Before Tuesday, October 26, students will do the following…

READ:

During class on Tuesday, we will:

  • Discuss my Announcement about setting & context in fiction (and other genres).

After class, students will:

WRITE:

  • A critique of Coates’ work. What did you enjoy? What questions/suggestions do you have for the author? Title it Full Name, Coates’ Critique, and post it under Discussions.
  • Journal Assignment 5: Write about a moment from your past that changed you. It can be a large or small change—but focus on what, exactly, happened and how you changed. Title it Full Name, Journal #5 and save it under the category Journals only by 11:59 on Tuesday, October 26.
  • A few prompts to get you going (if you’re needing some):
    • Write about a significant move in your life, either from another country or just a borough/neighborhood.
    • Write about a friendship lost or gained.
    • Write about a decision you made that your family disagreed with.
    • Write about the first time you felt alone in the world–and how that made you view the world and yourself.
  • Respond to your Cohort’s work by 11:59 PM on Tuesday, October 26 and email it to them and me. (Remember, these critiques are worth 10% of your overall grade!)

On Thursday, October 28, students will…

  • Email the Professor! I like to hear from my students around this time in the semester–how the class is working for them, what they need from me, etc. Send me a brief email answering the following questions:
    • What have you enjoyed the most about this class so far?
    • What have you enjoyed the least? Why? (You can be honest!)
    • Have you been able to accomplish some of the things you wanted to learn/practice this semester?
    • How can I help you to accomplish more of your goals?
  • If you’d like to have a conversation instead of sending an email, come to my office hour, which is 11:30 to 12:30 PM on Thursday or schedule a meeting with me.
  • Revise Short Story 1. The final draft must be titled Full Name, Short Story 1 (Revised) under Short Stories by 11:59 PM on Thursday, October 28.
  • Then, begin writing a NEW story in any POV you like (First Person or Third Person), but focus on the setting and, by changing the setting, you’re probably refocusing the context. 
  • You have two options for Short Story 2.
    • Take your story from Journal 5 and fictionalize it by putting it in a totally different setting.
    • Or, you can take your story from last week’s exercise (using the pictures A, B, or C), and place that story in a totally different setting.
    • More settings from Creative Writing Now:

Have your story take place…

  1. in a tattoo parlor
  2. at the zoo at night
  3. in an abandoned hospital
  4. in a submarine
  5. in a magnet factory
  6. in the vault of a bank
  7. in a bridal shop
  8. in the kitchen of Buckingham Palace
  9. on the edge of a cliff
  10. entirely in the dark
  • You aren’t required to use one of these settings, of course, but hopefully you see what I’m wanting you to focus on!
  • First draft for your Cohort is Tuesday, November 2!