Monday, March 28, 2011
Week 11: Great Hits!
Hello class You submitted some fantastic work last week. :-) Continue on with your reading and writing, and check out the following posts by your classmates. Week 11: Great Hits Jesse's "There's Always Money in the Banana Stand" http://cynicalgraycrayon.blogspot.com/2011/03/33-theres-always-money-in-banana-stand_24.html Jesse's voice in his writing is so familiar to us at this point in the semester, yet still so effective. His original, yet consistent, style allows for all of his posts to feel as though they are scenes from a single "movie" or book. I love this post. In it, Jesse describes a scene with a friend he'd rather not be seeing. Rather than coming off as a judgmental, Jesse creates a thoughtful persona which depicts well his own vulnerability in the situation. It's an observant, efficiently written, beautifully edited post about being the odd-guy out in an unsavory situation. Excellent work, Jesse! John's "Unusual Place" prompt response http://jasmit8.blogspot.com/2011/03/writing-prompt-33-unsual-place.html The richness of detail in this post makes John's "unusual place" come to life. And it certainly is unusual, if not for the fact that John's ability to guide us through this space makes it feel extraordinarily normal. He is a witness to our prison system. Writing about a subject like this one is not just interesting, it's important. I think of other effective guides in literature... Plato, guiding us through Socrates' dialogues, or Virgil leading us through Dante's "Inferno"... John has a similar presence in the prison landscape. You did a wonderful job, John. Katie's, "The Inescapable" http://xkatie-ann.blogspot.com/2011/03/inescapable-prompt-33.html I love the scene created in this post! It is accessible, especially for students, because nervousness before/during classroom presentations is such a familiar feeling. (I feel it, too... every time I teach. I tell students that their general facial expressions range between the looks of boredom and hatred in an effort to get them to lighten up. It doesn't really work.) I also love the introductory line: "Many things make me uncomfortable." Beginning with this type of opening paragraph allows readers to feel a sense of closeness and friendliness with the writer. This is a great feeling to create. This post is one of your best, Katie. Great work! Kayla's "Lunch Time and the Anxious Consumer" http://kbailey-danceintherain.blogspot.com/2011/03/lunch-time-and-anxious-consumer-prompt.html Like Katie's post, Kayla's is another scene that's accessible, familiar, descriptive, and loveable for those reasons. In it, she develops a considerate characterization about the anxiety of lunchtime. It works well for readers because the "you" address allows us to project certain personal anxieties into the scene described, and because it allows Kayla to get away with a gorgeous set of final lines: "You are the anxious consumer - I understand. Every lunch time, I'm right there with you." Thanks for sharing this, Kayla! This is a great post! Writing Tip of the Week What Helps You Write? Just as it's useful to reflect on craft, style, and topics as you pursue your writing, it's also tremendously useful to think about what helps you write. For instance, it's difficult for me to step away from my writing once I start, so I do best if I eat before I write. That way, even if I refuse to step away from my laptop, my eyes don't start getting blurry from lack of nutrients as one, two, three, or even four hours pass me by. One of my writer friends once threw his back out because he was sitting at his computer too much while writing a novel. Sometimes it's important to stretch, drink water, go for a walk, or otherwise. Think about what things help you to write. Does it help you to talk out an idea with a friend before you type anything out? Does it help you to take a shower, turn off your cellphone, light a candle, smell a peach, stare at a lampshade, or turn on the television? Does it help you to work in silence, or in a busy coffee shop? Creating the best scenarios for yourself as a writer will help to make writing feel less like work and more like the treat that it is. Happy Writing! :-) -AP
Monday, March 21, 2011
Week 10: Welcome Back from Spring Break
Hi Class,
Welcome back!
This week, you'll continue on with course assignments listed under the "Week 10 Checklist" on your course calendar.
Keep in mind that I'm available to assist you as you continue to write and complete work for this class... be in touch if you'd like to schedule a meeting, or if you'd like to check in on grades.
Happy writing!
-AP
Writing Tip of the Week
Don't Be Afraid to Write What's Real
Authenticity is one of the most likeable traits of excellent nonfiction writing. Readers love to feel that their writer is reliable, honest, and true-to-life in their depictions and persona. Because of that, it's important that you maintain a sense of who you are as you write about your life. There's no need to write like anyone but yourself, and no need to water down the language of characters that appear in your writing. Eventually, you'll learn to pare down excess on your own, or thanks to the advice of your readers and editors. If you do feel insecure about whether your topics, ideas, or language are offensive or otherwise problematic, feel free to check in with me and receive some feedback.
Great Hits from Week 8
Alyssa's "The Art of Persuasion"
http://thebassyla.blogspot.com/2011/03/art-of-persuasion-prompt-27.html
Alyssa's tone in "The Art of Persuasion" created a sense of irony and satire that made this post delightful to read. The language in this post is objective and academic, yet the points themselves are humorous in context. I don't think we've seen satirical writing in this class yet, so it's exciting to read a first example. I especially love her point that persuasion is decidedly "Un-American". That claim is often thrown around in political arguments in ambiguous and emotional ways, so in this piece, it stands out as particularly satirical and funny. Well done, Alyssa!
Brandon's "Calm Persuasion: Don't Panic"
http://truthinessbroadcast.blogspot.com/2011/03/calm-persuasion-dont-panic.html
This post goes in so many directions that I had to re-read it three times... however, it's very amusing. I'd like to point out the potential that can arise out of this sort of unhibited freewriting. Towards the beginning of this post, Brandon reveals an opportunity to analyze the effects of the phrase "Don't Panic" in an original and associative way. Towards the end of the post, we are given an opportunity to meditate on the virtues of zombies. Where else do we get original topics like these if not through free-writing? :-) I could see Brandon taking any one of the ideas from this post and developing it into a quirky and fun final essay. Great work, Brandon!
Chelsee's "Hey Father..."
http://chelsee926.blogspot.com/2011/03/hey-father-i-can-always-give-him-check.html
A few weeks ago, we read Chelsee's story about meeting her biological father for the first time. In this post, she develops just one aspect of the previous story into a vivid scene. We can appreciate the further developed characterization, and even the great photo at the end of the piece. Best of all, we have an opportunity to "hear" voices. Reading dialogue spoken by Chelsee's father allows us to get to know him even more thoroughly. It's an enjoyable post to read. Thanks, Chelsee!
Jamie's "One of Those Talks"
http://flawedifnotfree72.blogspot.com/2011/03/one-of-those-talks.html
I'm impressed with Jamie's ability to turn dialogue into a sufficient story, with a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. Whereas the topic of the scene isn't necessarily original, her style of writing creates renewed interest. I like Jamie's lack of description as to context, character, setting, etc. There's a sense that the dialogue itself is sufficient, and that the reconciliation resolves the conflict of the piece enough to provide closure. Good job, Jamie!
Welcome back!
This week, you'll continue on with course assignments listed under the "Week 10 Checklist" on your course calendar.
Keep in mind that I'm available to assist you as you continue to write and complete work for this class... be in touch if you'd like to schedule a meeting, or if you'd like to check in on grades.
Happy writing!
-AP
Writing Tip of the Week
Don't Be Afraid to Write What's Real
Authenticity is one of the most likeable traits of excellent nonfiction writing. Readers love to feel that their writer is reliable, honest, and true-to-life in their depictions and persona. Because of that, it's important that you maintain a sense of who you are as you write about your life. There's no need to write like anyone but yourself, and no need to water down the language of characters that appear in your writing. Eventually, you'll learn to pare down excess on your own, or thanks to the advice of your readers and editors. If you do feel insecure about whether your topics, ideas, or language are offensive or otherwise problematic, feel free to check in with me and receive some feedback.
Great Hits from Week 8
Alyssa's "The Art of Persuasion"
http://thebassyla.blogspot.com/2011/03/art-of-persuasion-prompt-27.html
Alyssa's tone in "The Art of Persuasion" created a sense of irony and satire that made this post delightful to read. The language in this post is objective and academic, yet the points themselves are humorous in context. I don't think we've seen satirical writing in this class yet, so it's exciting to read a first example. I especially love her point that persuasion is decidedly "Un-American". That claim is often thrown around in political arguments in ambiguous and emotional ways, so in this piece, it stands out as particularly satirical and funny. Well done, Alyssa!
Brandon's "Calm Persuasion: Don't Panic"
http://truthinessbroadcast.blogspot.com/2011/03/calm-persuasion-dont-panic.html
This post goes in so many directions that I had to re-read it three times... however, it's very amusing. I'd like to point out the potential that can arise out of this sort of unhibited freewriting. Towards the beginning of this post, Brandon reveals an opportunity to analyze the effects of the phrase "Don't Panic" in an original and associative way. Towards the end of the post, we are given an opportunity to meditate on the virtues of zombies. Where else do we get original topics like these if not through free-writing? :-) I could see Brandon taking any one of the ideas from this post and developing it into a quirky and fun final essay. Great work, Brandon!
Chelsee's "Hey Father..."
http://chelsee926.blogspot.com/2011/03/hey-father-i-can-always-give-him-check.html
A few weeks ago, we read Chelsee's story about meeting her biological father for the first time. In this post, she develops just one aspect of the previous story into a vivid scene. We can appreciate the further developed characterization, and even the great photo at the end of the piece. Best of all, we have an opportunity to "hear" voices. Reading dialogue spoken by Chelsee's father allows us to get to know him even more thoroughly. It's an enjoyable post to read. Thanks, Chelsee!
Jamie's "One of Those Talks"
http://flawedifnotfree72.blogspot.com/2011/03/one-of-those-talks.html
I'm impressed with Jamie's ability to turn dialogue into a sufficient story, with a satisfying beginning, middle, and end. Whereas the topic of the scene isn't necessarily original, her style of writing creates renewed interest. I like Jamie's lack of description as to context, character, setting, etc. There's a sense that the dialogue itself is sufficient, and that the reconciliation resolves the conflict of the piece enough to provide closure. Good job, Jamie!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Week 8: New Writers' Groups
Hi class!
Midway through the semester, I'm amazed by the pages and pages of writing you've created. Your Writer's Journals are packed with reflections about great examples of published creative nonfiction, and your blogs are full of stories, memories, thoughts, and ideas. I'm also grateful that you've connected so well in group response! This week, you'll meet even more of your wonderful classmates. Congratulations: these are the folks you're lucky enough to work with through the end of the semester. Enjoy it!!
Writing Tip of the Week:
Choosing Great Topics
You may have noticed, while reading Susan Orlean, that nonfiction essays are not always personal to the self, or modified by personal opinion. Sometimes, great topics are the ones we discover, which have nothing at all to do with us. Having a certain degree of objectivity can give us an advantage as we write... whereas subjects we're close to can sometimes be harder to tell (because it's difficult to leave details out, or tedious to write all details in), it can be much easier to manage sufficiency of information and detail (without over- or under-doing it) when relating topics that are less personal to us. For instance, Orlean has also written about orchid hunting, taxidermy, and what the life of a ten year old boy is like. What are some topics you'd like to explore? Are there any that are, perhaps, less personal to you, that engage you all the same? Widening your field of possibilities as you consider topics gives you an opportunity to speak, without always speaking about yourself. This can be a relief to writers of personal essays!
WEEK 7's GREATEST LICKS
Here are some phenomenal single lines from your writing.
Alyssa: "[The bar] is like a good date: low-key, inexpensive, and care-free."
Brandon: "[When the gates open], it's like popping a balloon; all of the pressure is expelled and people walk freely to the security checkpoints."
Chelsee: "Arizona State University sold their bookstore to an outside company for many reasons that I am too low on the pay scale to know."
Jamie: "You think you've got freeways where you come from? You should see the ones we have here."
Jesus: "I hate social gatherings because whenever I'm surrounded by people, I imagine that everyone has come together to celebrate my accomplishments, and I always end up leaving dissappointed, no accolades to show for my exhausting efforts at socialization."
John: "This writing is supposed to focus on others per the assignment directions but I must briefly describe my heroic measures."
Katie: "Before me sat an old and rough looking man. Tattered clothes, dirt stains, and a rainbow of paint stuck to him."
Kayla: "We had just come from mini-golfing, and Mike had proven to us all that baseball wasn't the only sport you can strike out in."
Kimberly: "To offer a perspective of the size and scope of Comic-Con... the widely publicized 2008 Democratic National Convention, held in Denver, and the Republican Convention, held in Minneapolis... drew crowds of approximately 50,000 visitors each. Comic-con annually draws two and a half times this many visitors."
Nynn: "Now I have to admit, when I orginally though of NASCAR, I thought of rednecks and beer as well as Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights..."
Matt: "The circus of vice was capped by an electric sky."
Miranda: "... as of late, [Rhianna] seems to be forcing her strength rather than actually finding it."
Nicola: "With my family there has never been enough men to do a lot of the hauling of the water or the chopping of the wood or gathering of the coal."
Rebecca: "Upon entering Rawhide, there is not much to see. One kicks up thick patches of dirt and first sees a board that is used for throwing knives, but never seems to be in use."
Skylar: "Not until I made this decision to grow up did I realize just how much I needed to grow up."
Leena: "From the eight row up, I can hardly see the teacher's aid and the professor, let alone what they choose to be pertinent information that goes up on the white board with a dying white-erase marker."
Great work, everyone!
Continue on with your calendar this week, and afterwards, have a very happy Spring Break!
-AP
Midway through the semester, I'm amazed by the pages and pages of writing you've created. Your Writer's Journals are packed with reflections about great examples of published creative nonfiction, and your blogs are full of stories, memories, thoughts, and ideas. I'm also grateful that you've connected so well in group response! This week, you'll meet even more of your wonderful classmates. Congratulations: these are the folks you're lucky enough to work with through the end of the semester. Enjoy it!!
Writing Tip of the Week:
Choosing Great Topics
You may have noticed, while reading Susan Orlean, that nonfiction essays are not always personal to the self, or modified by personal opinion. Sometimes, great topics are the ones we discover, which have nothing at all to do with us. Having a certain degree of objectivity can give us an advantage as we write... whereas subjects we're close to can sometimes be harder to tell (because it's difficult to leave details out, or tedious to write all details in), it can be much easier to manage sufficiency of information and detail (without over- or under-doing it) when relating topics that are less personal to us. For instance, Orlean has also written about orchid hunting, taxidermy, and what the life of a ten year old boy is like. What are some topics you'd like to explore? Are there any that are, perhaps, less personal to you, that engage you all the same? Widening your field of possibilities as you consider topics gives you an opportunity to speak, without always speaking about yourself. This can be a relief to writers of personal essays!
WEEK 7's GREATEST LICKS
Here are some phenomenal single lines from your writing.
Alyssa: "[The bar] is like a good date: low-key, inexpensive, and care-free."
Brandon: "[When the gates open], it's like popping a balloon; all of the pressure is expelled and people walk freely to the security checkpoints."
Chelsee: "Arizona State University sold their bookstore to an outside company for many reasons that I am too low on the pay scale to know."
Jamie: "You think you've got freeways where you come from? You should see the ones we have here."
Jesus: "I hate social gatherings because whenever I'm surrounded by people, I imagine that everyone has come together to celebrate my accomplishments, and I always end up leaving dissappointed, no accolades to show for my exhausting efforts at socialization."
John: "This writing is supposed to focus on others per the assignment directions but I must briefly describe my heroic measures."
Katie: "Before me sat an old and rough looking man. Tattered clothes, dirt stains, and a rainbow of paint stuck to him."
Kayla: "We had just come from mini-golfing, and Mike had proven to us all that baseball wasn't the only sport you can strike out in."
Kimberly: "To offer a perspective of the size and scope of Comic-Con... the widely publicized 2008 Democratic National Convention, held in Denver, and the Republican Convention, held in Minneapolis... drew crowds of approximately 50,000 visitors each. Comic-con annually draws two and a half times this many visitors."
Nynn: "Now I have to admit, when I orginally though of NASCAR, I thought of rednecks and beer as well as Ricky Bobby from Talladega Nights..."
Matt: "The circus of vice was capped by an electric sky."
Miranda: "... as of late, [Rhianna] seems to be forcing her strength rather than actually finding it."
Nicola: "With my family there has never been enough men to do a lot of the hauling of the water or the chopping of the wood or gathering of the coal."
Rebecca: "Upon entering Rawhide, there is not much to see. One kicks up thick patches of dirt and first sees a board that is used for throwing knives, but never seems to be in use."
Skylar: "Not until I made this decision to grow up did I realize just how much I needed to grow up."
Leena: "From the eight row up, I can hardly see the teacher's aid and the professor, let alone what they choose to be pertinent information that goes up on the white board with a dying white-erase marker."
Great work, everyone!
Continue on with your calendar this week, and afterwards, have a very happy Spring Break!
-AP
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Week 7: Finalizing Midterm Essays & Onwards!
May your essays grow all the roots, leaves, and branches they need to become a perfect expression of yourselves. Good luck with revision!
Hello class,
It was a pleasure to read your rough drafts! I've finished offering my own review of all of your writing, and hope the notes you receive from me and others assist you to finalize your essay. Finish these up and post to the Final Drafts forum on Blackboard by Tuesday night. This essay is worth 20% of your final grade.
This week, you'll read writing by three of the most famous contemporary nonfiction writers: Dave Eggers, Susan Orlean, and Norman Mailer. You'll also complete two writing prompts: one for Tuesday, one for Thursday.
Next week, you'll be introduced to new peer groups. These will be the writers you work with through the close of the semester. I'll be matching you based on a sense of who might benefit from working together, and to that end, if any of you have requests about who you'd like to work with this time around, feel free to email me and let me know. I'll do my best to accomodate your requests.
Also, since we're about midway through the semester, feel free to email me for requests of mailed grade sheets (include a mailing address). I can photocopy your grade sheets and mail them off after midterm essays have been graded.
Happy Writing!
-AP
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Week 6: Rough Drafts & Peer Review
Hi class,
Welcome to your first essay-writing week! With 12 blog posts under your belt, each of you certainly have a lot of great material to choose from! As you can see on your Week 6 checklist, the only requirements for this essay are 1) you will develop one of your blog posts rather than starting something new, 2) you will develop the post to 5-6 pages double-spaced in Times New Roman 12 font, 3) you will keep your information non-fiction (true to life), and 4) you will cite any borrowed information in correct MLA format if you include research.
Since you have gotten feedback from classmates on all your writing, you already know which posts may have the most potential for this essay project. Some of you have written far beyond the 3 paragraph minimum, which means you might be quite near the finish point of 5-6 pages already. You can revise, re-organize, or rephrase your post writing for the purposes of this essay - just make sure you stick to the same subject matter. Also, you may combine more than one post if you feel you'd like to collage some of your writing together.
You'll be posting rough drafts of your essay to BLACKBOARD (Discussion Board) by tonight. The minimum length for rough drafts is 3-4 pages. On Thursday, you'll leave feedback for your group members on Blackboard. To offer feedback, simply reply to the thread of the essay you are responding to. That way, each writer will have a collection of feedback directly attached to their own writing. Also note that requirements for peer review given for major essays are different than guidelines for blog reviews. Review your syllabus for specific instructions.
For this major essay, you will receive feedback from me during the rough draft phase. I will send an email notifying the class when I've finished posting comments for everyone - this might not be until the end of the weekend.
Finally, I'd like to point out some Greatest Hits from last week... read these great posts for inspiration before you write your essays. :-)
Greatest Hits
Nynn's post, "Epileptic Seizures"
http://lafraser.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-15-epileptic-seizures.html
In this post, Nynn's simply-stated, direct, descriptive writing does wonders to set a tone of seriousness about the scene she describes. Her writing is plot-driven, propelled forward by action and story... a reader feels they are right in the scene, standing in Nynn's shoes. For that reason, I also admire the perspective from which Nynn speaks. She avoids describing her own reactions, rather, she trusts the reader to have similar reactions to her own, if only they saw what she saw. I especially appreciate her second paragraph for setting up sufficient context... we learn just enough about why she's there, how she's supposed to act, and how she wonders about her ability to handle ER scenarios, to "get into" the story. Later, her details about an epileptic patient are so thorough, so precise, that a reader can visualize the scene and feel incredibly interested. Wonderful work, Nynn!
John's post, "Cultural Tastes"
http://jasmit8.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-14-cultural-tastes.html
GO. READ. THIS. POST.
Leena's post, "Hemophobia"
http://leenawalker.blogspot.com/2011/02/hemophobia-prompt-15.html
Much of what I enjoyed about Leena's post is described above, in response to Nynn's post. Both writers excel in their ability to tell a story with precise, vivid detail - to the point of convincing readers that we are "watching", as though faced with a movie. I especially like Leena's use of voice in this post, since it's important for her audience to get to "know" her as a central character of her story. This is an amazing story about the horrors of witnessing an accident, especially since it's the kind that led to fatalities. Notice, especially, Leena's accurately described conclusion... rather than moving into a reflective or summary mode, she reports, "My friend and I watched as each (person) was checked once more for a pulse then put in a bag and onto a stretcher. I felt sick. I ran to the opposite side of the road and vomited. My friend came to hold my hair as I sobbed and puked. There was so much blood..." Writers: there's nothing wrong with writing about puking. Thank you, Leena, for your honesty, and for your excellent storytelling!
Kayla's, "The 'Grabber' Grabber"
http://kbailey-danceintherain.blogspot.com/2011/02/grabber-grabber-prompt-15.html
This is one of Kayla's best posts yet. In it, she tells a complete and enjoyable childhood story about a classroom snitch. Her writing is precise, detailed, and beautifully edited. I love learning about Grabbers, the justice-minded actions of 5th graders, and a Grabber funeral. Kayla's sense of style plays a major role in making this story interesting... childhood stories can easily become "cutesy", "sentimental", or otherwise lesser in literary value. Kayla's use of description, voice, and characterization, however, makes this much more than merely a childhood memory. I could actually see this story being part of a wonderfully entertaining young adult or children's novel, such is the pleasure of the text and the authenticity of the telling. Great work, Kayla!
Thanks to John, Kayla, Nynn, and Taliena for writing some fantastic posts last week!
We'll get back to more blog writing once we finish work on the midterm essays.
Writing Tip of the Week
Rough Drafts Can Be Fun and Easy
When writing rough drafts, you might find yourself thinking about what you ought to do. Stop thinking so hard! Choose what you love and go with your instincts. Practicing writing, reading published writing, and peer reviewing the work of your classmates are tasks that have prepared you well to jump right into this midterm assignment. There's nothing wrong with trying to develop three different posts... see which one starts to feel easiest to work with and choose later!
There's nothing wrong with taking a perfectly written/edited post from your blog, and adding little else if it already meets length requirements. That's the advantage of writing more thoroughly for your homework assignments! On the other hand, if you have more rough material from your posts than finished material, there's nothing wrong with cleaning up the phrasing, writing, organization, etc, in order to complete the strongest version of your essay. Do you see where I'm going with this? :-)
Only you can make this stressful, and only you can make it fun. I suggest you choose "fun". And if you have any questions along the way, I'm happy to assist you.
I'm looking forward to reading your rough drafts! Good luck!
-AP
Welcome to your first essay-writing week! With 12 blog posts under your belt, each of you certainly have a lot of great material to choose from! As you can see on your Week 6 checklist, the only requirements for this essay are 1) you will develop one of your blog posts rather than starting something new, 2) you will develop the post to 5-6 pages double-spaced in Times New Roman 12 font, 3) you will keep your information non-fiction (true to life), and 4) you will cite any borrowed information in correct MLA format if you include research.
Since you have gotten feedback from classmates on all your writing, you already know which posts may have the most potential for this essay project. Some of you have written far beyond the 3 paragraph minimum, which means you might be quite near the finish point of 5-6 pages already. You can revise, re-organize, or rephrase your post writing for the purposes of this essay - just make sure you stick to the same subject matter. Also, you may combine more than one post if you feel you'd like to collage some of your writing together.
You'll be posting rough drafts of your essay to BLACKBOARD (Discussion Board) by tonight. The minimum length for rough drafts is 3-4 pages. On Thursday, you'll leave feedback for your group members on Blackboard. To offer feedback, simply reply to the thread of the essay you are responding to. That way, each writer will have a collection of feedback directly attached to their own writing. Also note that requirements for peer review given for major essays are different than guidelines for blog reviews. Review your syllabus for specific instructions.
For this major essay, you will receive feedback from me during the rough draft phase. I will send an email notifying the class when I've finished posting comments for everyone - this might not be until the end of the weekend.
Finally, I'd like to point out some Greatest Hits from last week... read these great posts for inspiration before you write your essays. :-)
Greatest Hits
Nynn's post, "Epileptic Seizures"
http://lafraser.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-15-epileptic-seizures.html
In this post, Nynn's simply-stated, direct, descriptive writing does wonders to set a tone of seriousness about the scene she describes. Her writing is plot-driven, propelled forward by action and story... a reader feels they are right in the scene, standing in Nynn's shoes. For that reason, I also admire the perspective from which Nynn speaks. She avoids describing her own reactions, rather, she trusts the reader to have similar reactions to her own, if only they saw what she saw. I especially appreciate her second paragraph for setting up sufficient context... we learn just enough about why she's there, how she's supposed to act, and how she wonders about her ability to handle ER scenarios, to "get into" the story. Later, her details about an epileptic patient are so thorough, so precise, that a reader can visualize the scene and feel incredibly interested. Wonderful work, Nynn!
John's post, "Cultural Tastes"
http://jasmit8.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-14-cultural-tastes.html
GO. READ. THIS. POST.
Leena's post, "Hemophobia"
http://leenawalker.blogspot.com/2011/02/hemophobia-prompt-15.html
Much of what I enjoyed about Leena's post is described above, in response to Nynn's post. Both writers excel in their ability to tell a story with precise, vivid detail - to the point of convincing readers that we are "watching", as though faced with a movie. I especially like Leena's use of voice in this post, since it's important for her audience to get to "know" her as a central character of her story. This is an amazing story about the horrors of witnessing an accident, especially since it's the kind that led to fatalities. Notice, especially, Leena's accurately described conclusion... rather than moving into a reflective or summary mode, she reports, "My friend and I watched as each (person) was checked once more for a pulse then put in a bag and onto a stretcher. I felt sick. I ran to the opposite side of the road and vomited. My friend came to hold my hair as I sobbed and puked. There was so much blood..." Writers: there's nothing wrong with writing about puking. Thank you, Leena, for your honesty, and for your excellent storytelling!
Kayla's, "The 'Grabber' Grabber"
http://kbailey-danceintherain.blogspot.com/2011/02/grabber-grabber-prompt-15.html
This is one of Kayla's best posts yet. In it, she tells a complete and enjoyable childhood story about a classroom snitch. Her writing is precise, detailed, and beautifully edited. I love learning about Grabbers, the justice-minded actions of 5th graders, and a Grabber funeral. Kayla's sense of style plays a major role in making this story interesting... childhood stories can easily become "cutesy", "sentimental", or otherwise lesser in literary value. Kayla's use of description, voice, and characterization, however, makes this much more than merely a childhood memory. I could actually see this story being part of a wonderfully entertaining young adult or children's novel, such is the pleasure of the text and the authenticity of the telling. Great work, Kayla!
Thanks to John, Kayla, Nynn, and Taliena for writing some fantastic posts last week!
We'll get back to more blog writing once we finish work on the midterm essays.
Writing Tip of the Week
Rough Drafts Can Be Fun and Easy
When writing rough drafts, you might find yourself thinking about what you ought to do. Stop thinking so hard! Choose what you love and go with your instincts. Practicing writing, reading published writing, and peer reviewing the work of your classmates are tasks that have prepared you well to jump right into this midterm assignment. There's nothing wrong with trying to develop three different posts... see which one starts to feel easiest to work with and choose later!
There's nothing wrong with taking a perfectly written/edited post from your blog, and adding little else if it already meets length requirements. That's the advantage of writing more thoroughly for your homework assignments! On the other hand, if you have more rough material from your posts than finished material, there's nothing wrong with cleaning up the phrasing, writing, organization, etc, in order to complete the strongest version of your essay. Do you see where I'm going with this? :-)
Only you can make this stressful, and only you can make it fun. I suggest you choose "fun". And if you have any questions along the way, I'm happy to assist you.
I'm looking forward to reading your rough drafts! Good luck!
-AP
Monday, February 14, 2011
Week 5: Nearing Midterm
Hi all
This week offers you a final two writing opportunities before you develop your Midterm essay. Take time to brainstorm before writing responses to Prompts 14 & 15 this week... maybe you can apply some of the techniques you've learned so far this semester in creative and exciting ways.
This will also be your last couple of weeks to work with your current peer group members - enjoy it! After midterm, we'll switch groups and you'll get to meet other, amazing classmates.
Next week, check in on the blog to prepare yourselves for a slightly different schedule of work. I'll be introducing your first major essay assignment. Feel free to get a head start on writing this week. However, you won't be posting your rough drafts to Blackboard until early next week. (See the midterm assignment guidelines under your Week 6 Checklist/Tuesday, February 22nd.)
Below are Greatest Hits from last week & a weekly writing tip.
Happy Writing!
-AP
Greatest Hits
Alyssa's, "What a Place Is and How a Place Seems"
In Alyssa's Writer's Journal post on "Pyongyang", she writes, "Although I am not a graphic novel writer, there are still elements I can use in my own writing. I would be curious how to write a story using pictures to set the scene rather than descriptions. I also wonder how to flow in and out of the picture use." In her writing based on Prompt 13, Alyssa seems to explore an answer to her own question. I love her topic: life on the Arizona/Mexico border. Certainly, her images make her thoughts even clearer. They also serve as evocative transitions between short passages of writing. Best yet, they provide support for her sense that the stigma about the AZ/Mexico border, caused by political arguments, seems somehow besides the point. Her final thought is provocative and original; she wonders (in reflection about the border fence) how "it seems so silly to have created such fear and intimidation over something so simple standing in front of me." Thanks to her use of images, she makes a great point.
Jesus' post, "it takes me forever to get anywhere"
Jesus' creativity in imagining his trip never taken is astonishing. What astonishes me is his ability to utilize this particular prompt as a method of sincere & authentic personal storytelling. His trip never taken doesn't romanticize place, rather, it laments a sibling relationship that continues onward with a sense of unrealized potential. This is a powerful story that is heartfelt and moving; it's interesting due to the skillful writing as well as the engaging personal story. When we, as writers, make a commitment to truly share our lives, our stories, our feelings and thoughts... the content is richer than any gold mine. An audience feels honored to have shared in the experience of the writer, through reading. This is the accomplishment of Jesus' post. See, also, his most recent post, "Superfly", which is the first attempt of the course at writing in the form of a graphic novel: http://cynicalgraycrayon.blogspot.com/2011/02/13-superfly-or-if-i-only-had-brain.html. This is an enjoyable story that's wonderfully illustrated. If anyone else feels they'd like to try to write in graphic novel form, feel free to post the media to your blog using Google Docs, just as Jesus did.
Katie's posts, "A Trip [Not Taken] To My Homeland" & "A Monsoon"
I've marked two separate posts from Katie for this week because they both illustrate important writing accomplishments. In "A Trip Not Taken...", Katie writes a vivid and likable description of a trip-not-taken en route to Japan. As a half-Japanese-American woman, Katie tips us off to a certain identity struggle. On one hand, she sees Japan as a part of her heritage. On the other hand, she's been called "Americanized" by a Japanese born American person - a word that marks her as, perhaps, less Japanese culturally than he/she is. Considerations of identity, especially as they apply to culture, race, or gender, are powerful as topics of personal writing. I see this post as the potential beginning of a fascinating longer essay, in which Katie discusses her identity in relation to her mother, her father, her heritage, her personality, etc. In "A Monsoon", Katie creates an image so well-described and vivid, readers can feel they are looking outside their own windows. I love the patience with which this scene is developed.
Nicola's post, "Foregrounding Place"
Nicola's brief, yet unfinished, post about place is being highlighted today for it's potential, and for its great topic. What Nicola does well is transition seamlessly between topics that have to do with many things, all within single posts: her personal life, culture, and beliefs/opinions often appear as topics. In the past, Nicola has related information about being a traditional Hopi woman. As no one else in the class identifies as such, she deserves to know that even her writing about simple scenes from her life, family members, or cultural events are of utmost interest. This particular post sets up a feeling of longing for home. Whether home is the Hopi reservation or a high-rise in Manhattan, all readers can identify with the feeling they have upon approaching "home" after a long while. Because Nicola's written about her personal and very specific scene of re-accessing home, it lends to a universal feeling for all us that can imagine, or long for, "home". I imagine this paragraph could be expanded to a lovely, descriptive personal essay about place.
Thanks Alyssa, Jesus, Katie, & Nicola for sharing your work!
Writing Tip of the Week:
Remember to Write Physical Description of Characters
When young, we were told "it's what's on the inside that counts" or "don't judge a book by it's cover". This was society's way of teaching us not to dehumanize others based on our stereotypes or perceptions of who they could be based on pre-judgement.
I think this lesson carries over into story writing far too often. Writers sometimes cringe to describe the "looks" of a character, especially when they're writing about someone that truly exists, because we're afraid a reader will "judge" the characters based on appearance. We sometimes call characters, "beautiful", "tall", or "thin", but even these cues are vague.
Why not describe characters specifically, in ways that give readers a distinct visual image? If I were describing Einstein in his later years, for instance, I might say to readers, "He was old, with a curious face, a black mustache, and a wild mane of gray hair that looked as if he'd just stuck a fork in a socket".
Trust your readers to like your characters, no matter what they look like, unless you depict them as otherwise unlikeable. You're great, now, at describing scene, dialogue, personalities... so go ahead and use description as a tool for creating faces and bodies for your characters. The more specific your description, the better.
Monday, February 7, 2011
Week 4: Greatest Hits
Hello class,
Welcome back from what was hopefully a very nice weekend. :-)
Last week presented two particularly advanced writing assignments... both were meant to stretch you as writers, prompting you to explore new ways of writing, even if that meant your end result would be imperfect. Different students will feel "stretched" by different assignments... the important thing is that you give yourselves the room to explore new subject matter, new forms, and new styles of writing. (When in doubt, keep your writing and subject matter simple. There's nothing wrong with that!)
Your class continues to do a great job with these writing assignments.
Let's look at a few of the Greatest Hits from last week...
Matt's post, "Angelo: The Refuse Messiah"
http://oneguytwodeserts.blogspot.com/2011/02/9-angelo-refuse-messiah.html
Those of you who are in Matt's Peer Group know as well as I do that all of Matt's writing is impactful, wonderfully written, and worth a read. In this particular piece, though, I think Matt achieves an extraordinary feat in giving life to a barebones news article. In it, Matt imagines the psychological state of a real-life character named Angelo, about whom a news story was written. I don't want to ruin the subject matter for readers, because the surprise of it is part of the pleasure of reading. As writers, we can learn from Matt's use of inner dialogue and back story. For Angelo, the inner voice is of utmost consequence. This is true for most human characters, and yet, as writers, we often neglect to describe the inner landscape of how main characters are feeling, what they're thinking, and what memories rumble loudest as the present and future approach. Matt's writing is also descriptive, clear, and efficient - he reminds us of the power details have in bringing stories to life.
Nynn's post, "A Night to Remember"
http://lafraser.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-8-night-to-remember.html
"A Night to Remember" is Nynn's response to the challenge of writing in a lyric style that corresponds to a particular song. What's most interesting about this post, for me, is the form: Nynn chose to write in sections with headings that resemble a soundtrack, or a Mix CD playlist. The song titles themselves evoke the odd type of DJing that's reserved for wedding receptions only - where else do you hear everything from Lil Jon to Dirty Dancing? Nynn's story works to, eventually, profile an acquaintance named Brian, who drinks too much, starts dancing, and eventually picks her up only to crash them both onto the floor. It's a great moment to write about, and feels to be connected to a larger piece of storytelling that readers would love to read. Nynn's voice and style are authentic; we get a great sense about who the narrator is. She also does an amazing job developing setting at the outset of the essay.
John's post, "My man Charlie Sheen"
http://jasmit8.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-9-my-man-charlie-sheen.html
Speaking of authentic voice and style, I'd like for everyone to take a look at "My man Charlie Sheen". In this post, John's storytelling is voice-driven. This is a mode of storytelling that can work great for anyone who has a highly developed personal style and voice. His writing conveys an original perspective, argument, and style. His train of thought is associative... as readers, we are able to see the connections between his topics and thoughts, and find interest in them, because to many of us, the topics and thoughts are unusual and surprising. There's also an odd, delightful humor to this... a reader can't be sure whether the writer has written this argument satirically or not, but it sure does seem satirical. Best of all, the humor in this piece doesn't undermine the heart in it. For all the news that's been circulating about Charlie Sheen, this is the best (and funniest) account I've read yet.
Chelsee's post, "I am... the spitting image of my father..."
http://chelsee926.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-amthe-spitting-image-of-my-father-and.html
I love this post for the subject matter; Chelsee decided to tell a highly personal story in a wonderfully honest way. Throughout the writing, Chelsee describes her experience of having two fathers: one, who raised her, and another biological father whom she just met recently. Typically, this type of subject matter is discussed, by writers, in more dramatic ways. In contrast, Chelsee is forthright, and conveys a tone of gratitude and appreciation. In truth, this story is a book's worth, briefly outlined in a short blog post; I could imagine this same subject being fleshed out to thirty pages or more. My favorite line: "I always knew I never really looked like any one in my family so the first time I met my father's side of the family, it was an amazing feeling to actually see people that looked like me." This detail is so intimate, honest, and tender, as other descriptions in the story also are.
Great work Matt, Nynn, John, and Chelsee! Thanks for contributing some wonderful writing to our class blogs!
Writing Tip of the Week
Many peer reviewers find themselves pointing out what they like and admire in student posts, while avoiding sharing messages about problematic aspects of the writing. The reason you do your Peer Group a service by sharing BOTH praise and constructive criticism is because you help writers differentiate their best from their least best, and steer them towards their strengths. You also make writers aware of choices they make that are, unbeknownst to them, pleasurable or unpleasurable to certain readers. This will help your peer group members become even better writers, get even better grades, and maybe even get published some day... don't you want to be a part of that? :-)
If you find yourself shirking away from constructive criticism in your peer reviews, I have a suggestion for you. Why not use a particular method for ALL peer review posts, so that your group members see you are offering feedback impartially? Two great methods are:
1) Talk about 2 good aspects of the writing for every 1 bad aspect when you peer review. In this way, a 6 sentence peer review paragraph would contain at least two messages of constructive criticism.
2) For each writer, divide your critique into "Strengths" and "Weaknesses", offering some feedback for each category.
Your Peer Group will be grateful for the honest response!
Welcome back from what was hopefully a very nice weekend. :-)
Last week presented two particularly advanced writing assignments... both were meant to stretch you as writers, prompting you to explore new ways of writing, even if that meant your end result would be imperfect. Different students will feel "stretched" by different assignments... the important thing is that you give yourselves the room to explore new subject matter, new forms, and new styles of writing. (When in doubt, keep your writing and subject matter simple. There's nothing wrong with that!)
Your class continues to do a great job with these writing assignments.
Let's look at a few of the Greatest Hits from last week...
Matt's post, "Angelo: The Refuse Messiah"
http://oneguytwodeserts.blogspot.com/2011/02/9-angelo-refuse-messiah.html
Those of you who are in Matt's Peer Group know as well as I do that all of Matt's writing is impactful, wonderfully written, and worth a read. In this particular piece, though, I think Matt achieves an extraordinary feat in giving life to a barebones news article. In it, Matt imagines the psychological state of a real-life character named Angelo, about whom a news story was written. I don't want to ruin the subject matter for readers, because the surprise of it is part of the pleasure of reading. As writers, we can learn from Matt's use of inner dialogue and back story. For Angelo, the inner voice is of utmost consequence. This is true for most human characters, and yet, as writers, we often neglect to describe the inner landscape of how main characters are feeling, what they're thinking, and what memories rumble loudest as the present and future approach. Matt's writing is also descriptive, clear, and efficient - he reminds us of the power details have in bringing stories to life.
Nynn's post, "A Night to Remember"
http://lafraser.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-8-night-to-remember.html
"A Night to Remember" is Nynn's response to the challenge of writing in a lyric style that corresponds to a particular song. What's most interesting about this post, for me, is the form: Nynn chose to write in sections with headings that resemble a soundtrack, or a Mix CD playlist. The song titles themselves evoke the odd type of DJing that's reserved for wedding receptions only - where else do you hear everything from Lil Jon to Dirty Dancing? Nynn's story works to, eventually, profile an acquaintance named Brian, who drinks too much, starts dancing, and eventually picks her up only to crash them both onto the floor. It's a great moment to write about, and feels to be connected to a larger piece of storytelling that readers would love to read. Nynn's voice and style are authentic; we get a great sense about who the narrator is. She also does an amazing job developing setting at the outset of the essay.
John's post, "My man Charlie Sheen"
http://jasmit8.blogspot.com/2011/02/prompt-9-my-man-charlie-sheen.html
Speaking of authentic voice and style, I'd like for everyone to take a look at "My man Charlie Sheen". In this post, John's storytelling is voice-driven. This is a mode of storytelling that can work great for anyone who has a highly developed personal style and voice. His writing conveys an original perspective, argument, and style. His train of thought is associative... as readers, we are able to see the connections between his topics and thoughts, and find interest in them, because to many of us, the topics and thoughts are unusual and surprising. There's also an odd, delightful humor to this... a reader can't be sure whether the writer has written this argument satirically or not, but it sure does seem satirical. Best of all, the humor in this piece doesn't undermine the heart in it. For all the news that's been circulating about Charlie Sheen, this is the best (and funniest) account I've read yet.
Chelsee's post, "I am... the spitting image of my father..."
http://chelsee926.blogspot.com/2011/02/i-amthe-spitting-image-of-my-father-and.html
I love this post for the subject matter; Chelsee decided to tell a highly personal story in a wonderfully honest way. Throughout the writing, Chelsee describes her experience of having two fathers: one, who raised her, and another biological father whom she just met recently. Typically, this type of subject matter is discussed, by writers, in more dramatic ways. In contrast, Chelsee is forthright, and conveys a tone of gratitude and appreciation. In truth, this story is a book's worth, briefly outlined in a short blog post; I could imagine this same subject being fleshed out to thirty pages or more. My favorite line: "I always knew I never really looked like any one in my family so the first time I met my father's side of the family, it was an amazing feeling to actually see people that looked like me." This detail is so intimate, honest, and tender, as other descriptions in the story also are.
Great work Matt, Nynn, John, and Chelsee! Thanks for contributing some wonderful writing to our class blogs!
Writing Tip of the Week
Many peer reviewers find themselves pointing out what they like and admire in student posts, while avoiding sharing messages about problematic aspects of the writing. The reason you do your Peer Group a service by sharing BOTH praise and constructive criticism is because you help writers differentiate their best from their least best, and steer them towards their strengths. You also make writers aware of choices they make that are, unbeknownst to them, pleasurable or unpleasurable to certain readers. This will help your peer group members become even better writers, get even better grades, and maybe even get published some day... don't you want to be a part of that? :-)
If you find yourself shirking away from constructive criticism in your peer reviews, I have a suggestion for you. Why not use a particular method for ALL peer review posts, so that your group members see you are offering feedback impartially? Two great methods are:
1) Talk about 2 good aspects of the writing for every 1 bad aspect when you peer review. In this way, a 6 sentence peer review paragraph would contain at least two messages of constructive criticism.
2) For each writer, divide your critique into "Strengths" and "Weaknesses", offering some feedback for each category.
Your Peer Group will be grateful for the honest response!
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