Please note the following details:
- This class is entirely online and hybrid, which means we’ll be meeting online as well as working on our own. The day and time we’ll meet are as follows: Tuesday, 10-11:15 am.
- Attendance and participation at meeting times are crucial to earning a passing grade in this class. Each session you attend (and actively participate in) earns points that cannot be made up. I’ll “forgive” three absences at the end of the semester.
- What is “active participation” during meeting times? Just as in an in-person class, if you are online at the beginning, middle, and end of class, ask questions, contribute to the discussion in the small or large groups, and show that you’ve read the assigned assignments before class—all those things are active participation.
- Since we only meet once a week, YOU are responsible for other assignments during the week. Do not wait until we meet to look at the website.
- Some assignment deadlines are small, some are large. All of them count toward your final grade! Don’t assume that because you completed only the major assignments, you’ll get a passing, much less a desirable grade.
- This schedule is a living document, which means it may change. I will let you know as soon as possible if I make any alterations to assignments or due dates. Be sure to check your email and/or OpenLab on a daily basis to keep up with everything for this class.
On Thursday, August 26, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
READ:
- We are using OpenLab NOT Blackboard. If you haven’t logged on to OpenLab before this class, do so.
- Go to the OpenLab class site.
- Take a tour of OpenLab.
- Read the introduction to course, look over the syllabus, open and review all course tabs/sections.
- Homework: Read my “Meet My Feet” story under Discussions.
Tuesday, August 31:
DISCUSS:
- Discuss my “Meet My Feet.” What did you enjoy about my story? What questions do you have?
- I’ll lead a discussion on how to give appropriate feedback on someone’s writing.
WRITE:
- Homework: Write your own “Meet My _____.” You can use your shoes or another object that you feel shares something about you. Post it under Student Work: Assignment Posts on OpenLab. Do not make it private; your classmates will need to read it next week.
- Read Chapter One from Ann Patchett’s Truth & Beauty.
On Thursday, September 2, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
DISCUSS/READ:
- Comment on four classmates’ “Meet My ______” and Chapter One from Ann Patchett’s Truth & Beauty.
WRITE:
- Homework: Critique Patchett’s work in a paragraph. What did you enjoy about her work? What questions do you have? Post under Discussions.
On Thursday, Sept 9, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WORKSHOP:
- Based on comments and self-review, send your revised “Meet My _____” to your assigned Cohort.
- Homework: Respond to each of your Cohort members and email the responses by Friday.
- Journal Assignment 1: Using Patchett’s work as an example, write about a friendship that has been significant to you. (Who is it? How did you meet? Why are they important to you?)
- Post under Journals. Be sure to write the following in the title: Your Full Name, Journal 1.
On Tuesday, September 14, 2021:
READ:
- My discussion of “Now what?” and when to utilize critiques and when to blow them off.
- Read Anonymous’ “Whatever Happened to _______?”
- Homework: A formal critique of Anonymous’ work. Post it under Discussions.
- Revise “Meet My _____” for evaluation.
- Homework: Turn in revised “Meet My _____” and post it under Memoir by 11:59 PM on Thursday, September 16.
On Tuesday, September 21, 2021:
READ/DISCUSS:
- My discussion of Plot in memoir (and other genres).
- We’ll look at how the memoirists we’ve read have shared plot in their work.
WRITE:
- Begin to work on a NEW memoir piece. You can use either Journal 1 or 2, or share something else, as long as it fits in the memoir category.
- Journal Assignment 2: Write about a time you’ve felt you were anonymous (either by choice or not)
On Thursday, September 23, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
READ:
- Read Myriam Gurba’s “Pendeja, You Ain’t Steinbeck: My Bronca with Fake-Ass Social Justice Literature.”
WRITE:
- A critique of Gurba’s work. Post it under Discussions.
On Tuesday, September 28, 2021:
DISCUSS:
- I’ll lead a discussion on Characterization in memoir (or any genre).
- We’ll look at how the memoirists we’ve read have shown characterization (themselves and the people they include in their work).
On Thursday, September 30, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WORKSHOP:
- Send a NEW memoir piece (you can use your journals entries or anything that would be considered a memoir) for your Cohort to respond to.
On Tuesday, October 5, 2021:
READ/DISCUSS:
- We’ll have an open mic to share our memoirs in small groups.
- I’ll lead a discussion on short fiction, real life in fiction, and POV.
- Homework: Revise your second memoir and post it under Memoir.
- Journal Assignment 3: Reflect on your experience with memoir writing—good, bad, so-so, and why.
- Read Edward P. Jones’ “The First Day”
On Thursday, October 7, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WRITE:
- Homework: A formal critique of Jones’ work. Post it under Discussions.
- Journal Assignment 4: Visit a park, coffee shop, or another public place that is buzzing with activity (being sure to socially distance yourself and wearing a mask, of course). Take note of what you hear the people around you say. Share what you noticed/heard.
- Read Ursula K Le Guin’s “The Wife’s Story.”
Tuesday, October 12, 2021:
DISCUSS/WRITE:
- Discuss Le Guin’s “The Wife’s Story.”
- Homework: Begin to write short story based on a real event, but NOT in first person.
- Comment on at least four of your classmates’ critiques of Jones’ work. With what do you agree or disagree? Be specific! (“I agree with X’s thoughts on X” is not specific. “I agree with X because of X” is specific.)
On Thursday, October 14, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WRITE:
- Homework: A formal critique of Le Guin’s work. Post it under Discussions.
- Continue writing a short story based on a real event, but NOT first person.
On Tuesday, October 19, 2021:
READ/DISCUSS:
- My discussion on POV.
WRITE:
- Homework: Finish writing a short story based on a real event, but NOT first person.
- Comment on at least four of your classmates’ critiques of Le Guin’s work. With what do you agree or disagree? Be specific! (“I agree with X’s thoughts on X” is not specific. “I agree with X because of X” is specific.)
On Thursday, October 21, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WORKSHOP:
- Send your short story to your Cohort and review your Cohort’s work.
WRITE:
- Homework: 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.
- Read Chapter One from Ta-Nehisi Coates’ The Water Dancer.
On Tuesday, October 26, 2021:
READ/DISCUSS:
- My discussion about real-life experiences and why writers sometimes fictionalize them.
- Discuss Coates’ chapter.
WRITE:
- Homework: A formal critique of Coates’ work. Post it under Discussions.
- Comment on at least four of your classmates’ critiques of Coates’ work. With what do you agree or disagree? Be specific! (“I agree with X’s thoughts on X” is not specific. “I agree with X because of X” is specific.)
On Thursday, October 28, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WRITING DAY:
- Revise first short story and post it under Short Stories.
- Begin writing a NEW story in any POV you like but focus on the setting and/or context.
On Tuesday, November 2, 2021:
WORKSHOP:
- Email your new short story for your Cohort to review.
- Read and respond to your Cohort’s work.
- Homework: Find four poems that you’ve enjoyed in the past.
On Thursday, November 4, 2021, please do the following by 11:59:
WRITE:
- Homework: Journal Assignment 6: Reflect on your experience with short story writing—good, bad, so-so, and why.
- Read/Watch Staceyann Chin’s “Tsunami Rising.”
On Tuesday, November 9, 2021:
READ/DISCUSS:
- My discussion on voice & style in poetry (and other genres).
WRITE:
- Homework: Begin writing four poems in the forms we’ve discussed.
- Post the poems you found under Discussions.
On Thursday, November 11, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WRITING DAY:
- Continue writing four poems in the forms we’ve discussed.
- Read your classmates’ favorite poems under Discussions and comment on two of them. State why you liked them—or disliked them.
On Tuesday, November 16, 2021:
DISCUSS/READ:
- I’ll lead a discussion about dialogue in drama (and other genres).
- Assigned scenes from Suzan-Lori Parks’ play, Topdog/Underdog.
- Homework: Post your second short story under Short Stories.
- Read assigned scenes from Suzan-Lori Parks’ play, Topdog/Underdog.
On Thursday, November 18, 2021, please do the following by 11:59 PM:
WORKSHOP:
- Email your poems for your Cohort to review.
- Review and respond to your Cohort’s work.
WRITE:
- Journal Assignment 7: Reflect on your experience with poetry writing—good, bad, so-so, and why.
Week 14:
On Tuesday, November 23, 2021:
DISCUSS:
- I’ll lead a discussion about using text threads to inspire writing dialogue.
WRITE:
- Homework: Revise your poems and post them under Poetry.
- Homework: Find at least three text threads and rewrite them as dialogue.
- Journal Assignment 8: Take/create the dialogue from Journal Assignment 4 and revise it to tell a story (perhaps fashion it after Topdog/Underdog).
On Tuesday, November 30, 2021:
WORKSHOP:
- Bring your text threads to your Cohort for review.
- Review and respond to your Cohort’s work.
- I’ll lead a discussion about the Final Portfolio and Final Reflection.
WRITE:
- Homework: Begin working on your Final Reflection and prepare your Final Portfolio.
- Revise your texts and post them under Dialogues.
On Thursday, December 2, 2021, please do the following:
WRITE:
- Homework: Continue working on your Final Reflection and your Final Portfolio.
- Journal Assignment 9: Reflect on your experience with dialogue writing—good, bad, so-so, and why.
On Tuesday, December 7, 2021:
WORKSHOP:
- Bring your Final Reflection for your Cohort to review.
- Review and respond to your Cohort’s work.
WRITE:
- Continue writing your Final Reflection.
- Choose one memoir, one short story, one poem, and one dialogue to be in the Final Portfolio. Revise/rewrite each piece based on my comments and those of your peers.
On Tuesday, December 14, 2021:
OPEN MIC:
- Choose one or two pieces to share for our open mic! (We’ll start with one—if we have time, we’ll have another round.) If you can’t attend, please post two pieces under Final Portfolio!
WRITE:
- Homework: Journal 10: If you could write a letter to a future student of this class, what would you tell them?
FINAL REFLECTION & FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE!
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