develop at least three of them into full, written pitches directed toward specific and named publications. Once in the semester, students may substitute a cover letter and completed essay for one pitch. Pitches will be evaluated on how well they adhere to pitch conventions and the students' rhetoric.
Peer feedback will be offered in workshop.

Essay Progress, 25%
About half way through the semester, posing as the student's editor, the instructor will "accept" one pitch. That it is the essay the student will spend roughly the last half of the semester developing, revising, editing, and proofreading. Students will be responsible for demonstrating sufficient progress on their project using self-reporting narratives, showing up and demonstrating preparedness for one-on-one editorial meetings, and creating a thoughtful, final reflection on the developmental editing process which demonstrates the student's overall rhetorical awareness of and skill with pitching.

Final, 15%
By the end of the semester students will create and populate an author website or, with approval, a similar public-facing profile; complete three literary citizenship activities; and submit one of their pitches to a real publication. All of these will be evaluated by how well they support the student's specific, self-reported writing goals.

This course uses SUU's standard grading scale.

Course Outline

  • Weeks 1-2: Students will self-assess their writing goals. Class discussion will focus on the benefits of pitching in creative nonfiction and learn its basic characteristics. Students will be introduced to tools for finding and assessing professional publications that suit their writing goals.
  • Weeks 3-7: Students will also present on the publications they're most interested in. Together, the class will read and analyze essays from those publications, further refining student understanding of the traits of publishable CNF. Students and will draft three pitches with specific publications in mind and submit them to the instructor for assessment and feedback. Student will work together to choose a single-author book to read.
  • Weeks 8-14: Instructor will choose a pitch for each student to go through the editing process with. While in class, students will discuss the single-authored collection. Outside of class, students will meet one-on-one with the instructor through multiple rounds of revision and editing before writing a reflective letter on the pitching and developmental editing process.
  • Weeks 15-16: Students will re-assess and define their writing goals, then create their website, wrap up their literary citizenship activities, and submit a pitch or a finished essay to a publication.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

If the instructor hasn't finished grading the assignment yet, students can still submit late assignments. Once the instructor has entered a zero for a student's grade, that means the instructor is done grading that assignment and the grace period has ended. That this late policy does not apply to the final, presentations, or other time-dependent assignments like workshop.

Accepted late work will be given no feedback, only a grade, and may take longer to be returned.

Computer or user error is not a legitimate excuse for late work, so students are encouraged to submit early and double-check that their submissions were the correct submissions and that they were uploaded correctly.

Extra credit is not offered in this course.

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is required. In order to pass the class, a student's final attendance percentage will need to be at or above 70%.

Occasional absences will happen. If a student is ill or suspect they might be, they should stay home and contact a classmate for notes on what they missed.

If a student has an issue that keeps them from regular attendance (hospitalization or prolonged, serious illness, etc.) they must notify the instructor as soon as possible.

For University-Excused Absences, students must follow policy 6.30.

Course Fees

$12 fee

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.