Phillips Exeter Academy

Creative Writing: Multi-Genre

ENG506

Creative Writing: Multi-Genre

“Multi-genre” is more than just a catch-all for all genres. As Tom Romano suggests in his multi-genre instruction book Fearless Writing, a multi-genre project comprises a carefully choreographed range of genres and subgenres, each constituent piece selfcontained, making a point of its own, yet connected to the others by theme or topic and sometimes by language, images and content. Multi-genre writing allows students to employ multiple (even conflicting) perspectives, voices and approaches as they explore the interaction between and among genres. In this course, students will explore multi-genre writing by reading texts such as Michael Ondaatje’s The Collected Works of Billy the Kid, Leslie Marmon Silko’s Ceremony, Tyehimba Jess’ Olio and Ruth Ozeki’s A Tale for the Time Being. Students will also complete their own multi-genre project.