[ENAM 0170]
Writing: Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction

Rate This Class

Professor: Shaw C

Value of Course / Overall Score

Not Much (22.2%
Average (55.6%)
Valuable (22.2%)

Material

Friendly (33.3%)
Average (44.4%)
Competitive (22.2%)

Class Atmosphere

Boring (33.3%)
Average (44.4%)
Fascinating (22.2%)

Prep Time Needed

1-2hr (11.1%)
3-5hr (33.3%)
6-8hr (55.6%)
9-11hr (0%)
12+ hr (0%)

Grade Weighting

Harder (44.4%)
Average (11.1%)
Easier (44.4%)

Adequate Assistance

Yes (88.9%)
No (11.1%)

Would Recommend Class

Yes (66.7%)
No (33.3%)

Evaluation Comments for Shaw C

  1. No Comment
  2. Shaw is really tough. He can be arrogant and his compliments were sometimes like slaps to the face. Shaw clearly had favorites, and a lot when he was giving critique, I couldn't understand where he was coming from. Sometimes he gave really good insight, other times, he appeared like was trying to force his own writing style on mine. Almost everything he said was negative which created an unhappy and defensive atmosphere. Despite this, some of my classmates said they really improved. I didn't think he really helped me. I don't plan on taking a class with him again.
  3. Let's be honest -- Chris Shaw is washed up. Or, he would be washed up, if he had been anything in the first place. He is also a very strange person. Take this class with someone else -- Shaw will try to change your writing into something it isn't, something along the lines of his own style which, surprise suprise, hasn't been published and most likely isn't a direction you want to pursue.
  4. Take it. Shaw is an great professor and doesn't teach much, so try to get his class. At first I was sad that I had him because he talks slowly, but it turns out he's really funny and a nice guy. He seems harsh at first, but he gives great criticism. I reccomend him.
  5. Shaw's great. He's a fan of very concise, no nonsense writing, which is useful in other classes as well as in English. He advocates simple writing, which is bad for all you flowery writers out there, but really, though Shaw might seem intimidating at first (he talks slowly and seems standoffish) he's a nice, funny guy who is great at giving criticism, which is, I believe, one of the most important qualities of a writing teacher. Take the class. I wouldn't have had 107 any other way.
  6. Shaw gets a lot of crap for being a hard ass. However, he isn't mean, necessarily, he just knows how to critique pieces. This is a writing course, and sometimes you have to be tough. Shaw can be hard, but he's definitely going point out what needs to be fixed in your work, and he'll definitely make you a better writer. If you want to be a writer, you need to learn to take criticism, and Shaw will do that. Just make sure you take everything with a grain of salt, because Shaw has a very distinct writing style that he likes.
  7. Shaw is really dry. He is not encouraging and is not very instructive either. Its very difficult to know how well you're doing in his class or whether your improving. He really prefers you write in an antiquated style. He does not like fun, experimental or imaginative stories. He likes very straightforward, minimalist stories. If you are a dreamer, an artist or a free soul this is not the class for you. I would not take this class unless you want to be a major. The work load is surprisingly really heavy. not fun.
  8. take this with another professor
  9. Shaw is awesome! Our class had really good chemistry which is essential to this course, because basically all you are doing is writing and workshopping. It can be frustrating at times, but everyone in our class improved as writers, and the end results were impressive. This class is very creatively stimulating and there aren't many classes like it at Middlebury, it's a nice change.

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My Evaluation of Writing: Poetry, Fiction, Non-Fiction by Shaw C

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