Most Helpful

Reflecting on this class, I felt that the thing that was the most helpful to me was actually reading the short stories from Scribner’s Anthology and discussing them in class. I really enjoy reading, and it was awesome that I could do something I loved for a grade. What made it really helpful, however, was the fact that I was exposed to so many different styles—some I didn’t even know existed/worked (for instance, Lorrie Moore’s and Donald Barthelme’s very unique styles). Usually when I read on my own, I choose genres and styles that I am already familiar with and what I already like—but this made me read some things that perhaps I wouldn’t choose from the shelf of the library on my own. It made me realize that good writing can come in all forms and styles—(who knew that a story written entirely in second person could be so captivating?!)—and it inspired me to try out different styles when writing in the future.

Also, the in-class discussion helped me see what different writers were good at, what elements make a great story, and what made each writer unique. I really enjoyed the discussion and seeing what people had to say about a particular author.

From the discussions, I actually learned a lot that helped me improve my writing—like brainstorming the story arc, learning about the importance of details/descriptions, finding conflict and a resolution, etc.