Creative Writing
In this class students will explore various approaches to writing poetry, short stories, and songs. They will use their memories and imaginations. Students will use literary devices to enrich their writing voices, as they create simple plotlines, complex characters, and song lyrics. Certain assignments will incorporate choices around style: self-expression, persuasive, or narrative. Students will learn how characters can exemplify their opinions or beliefs or do the opposite. Students are expected to love reading and writing and enjoy sharing their thoughts and ideas in front of a group. The class instructor will present a variety of poems, stories, and songs to serve as models for deepening our understanding of writing forms.
THE INSTRUCTOR
LISA A. ILARIA
Creative Writing
MA Graduate of Kean University. Writing and Literature Instructor at Ocean County College and Brookdale Community College. Thirty+ years teaching all levels of English and Writing at middle and high school levels. Private tutor. Freelance proofreading and editing of short stories, novels, business plans, research papers, etc. Author of personal stories and memoirs.
Michele Prestininzi
CREATIVE WRITING
Michele Prestininzi is a writer and educator with a specialization in children’s literature. She writes middle-grade novels and is actively involved in the nonprofit organization Project Write Now, where she teaches Kidlit classes, facilitates Book Revision classes, and contributes journal posts for book inc.
Additionally, she runs a critique group for writers and mentors’ students throughout the creative writing process.
Michele holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and an MS in Education from Hofstra University.
She lives in New Jersey with her husband, three almost-out-of-the-nest kids, and two adorably evil kittens.