When a poem or lyric moves you, how does it make you feel what youre feeling When a story scares you, what's happening on the level of structure and syntax to usher you toward surprise In the creative writing emphasis, students wont only read and write, theyll learn the very mechanics of prose and poetry, in order to be able to reproduce the effects of literature they love. During their course of study theyll read and interpret the work of contemporary writers, study the history and conventions of various genres, attend literary readings, and share their prose and poetry with classmates. The creative writing emphasis offers concentrated study in the practice and craft of writing as a creative art. Students will study the art and craft of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, and take workshops devoted to one or more of those three genres. Students in this emphasis will develop the skills of critical thinking, creative problem solving, close reading, editing, and logical analysis.