Ian Schimmel

Taught in the fall, Introduction to Literary Editing & Publishing is the first course in a recommended two-part sequence that explores literary publishing and the diversity of professionals in that space: editors, agents, publishers, and writers. Students enrolled in ENGL 113 will consider the fundamental questions of the industry: “What is literature and who decides?”, What is craft?”, “What is poetry and what is the utility of a poem?”, “What stories are fiction writers allowed to tell?”, and “What is creative nonfiction’s relationship to truth?” Alongside these discussions, students will study the basic elements of literature’s three main genres (poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction), enlarge their understanding of editorial critique, and develop skills for providing feedback in the workshop setting. Several classes throughout the semester will feature discussions with visiting publishers, editors, agents, poets, essayists, and/or novelists. Students will also be asked to become practitioners of “literary citizenship.” This will come about through weekly attendance at staff meetings of The Rice Review, participation in literary events throughout Houston, and through the hands-on experience of planning and hosting The Rice Review’s annual Fall Open Mic Night. All students will be considered as official staffers for the magazine and will be acknowledged in that year’s annual issue. Course counts toward the English Creative Writing Major Concentration (ECRW). Instructor permission is required for this course. Please contact ianschimmel@rice.edu if you are interested in joining the course and to receive a registration override. ENGL 113 is a prerequisite for ENGL 114. For more information about the spring continuation of the course and the production of The Rice Review, please refer to the course description for ENGL 114.

In this editing and publishing practicum, enrolled students will serve as senior editors for r2: The Rice Review and organize the various initiatives that are central to the magazine's operation: book distribution, web content creation, campus-wide readings, submissions campaigns, and editorial slush reading. During the semester, students will also have the opportunity to lead book group-style discussions around an author’s work and interview their assigned writer about writing and craft. These interviews will be edited for print and digital publication. As a means to enliven our magazine’s mission and presence, students will also be required to design and distribute their own handmade zine and to attend several outside literary events (~4 per semester). We will use these experiences - as well as assigned readings and discussions - to reflect on the various ways in which literature is defined and promoted, the changing landscape of the publishing industry more broadly, and how the work of The Rice Review participates in that rapidly evolving space. Prerequisite is ENGL 113. Cross-list: ENGL 214. Repeatable for Credit.

A course conducted mostly as a workshop for advanced fiction writers. It will include assigned writing exercises and weekly readings of published stories to deepen students' understanding of narrative technique. Course counts toward the English Creative Writing Major Concentration (ECRW) and the English Creative Writing Minor (CREW). Cross-list: ENGL 401. Repeatable for Credit.

A variable-credit course designed for students who want to pursue intensive semester-long study of a particular topic not included in the curriculum. Students must identify and receive the approval of an English department faculty member. Instructor and Department approval must be granted prior to registration. Repeatable for Credit.