Rapid Write:
Think of a crazy, irrational fear. Write about someone with that fear. Go for silly.
Varied Sentence Structure: Lesson 1 (Finished)
Reviewed the book projects, presentation sign up, portfolio, and deadlines.
Writing Time:
Work on shoebox plot or other elements of the portfolio.
10/15/09
October 13 (Tuesday)
Rapid Write:
Find something insignificant that you're carrying--a chapstick, a quarter, your shoelace. Write a piece in which that thing is most significant. It can be significant as an object or as a character (personification!).
Varied Sentence Structure: Lesson 1 (Opening Adjective)
Seniors excused to college tour. Others stayed in class to work independently on shoebox plot. Continue using Smiley Face Tricks and Five Facts of Fiction. Seek out peer feedback.
Find something insignificant that you're carrying--a chapstick, a quarter, your shoelace. Write a piece in which that thing is most significant. It can be significant as an object or as a character (personification!).
Varied Sentence Structure: Lesson 1 (Opening Adjective)
Seniors excused to college tour. Others stayed in class to work independently on shoebox plot. Continue using Smiley Face Tricks and Five Facts of Fiction. Seek out peer feedback.
October 9 (Friday)
Computer lab:
Wrote essays for Creative Communication/Poetic Power contest. The essays are 250 words on a topic that is important to the author. Organization is weighted heavily.
After finishing the essay, students could work on the shoebox plot or start typing elements that will be a part of the portfolio.
Wrote essays for Creative Communication/Poetic Power contest. The essays are 250 words on a topic that is important to the author. Organization is weighted heavily.
After finishing the essay, students could work on the shoebox plot or start typing elements that will be a part of the portfolio.
October 7 (Wednesday)
Rapid Write:
Compare two unlike things through simile or metaphor. "Love is like a garbage truck." The flowers were toy soldiers." "My sister is like a printer."
Grammar Girl: Lesson 9
Lesson: Five Facts of Fiction
Reviewed 2 and 3
Analyzed shoebox plot for these facts.
Writing Time:
Add to shoebox plot. Revise according to the facts discussed in class.
Compare two unlike things through simile or metaphor. "Love is like a garbage truck." The flowers were toy soldiers." "My sister is like a printer."
Grammar Girl: Lesson 9
Lesson: Five Facts of Fiction
Reviewed 2 and 3
Analyzed shoebox plot for these facts.
Writing Time:
Add to shoebox plot. Revise according to the facts discussed in class.
October 5 (Monday)
Rapid Write:
Think of an intangible noun or an "ing" verb. Examples might be aspiration, justice, sharing. Other examples are any specific color, emotion, month, or day of the week. For whatever word you choose, pick a sense to link it to--see, smell, hear, taste, touch. Consider emotion to be a sixth sense, but don't choose it if you are describing an emotion. Once you've chosen a word and a sense, describe that word by using that sense. So an example might be "What does Monday smell like?" or "What does green taste like?" "What does justice look like?"
Lesson: Five Facts of Fiction
Reviewed Facts 1 and 5
Took time to analyze our shoebox plot story using these facts.
Writing time:
Revise shoebox plot based on the facts of fiction that we discussed.
Think of an intangible noun or an "ing" verb. Examples might be aspiration, justice, sharing. Other examples are any specific color, emotion, month, or day of the week. For whatever word you choose, pick a sense to link it to--see, smell, hear, taste, touch. Consider emotion to be a sixth sense, but don't choose it if you are describing an emotion. Once you've chosen a word and a sense, describe that word by using that sense. So an example might be "What does Monday smell like?" or "What does green taste like?" "What does justice look like?"
Lesson: Five Facts of Fiction
Reviewed Facts 1 and 5
Took time to analyze our shoebox plot story using these facts.
Writing time:
Revise shoebox plot based on the facts of fiction that we discussed.
September 29 (Tuesday)
Computer lab:
Write--work on Shoebox Plot. Continue editing in Smiley Face Tricks.
Write--work on Shoebox Plot. Continue editing in Smiley Face Tricks.
September 25 (Friday)
Rapid Write: Write something that could be titled "Outside in the Rain" or "The Noise of Silence"
Grammar Girl Lesson 7
Lesson: Smiley Face Tricks
Writing time: Work on shoebox plot while adding in Smiley Face Tricks.
Grammar Girl Lesson 7
Lesson: Smiley Face Tricks
Writing time: Work on shoebox plot while adding in Smiley Face Tricks.
9/24/09
September 25 (Friday)
Rapid Write:
Write something that could be titled "Outside in the Rain."
Grammar Girl Lesson 8
Writing Time:
20 minutes of free write, try to work in Smiley Face Tricks.
Peer editing
Write something that could be titled "Outside in the Rain."
Grammar Girl Lesson 8
Writing Time:
20 minutes of free write, try to work in Smiley Face Tricks.
Peer editing
September 23 (Wednesday)
Rapid Write:
Consider a color. Get it in your mind. Now write. Poem, list, story, whatever.
Grammar Girl Lesson 7
Lesson: Smiley Face Tricks
Get handout in class.
Writing time:
Work on getting some Smiley Face Tricks into your current piece of fiction.
Consider a color. Get it in your mind. Now write. Poem, list, story, whatever.
Grammar Girl Lesson 7
Lesson: Smiley Face Tricks
Get handout in class.
Writing time:
Work on getting some Smiley Face Tricks into your current piece of fiction.
9/22/09
September 21 (Monday)
Rapid Write:
Setting: a zoo after closing
Character: a retired actor/actress
Action: a wizard duel
Using these three elements, compose a story.
Grammar Girl Lesson 6: Commas Part 1 (Serial Comma)
Lesson: Plot
Read the excerpt from Fiction Writers Workshop which is available in class. (I can't post it online due to copyright.) Then participate in the shoebox plot activity. Absent students can see me for the "cards."
Setting: a zoo after closing
Character: a retired actor/actress
Action: a wizard duel
Using these three elements, compose a story.
Grammar Girl Lesson 6: Commas Part 1 (Serial Comma)
Lesson: Plot
Read the excerpt from Fiction Writers Workshop which is available in class. (I can't post it online due to copyright.) Then participate in the shoebox plot activity. Absent students can see me for the "cards."
9/17/09
September 17 (Thursday)
Went to computer lab to revise and work on final drafts. Final stories are due to me via email before the end of Friday. As long as it isn't Saturday, it won't be late.
awoiwode@dsdmail.net
awoiwode@dsdmail.net
9/15/09
September 15 (Tuesday)
Rapid Write:
Describe the first time you did something. Work in as many of the five senses as possible.
Handed out a second copy of the Focused Peer Review. The first copy (from last time) should be filled out by classmates. The second copy should be filled out by "outsiders."
Handed out contest information.
Grammar and Lesson: Active vs. Passive -- Show, Don't Tell
Passive sentences come in two forms.
The first, which is often seen in scientific or "official" documents, take the object of a sentence and turn it into the object. This makes the actual do-er of the sentence vague. For example: "Mistakes were made." This is passive. "I made a mistakes" or "We made mistakes" are active.
The type of passive sentence that creative writers tend to combat more regularly are the sentences that rely on linking verbs, which are very weak. Using these verbs too regularly will result in boring writing, in which your reader is passive, since he is simply being told these things. Take the following sentences as an example:
These sentences all use the common linking verbs, which I like to refer to as the "telling verbs." These are all forms of "be."
As a creative writer, these should be the drunk uncle of your sentences. Sometimes it's necessary to invite the guy, but we try to limit his appearances to Christmas and Easter. When you use these, you simply tell your reader a fact, you don't show anything. Readers like to be involved, so let them.
See how the active sentences are better? They have more life, and they paint a picture. They show.
This is a rule of thumb that will help you to avoid writing in passive voice most of the time. It isn't fool-proof, but unless you're planning a career in linguistics, the rest is really just science.
Writing time:
Revise what you have so far. Get rid of as many "telling verbs" as possible.
Seek out any classmates for what you need to finish on your focused peer review.
Describe the first time you did something. Work in as many of the five senses as possible.
Handed out a second copy of the Focused Peer Review. The first copy (from last time) should be filled out by classmates. The second copy should be filled out by "outsiders."
Handed out contest information.
Grammar and Lesson: Active vs. Passive -- Show, Don't Tell
Passive sentences come in two forms.
The first, which is often seen in scientific or "official" documents, take the object of a sentence and turn it into the object. This makes the actual do-er of the sentence vague. For example: "Mistakes were made." This is passive. "I made a mistakes" or "We made mistakes" are active.
The type of passive sentence that creative writers tend to combat more regularly are the sentences that rely on linking verbs, which are very weak. Using these verbs too regularly will result in boring writing, in which your reader is passive, since he is simply being told these things. Take the following sentences as an example:
- I was tired.
- They are best friends.
- I am performing tonight.
- This is a busy day!
- Those two were late to class.
These sentences all use the common linking verbs, which I like to refer to as the "telling verbs." These are all forms of "be."
Am, Is, Are, Was, Were, Be, Being, Been
As a creative writer, these should be the drunk uncle of your sentences. Sometimes it's necessary to invite the guy, but we try to limit his appearances to Christmas and Easter. When you use these, you simply tell your reader a fact, you don't show anything. Readers like to be involved, so let them.
- I was tired. ---> I fought the urge to fall asleep.
- They are best friends. ---> I don't think anyone has ever seen them apart.
- I am performing tonight. ---> Tonight, I perform!
- This is a busy day. ---> Will I ever get everything done?
- Those two were late to class. ---> They walked into class a minute after the tardy bell.
See how the active sentences are better? They have more life, and they paint a picture. They show.
This is a rule of thumb that will help you to avoid writing in passive voice most of the time. It isn't fool-proof, but unless you're planning a career in linguistics, the rest is really just science.
Writing time:
Revise what you have so far. Get rid of as many "telling verbs" as possible.
Seek out any classmates for what you need to finish on your focused peer review.
9/10/09
September 11 (Friday)
Rapid Write:
Write down three songs you like. Summarize each song in three words. Now make a story out of those words.
Grammar Girl Lesson 5
Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street Read Aloud
Activity:
Focused Peer Review:
Write down three songs you like. Summarize each song in three words. Now make a story out of those words.
Grammar Girl Lesson 5
Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street Read Aloud
Activity:
Focused Peer Review:
- Objective 1: Character Dialogue: too much, not enough, or just right? Do they sound real?
- Objective 2: Character actions: do the characters make sense? Do they act real?
- Conflict: Is it intriguing and relatable to a human being?
- Show, Don't Tell: Is there anything that is being rushed or is unsatisfying? How is the pacing?
The first peer review should be done in class today by four different people. Revise your piece and then find people to complete the second one. You should try for four different people, but it's up to you. This activity is good in that it encourages you to share your work. Often, writers tend to be self-concious about asking someone, even a friend, to read and critique them. This gives you an excuse. Other writers are shy and this tends to be the quick-immersion therapy for that shyness. Why be a writer if you won't share?
Any leftover time can be used for writing, editing, or revision.
Your fiction assignments must be emailed to me by Friday, September 18! As long as it's not Saturday yet, they won't be marked late.
September 9 (Wednesday)
Computer lab: type your story, editing as you go. Email what you get finished to awoiwode@dsdmail.net.
9/4/09
September 4 (Friday)
Rapid Write:
"The thing about real life is, when you do something studpid, it usually costs you." (Intro: Cirque du Freak by Darren Shaw) Write what this inspires. Maybe you have a personal experience, maybe you want to write fiction or a poem. Let the quotation simmer for a minute and go where it takes you.
Grammar Girl Lesson 4
Lesson: Tough Love and Triage
You're a writer and you write. You create. You look at what you create as your children. It's all very emotional and it's all very normal. As a writer, you need to begin to develop a thicker skin. You need to be able to look critically at your creations and say, "This is good. This is not so good. This has no chance." Sometimes, you just have to cut something off and spend time where it will help.
I call this "triage." Just like in a medical emergency doctors and nurses assess who can be saved and who can't, you'll have to make those tough decisions about your writing. Something might have a great chance of going somewhere, so hang on to it. Another piece might be ok and has promise with some work. Compare those to the patient who can be saved, but will probably lose an arm. Then there are the Dead on Arrivals. These pieces aren't going anywhere and you know it. You only have so much time on this earth and relatively little of it will be spent actually writing, so don't waste your time on lost causes.
Once you're able to throw a few of your paper-children to the flames, you'll also need to learn to accept criticism of your work and to put that criticism to good use. No one here will intentionally hurt your feelings by saying something cruel. Criticism might sound like, "I don't think this conversation is relevant to the story. They're really not talking about anything important." Now you have work to do. Maybe you agree and will choose to take it out. Perhaps that conversation was intended to get your reader to understand the relationship between two characters, so you'll find another way to do that. Maybe the conversation really is important, but it's not coming through to your reader, so you need to set it up better or write a better payoff later on.
What you need to remember is that you are the author and you know the whole story. It's all in your head. So when you read your own work, you're automatically filling in those gaps in your own mind. Having someone else read and critique the work will help you to see the gaps. That's the point of conferencing and criticism.
Just avoid going into a conference with the idea that your paper-child is absolutely perfect. Be open and willing to listen to what others think. Be objective about your own work.
Writing Time:
Choose one of the stories we've started so far. This is the one you will focus on. Maybe you're planning on blending a few. Whatever. The key focus is working towards something that's strong writing, so weed out the poo and go for the gold. You can go back and edit what you already have, continue where you left off, or start from scratch.
During writing time, pay special attention to dialogue. Add some in if you don't have any. Be sure it sounds natural. Your characters should sound like real people and they should sound like your characters. A nurse from Chicago will speak differently than a teenager from Seattle.
Conferencing:
Get with two peers and have them read your piece and give you the following information:
"The thing about real life is, when you do something studpid, it usually costs you." (Intro: Cirque du Freak by Darren Shaw) Write what this inspires. Maybe you have a personal experience, maybe you want to write fiction or a poem. Let the quotation simmer for a minute and go where it takes you.
Grammar Girl Lesson 4
Lesson: Tough Love and Triage
You're a writer and you write. You create. You look at what you create as your children. It's all very emotional and it's all very normal. As a writer, you need to begin to develop a thicker skin. You need to be able to look critically at your creations and say, "This is good. This is not so good. This has no chance." Sometimes, you just have to cut something off and spend time where it will help.
I call this "triage." Just like in a medical emergency doctors and nurses assess who can be saved and who can't, you'll have to make those tough decisions about your writing. Something might have a great chance of going somewhere, so hang on to it. Another piece might be ok and has promise with some work. Compare those to the patient who can be saved, but will probably lose an arm. Then there are the Dead on Arrivals. These pieces aren't going anywhere and you know it. You only have so much time on this earth and relatively little of it will be spent actually writing, so don't waste your time on lost causes.
Once you're able to throw a few of your paper-children to the flames, you'll also need to learn to accept criticism of your work and to put that criticism to good use. No one here will intentionally hurt your feelings by saying something cruel. Criticism might sound like, "I don't think this conversation is relevant to the story. They're really not talking about anything important." Now you have work to do. Maybe you agree and will choose to take it out. Perhaps that conversation was intended to get your reader to understand the relationship between two characters, so you'll find another way to do that. Maybe the conversation really is important, but it's not coming through to your reader, so you need to set it up better or write a better payoff later on.
What you need to remember is that you are the author and you know the whole story. It's all in your head. So when you read your own work, you're automatically filling in those gaps in your own mind. Having someone else read and critique the work will help you to see the gaps. That's the point of conferencing and criticism.
Just avoid going into a conference with the idea that your paper-child is absolutely perfect. Be open and willing to listen to what others think. Be objective about your own work.
Writing Time:
Choose one of the stories we've started so far. This is the one you will focus on. Maybe you're planning on blending a few. Whatever. The key focus is working towards something that's strong writing, so weed out the poo and go for the gold. You can go back and edit what you already have, continue where you left off, or start from scratch.
During writing time, pay special attention to dialogue. Add some in if you don't have any. Be sure it sounds natural. Your characters should sound like real people and they should sound like your characters. A nurse from Chicago will speak differently than a teenager from Seattle.
Conferencing:
Get with two peers and have them read your piece and give you the following information:
- Is the conflict interesting or does it need to be spiced up?
- Do the characters act/speak in ways that make sense for them?
- Underline and comment on three things the author did well.
- Underline and comment on one thing the author can improve.
September 2 (Wednesday)
Rapid Write:
Write about a problem that someone you know has been through or is working through. It should be a problem that you have not experienced personally.
Grammar Girl Lesson 3
Handed out writing book list. These are recommendations of well-reviewed books on writing. Students may choose one of these for their term projects or find one on their own.
Lesson: Conflict
Every story has a conflict. The conflict should be intriguing, but relatable to the reader on a human level. Even if you're writing about aliens and different universes, the reader still needs to have something to relate to.
Writing Time:
Put your character into the situation you described in the rapid write. You can change setting and other things, but keep the conflict. You may need to do some fancy writing, for instance, if your character is a strong student and the conflict is getting expelled, you're going to have to explain that. Also, the character is not the person you know. Your character will respond differently to the situation based on his/her own special blend of experiences. Be sure that your character acts appropriately to the characterization.
Write about a problem that someone you know has been through or is working through. It should be a problem that you have not experienced personally.
Grammar Girl Lesson 3
Handed out writing book list. These are recommendations of well-reviewed books on writing. Students may choose one of these for their term projects or find one on their own.
Lesson: Conflict
Every story has a conflict. The conflict should be intriguing, but relatable to the reader on a human level. Even if you're writing about aliens and different universes, the reader still needs to have something to relate to.
Writing Time:
Put your character into the situation you described in the rapid write. You can change setting and other things, but keep the conflict. You may need to do some fancy writing, for instance, if your character is a strong student and the conflict is getting expelled, you're going to have to explain that. Also, the character is not the person you know. Your character will respond differently to the situation based on his/her own special blend of experiences. Be sure that your character acts appropriately to the characterization.
9/1/09
August 31 (Monday)
Students received the information for the term book project, which involves reading a book on writing, completing exercises, reviewing the book, and presenting a writing activity to the class.
Rapid Write:
Write about something or someone that is no longer in your life (for any reason--doesn't have to be lost). You should write about something that you miss.
Grammar Girl Lesson 2
Lesson:
Writers need to know their characters, otherwise, the writer will write what he/she wants instead of what is natural for the character. Common practice is the "character interview." Some authors do this very actively, setting up two chairs and moving between them as the interviewer and interviewee. Others do it in their head or on paper.
Students used the "Get To Know You" Thumbballs to get to know their characters. As they played, they answered for their characters.
Writing Time: (Choose one)
Rapid Write:
Write about something or someone that is no longer in your life (for any reason--doesn't have to be lost). You should write about something that you miss.
Grammar Girl Lesson 2
Lesson:
Writers need to know their characters, otherwise, the writer will write what he/she wants instead of what is natural for the character. Common practice is the "character interview." Some authors do this very actively, setting up two chairs and moving between them as the interviewer and interviewee. Others do it in their head or on paper.
Students used the "Get To Know You" Thumbballs to get to know their characters. As they played, they answered for their characters.
Writing Time: (Choose one)
- Journal about the activity. What did you learn about your character? Did anything surprise you?
- Continue or revise the story you started last time based on what you learned about your character.
- Scrap the story from last time and start over.
- Create a character sketch for your character. This can be done in prose or a list and can include drawings. A character sketch includes vital information, relationships, jobs, interests, etc.
8/27/09
August 27 (Thursday)
Rapid Write:
Break a piece of paper into four pieces. On each piece, briefly describe a memory from these four time periods in your life (they do not have to be school-related).
Grammar Girl Lesson 1 (pgs. 5-8)
Lesson: Weaving truth to create fiction:
Author Will Hobbs is very gifted with this. He has written several books and each one is highly based on reality. Every character is based on someone he knew or read about, every location is somewhere he's been. Check out his website at www.willhobbsauthor.com. If you click on the cover of any book, there is an interview and photos about the inspiration for his stories.
Take your four memories and trade them with different people. Be sure to trade within a time period, for example, trade a first memory for a first memory. You should end up with the memories of four different people for four different time periods.
Look at the memories and use them to create a character. What kind of person would do those things? How would they affect him/her? Your character can be male or female and should be at least your age, but can be older. Get an idea of that character in your mind and then put them in a situation. Here are a few that we brainstormed in class, but feel free to use your own:
Write a short fiction piece starring your character.
Break a piece of paper into four pieces. On each piece, briefly describe a memory from these four time periods in your life (they do not have to be school-related).
- 1st Memory
- Elementary School
- Junior High
- Last Summer
Grammar Girl Lesson 1 (pgs. 5-8)
Lesson: Weaving truth to create fiction:
Author Will Hobbs is very gifted with this. He has written several books and each one is highly based on reality. Every character is based on someone he knew or read about, every location is somewhere he's been. Check out his website at www.willhobbsauthor.com. If you click on the cover of any book, there is an interview and photos about the inspiration for his stories.
Take your four memories and trade them with different people. Be sure to trade within a time period, for example, trade a first memory for a first memory. You should end up with the memories of four different people for four different time periods.
Look at the memories and use them to create a character. What kind of person would do those things? How would they affect him/her? Your character can be male or female and should be at least your age, but can be older. Get an idea of that character in your mind and then put them in a situation. Here are a few that we brainstormed in class, but feel free to use your own:
- accident/clumsiness
- bad luck/emergency
- confusion
- date
- in class
Write a short fiction piece starring your character.
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