English 649: Autobiography/Memoir Workshop 

Last offered during fall semester 2001 with an enrollment of eleven students.  This workshop is tentatively scheduled to be offered again in fall semester 2003 (click on "649 notes" above for details).

HISTORY OF THIS WRITING WORKSHOP:  

After my return from participating in a 1983 National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar entitled "Forms of Autobiography," I developed one of the first writing workshops of its kind offered by our English Department: English 494/594, "Autobiography Writing Workshop," and I taught it for the first time during fall quarter 1983, with an enrollment of twenty-six students.  During fall quarter, 1984, I taught the workshop again, with an enrollment of twenty students.  In my MSU tenure document, I noted that I enjoyed teaching the workshop and that "I look[ed] forward to teaching in the future" (Bunkers, 1985, Tenure Document, 3).  To reflect my own research and writing interests and expertise, I taught the course as "Theory and Practice of Autobiography" during winter quarter 1989.  Graduate and undergraduate students appreciated this dual focus.  During fall quarter 1990, I taught the course as English 494/594, "Autobiography Workshop."  One student wrote: "I liked the readings and the comment on my writing. I thought the schedule of readings, the journal assignments, the further writings to be carefully interrelated and structured to coax writing subjects.  I think the work that went into those was well worth the effort from a student's perspective."  

In the early 1990s, I continued to offer the course as English 494/594, "Autobiography Workshop."  The course continued to emphasize reading as well as writing autobiography.  During fall quarter, 1993,  fifteen students enrolled. Course evaluations included these assessments of the value of the workshop: "It was the last course I've taken at MSU, and it helped me tremendously in my writing career."  Because the workshop enrolled both undergraduate and graduate students from many fields (e.g., English literature, creative writing, women's studies, education, history), not everyone enrolled came to the workshop with similar writing background and experience nor with similar expectations for the course.   The diversity offered by the course sometimes meant that individual students could not get all of their needs met; for instance, a student majoring in literature might wish for more literary analysis, while a student majoring in creative writing might wish for more workshop time.  I realized it was time to re-think the course, which could not (and should not) be all things to all people.

In response to requests that I offer the workshop as a 600-level course enrolling only graduate students. I began re-designing the workshop with that goal in mind; I requested that the course be changed from a 494/594 to a 600-level course.  In the 1990s, when the MFA in creative writing was proposed by Messrs. Robbins, Davis, Terrill, and Dr. Sheffer, English 649, "Autobiography and Memoir," was noted as a special topics rather than a required creative writing course, scheduled to be taught once every two years.  That is how often I've taught the Autobiography and Memoir workshop since the implementation of the MFA.  Because my primary teaching and work assignments have been and continue to be in other areas, the English 649 autobiography/memoir workshop is the only course that I teach in the MFA in Creative Writing Program at our university. Click on "649 notes" (above) to learn when the workshop is scheduled to be offered again.

This writing workshop, most recently offered in fall semester 2001 with an enrollment of eleven graduate students, included several creative writing MFA students, women’s studies and history students, two emeriti MSU professors, and the former president of MSU. One of the MFA graduate students made this assessment at the end of the semester: "I just wanted to tell everyone what a GLORIOUS class this was, especially to end my program!" (E-mail message sent to Suzanne Bunkers, 13 December 2001). A second student noted, "Best class I can remember. Stimulating. Informative. The mix of students was unbelievable. Do it again" (course evaluation, December 2001). A third student wrote, "I can’t think of a better person on the MSU faculty to teach this course. Suzanne brings both a freshness and an experienced ear to the stories of the people in her class. In many cases her insight consisted, seemingly, of nothing more than a curiosity for the events that were being recounted. Other times, she saw glimmers of light that she believed held much, much more. Either way, through her careful reading and gentle prodding she shows appreciation for what was on the page and curiosity about what wasn’t on the page" (course evaluation, December 2001).

Here is the workshop information from the semester (fall 2001) when it was offered last:

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:

In this writing workshop, we will discuss and write various forms of autobiography/memoir.  As a guide for our writing, we will use two texts, Tristine Rainer's Your Life as Story and Carol Bly's Beyond the Writers' Workshop: New Ways to Write Creative Nonfiction.  In addition, we will discuss three contemporary works of autobiography/memoir, each of which embodies classic as well as innovative advice on studying and doing forms of life writing; see titles listed below.  On occasion, each person in the workshop will have a chance to bring drafts of writing to class for workshop sessions.  We will also evaluate how strategies of composition (e.g., narrative, description, comparison &contrast, illustration) can enhance autobiographical writing. Just as important, we will examine not only how a text works but also what it might mean to different readers. This workshop is designed to draw participants from a variety of backgrounds and academic fields; each participant will have a chance to contribute writing to workshop sessions, join in reading and critiquing other participants' writing, and complete a portfolio of polished autobiography/memoir.  In lieu of a final examination, we will have a reading by class members during our last meeting.  Completed portfolios are due on the same date. If you'd like to talk with me further about your interest in this workshop, please send me an e-mail message: suzanne.bunkers@mnsu.edu   I'd be happy to discuss it with you.

Carol Bly  Beyond the Writers' Workshop: New Ways to Write Creative Nonfiction  Information about this recently published book is available at the following URLS:    http://www.mpr.org/www/books/titles/bly_beyondwritersworkshop.shtml  http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?salesurl=Rshop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/results.asp&isbn=0385499191 

Dave Eggers  A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius  Information about this memoir is available at this URL:  http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0FS9AG9112&mscssid=5W3JTQRKQJ0T9N298T0AJMXFL52WBWA9&sourceid=00059904963962579181&bfdate=08%2D15%2D2001+12%3A31%3A42&isbn=0375725784 

Gretchen Legler  All the Powerful Invisible Things: A Sportswoman’s Notebook      Information about this collection of autobiographical essays is available at this URL:  http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0FS9AG9112&mscssid=5W3JTQRKQJ0T9N298T0AJMXFL52WBWA9&sourceid=00059904963962579181&bfdate=08%2D15%2D2001+12%3A31%3A42&isbn=1878067699 

James McBride The Color of Water: A Black Man’s Tribute to His White Mother    Information about this auto/biography is available at this URL:  http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0FS9AG9112&mscssid=5W3JTQRKQJ0T9N298T0AJMXFL52WBWA9&sourceid=00059904963962579181&bfdate=08%2D15%2D2001+12%3A31%3A42&isbn=1573225789  

Tristine Rainer  Your Life as Story: Discovering the "New Autobiography" and Writing Memoir as Literature   Information about this "how to" book is available at the following URLS:  http://www.storyhelp.com/bookstore.html         http://shop.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=0FS9AG9112&mscssid=&sourceid=00059904963962579181&bfdate=08%2D15%2D2001+12%3A31%3A42&isbn=0874779227 

Tristine Rainer The New Diary (note: this book is recommended, not required)  Information about this book is available at the following URLS:  http://www.storyhelp.com/bookstore.html              http://www.bshortartist.com/NewDiary.html  

 NOTE:  The weekly syllabus will be devised and distributed once the semester begins.  Because there will not be a final examination, there will be no meeting during the December 2001 final examination week.  During at least one additional week of the semester, participants will have work-in-progress time to complete portfolios in lieu of a class session.

Neil Henry Pearl's Secret: A Black Man's Search for his White Family (2001):

"Researching family history is, for most Americans, an effort to restore links to an old country and culture of origin. We are a restless, transient people by definition, hailing from many places around the planet, and in our sometimes disquieting alienation from our own country and modern society, we seek identity and perhaps solace in the old places we came from and the ways our people once knew. In my case, however, researching my family history was inspired by a deep desire to document, understand, and strengthen ties to my native land, a land that has done much through the continues to deny black people a basic sense of birthright and belonging. I investigated the past in order to make a more meaningful connection to America, one that many of my fellow citizens perhaps take for granted, yet one that racial division through the generations has made murky, nebulous, ambiguous, fractured. I was interested not in my genetic ties to Africa, the old and disconnected place, but in my hard-earned and far more meaningful roots here, in this dirt, in the country I call home" (287-288).

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES (for grade of A):

1. Conscientious attendance and participation at all but one full class session.

2. Completion of all course readings and participation in weekly discussions.

3. Development of writing project (e.g., memoir-in-progress, thesis chapters, experimentation with forms of autobiography and memoir).

4. Successful meeting of workshop deadlines and submission of your work at least twice during the semester for discussion by class members.

5. Participation in small- and large-group discussions and workshop sessions.

6.  Development of reflective listening skills and respect for divergent points of view.

7. Completion of portfolio: 30 typed, double-spaced pages of polished writing due at end of semester.

8. Participation in reading by class members at last class meeting.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES (for grade of B):

1. Conscientious attendance and participation at all but two full class sessions.

2. Completion of all course readings and participation in weekly discussions.

3. Development of writing project (e.g., memoir-in-progress, thesis chapters, experimentation with forms of autobiography and memoir).

4. Successful meeting of workshop deadlines and submission of your work at least twice during the semester for discussion by class members.

5. Participation in small- and large-group discussions and workshop sessions.

6.  Development of reflective listening skills and respect for divergent points of view.

7. Completion of portfolio: 20 typed, double-spaced pages of polished writing due at end of semester.

8. Participation in reading by class members at last class meeting.

COURSE EXPECTATIONS AND OUTCOMES (for auditors): 

Your presence at weekly meetings is always welcomed, and it’s up to you to determine how much work you wish to do in terms of reading and writing throughout the semester. You’re encouraged to take part in workshop sessions as well as the reading during our final class meeting.  In the case of extenuating circumstances that prevent you from attending a given class meeting, please contact me and explain--exceptions to attendance policy are granted when circumstances warrant.

To send me an e-mail message, click on:  suzanne.bunkers@mnsu.edu  

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