Course Schedule and Catalog

Long Title: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY EDITING & PUBLISHING

Department: English

Grade Mode: Standard Letter

Language of Instruction: Taught in English

Course Type: Seminar

Credit Hours: 3

Description: 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). In order to control course demand, registration is by permission of the instructor. Please reach out to ianschimmel@rice.edu to register or with inquiries. There is no prerequisite for this course, but a joy for reading and debating the qualities of great poetry and prose is strongly encouraged. 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. Instructor Permission Required.