Students interested in creative writing now have the opportunity to take courses within the field and work alongside John Schulze, assistant professor of English.  Schulze is the author of Fertile Ground: A Novel, and has written short works of fiction, poetry and articles.

In a consumer-based economy, it is much more difficult to be the one who produces something.  To create a work of art by opening up the imagination through writing is a nice thing to do, Schulze said.

Since the retirement of creative writing professor James Hoggard two years ago, the English department was not offering creative writing courses. Schulze brings an opportunity for students interested in writing poetry, fiction or creative non-fiction.  This fall, 19 students registered in two sections of the course.

“Creative writing courses open up the imagination,” said Kirsten Lodge, associate professor of humanities.

Lodge said by exploring different formats of text, such as in poetry and screenwriting, students learn to use their imagination and broaden their horizons.

“If a student is an English major, these courses help with writing skills that are helpful in writing more than scholarly articles,” said Lodge.

A creative writing course helps stimulate those students interested in exploring different ways of thinking and writing, said David Rankin, English department chair.  Creative writing courses can help students across disciplines learn different techniques in writing, and Schulze has the expertise to provide valuable guidance, he added.

Schulze is working on his next project inspired by the Colossus of Rhodes.