This class is centered around two main beliefs: 1) to be a writer is to be a citizen of a community and 2) in order to be good writers, we need to be good readers. Towards these goals, each week we will read and discuss contemporary stories across a range of genres (sci-fi, fantasy, realism, and more), learning a vocabulary for discussing the craft of writing and getting a sense of the literary landscape; every week will focus on a slightly different aspect of scene and story (character, dialogue, point of view, etc). Students will be encouraged to get involved in their literary communities inside and outside of the classroom by attending outside readings, putting on their own in-class readings, and completing collaborative writing projects. Aside from the readings, the class will largely focus on generating written material by the students. Weekly prompts & informal writing exercises will give students a chance to implement the techniques they’re learning to observe and describe. Students will have the opportunity to write both inside and outside of class in an array of genres. The informal prompts will culminate in a full-length short story which will be shared with the class. As we move through the semester, we will transition to peer workshop, in which students will discuss their work as a group with the instructor as facilitator and guide. My hope is that students leave this class emerging citizens of the literary community and more confident writers, capable of analyzing elements of craft in the work of others and applying such techniques to their own work.