Week 1 – Wednesday, February 2

READ:

  • We are using OpenLab NOT Blackboard. If you haven’t registered with OpenLab before this class, do so today!
  • 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.
  • Read my “Meet My Feet” story under Discussions.

DISCUSS:

  • Discuss my â€œMeet 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.

During and after class, WRITE:  

  • Write your own “Meet My _____.” You can use your shoes or another object that you feel shares something about you. Post it under Memoir 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.

Week 2 – Wednesday, February 9

DISCUSS/READ:

  • Talk about Patchett’s work. What was enjoyable? Thought-provoking? What questions would you ask the author if she was in the classroom?
  • Read at least five classmates’ “Meet My _____.”
  • Comment on them with the following questions: What did you enjoy? What questions/clarifications would make this a stronger piece?

WORKSHOP:

  • Based on comments and self-review, revise “Meet My _____” during class. Edit the version you posted on the website.
  • Send it to your assigned Cohort. (The process will be explained in class.)

During and after class, WRITE: 

  • Critique Patchett’s work in a paragraph. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have? Post under Discussions.
  • 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.

Week 3 – Wednesday, February 16

DISCUSS/READ:

  • I’ll discuss “Now what?” and when to utilize critiques and when to blow them off.
  • Read Anonymous’ â€œWhatever Happened to _______?”
    • This reading contains an account of domestic abuse. This content may be disturbing, so I encourage you to prepare yourself emotionally beforehand. If you believe the reading or discussion of the reading to be traumatizing, you may choose to not participate or leave the classroom. I encourage you to speak to me before or after so we can discuss what you can read/write about in place of this assignment.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Critique Anonymous’ work. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have? Post it under Discussions.
  • Revise and rename “Meet My ____” to Memoir 1 (Revised) and post it under Memoir by class time on Wednesday, February 23.

Week 4 – Wednesday, February 23

READ/DISCUSS:

  • Read Myriam Gurba’s â€œPendeja, You Ain’t Steinbeck: My Bronca with Fake-Ass Social Justice Literature.”
  • Talk about Gurba’s work. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have for the author?
  • We’ll talk about Plot in memoir (and other genres) and look at how the memoirists we’ve read so far (Patchett, Anonymous, and Gurba) have shared plot in their work.

During and after class, WRITE: 

  • Critique Gurba’s work. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have for the author? Post it under Discussions.
  • Write 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). Post under Journals. Be sure to write the following in the title: Your Full Name, Journal 2.

Week 5 – Wednesday, March 2

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).

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.
  • Post it under Memoir and title it “Memoir 2.”

Week 6 – Wednesday, March 9

READ/DISCUSS:

  • We’ll have an open mic to share our memoirs! (This activity is optional, though definitely encouraged!)
  • I’ll lead a discussion on short fiction, real life in fiction, and Points Of View (first person and third person).

During and after class, READ/DISCUSS/WRITE:

  • Read Edward P. Jones’ â€œThe First Day.”
  • Talk about how this fictional story is different from the memoirs we’ve read.
  • Write a critique of Jones’ work. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have for the author? Post it under Discussions.
  • Revise your second memoir and post it under Memoir. Rename it “Memoir 2 (Revised)” by class time on Wednesday, March 16.
  • Journal Assignment 3: Reflect on your experience with memoir writing—good, bad, so-so, and why. Title it Full Name, Journal 3 and post it under Journals.

Week 7 – Wednesday, March 16

DISCUSS/READ:

  • I’ll lead a discussion of Points of View (first person and third person).
  • Read Ursula K Le Guin’s “The Wife’s Story.”
  • Talk about Le Guin’s work. How is this fictional story different from Jones’ fictional story? How is it the same?

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Write a critique of Le Guin’s work. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have for the author? Post it under Discussions.
  • Journal Assignment 4: There will be three options for this assignment. We’ll discuss them in class. Whatever choice you make, title it Full Name, Journal 4 and post it under Journals.
  • Write a short story based on a real event, but NOT in first person. (Instead of “I went to the store…” write “Jennifer went to the store…”)

Week 8 – Wednesday, March 23

Preparation for Workshop: 

  • Finish writing a short story based on a real event, but NOT in first person.
  • Post it under Short Stories and title it First Name, Short Story 1.

WORKSHOP:

  •  Email your short story to your Cohort and review your Cohort’s work.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • 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 Journals.
  • Read Chapter One from Ta-Nehisi Coates’ The Water Dancer.

Week 9 – Wednesday, March 30

DISCUSS:

  • I’ll lead a discussion about real-life experiences and why writers sometimes fictionalize them, and how setting and context change our views of stories.
  • Discuss Coates’ chapter. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have for the author? How is this different from Jones and Le Guin’s fiction? How is it similar?

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Write a critique of Coates’ work. What did you enjoy? What questions do you have for the author? Post it under Discussions.
  • Revise first short story and post it under Short Stories. Rename it Full Name, Short Story 1 (Revised) by class time on Wednesday, April 6.
  • Write a NEW story in any POV you like (first person or third person) but focus on the setting and/or context.

Week 10 – Wednesday, April 6

Prepare for WORKSHOP:

  • Finish writing your NEW short story and post it under Short Stories. Title it Full Name, Short Story 2.
  • Email your new short story for your Cohort to review.

WORKSHOP:

  • Read and respond to your Cohort’s work.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Read/Watch Staceyann Chin’s “Tsunami Rising.”
  • Find four poems that you’ve enjoyed in the past and be prepared to discuss them in class.

Week 11 – Wednesday, April 13

DISCUSS:

  • We’ll have an open mic to share our short stories! (This activity is optional, though definitely encouraged!)
  • I’ll lead a discussion on voice & style in poetry (and other genres).
  • We’ll share and talk about the poems you’ve enjoyed in the past, as well as why people are moved to write poetry rather than prose.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Write four poems in the forms we’ve discussed.
  • Edit your short story and rename it Full Name, Short Story 2 (Revised) by class time on Wednesday, April 27.
  • Journal Assignment 6: Reflect on your experience with short story writing—good, bad, so-so, and why. Title it Full Name, Journal 6 and post it under Journals.

Spring Break! Relax!

Week 12 – Wednesday, April 27

Prepare for WORKSHOP:

  • Post your poems under Poetry and title it Full Name, Poems.
  • Email your poems for your Cohort to review.

WORKSHOP:

  • Review and respond to your Cohort’s work.

DISCUSS/READ:

  • I’ll lead a discussion about dialogue in drama (and other genres).
  • Read assigned scenes from Suzan-Lori Parks’ play, Topdog/Underdog.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Answer questions about the assigned scenes from Parks’ play. Be ready to discuss them in class.
  • Edit two of your poems and post them under Poetry. Name the post Full Name, Poems (Revised) by Wednesday, May 4.
  • Journal Assignment 7: Reflect on your experience with poetry writing—good, bad, so-so, and why. Title it Full Name, Journal 7 and post it under Journals.

Week 13 – Wednesday, May 4

DISCUSS:

  • We’ll have an open mic to share our poems! (This activity is optional, though definitely encouraged!)
  • I’ll lead a discussion about inserting dialogue in prose and using it to enhance and push a story.
  • We’ll also talk about the Final Portfolio for this class and the Final Reflection essay.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Find a text thread from your cell phone or email and rewrite them as dialogue (insert stage directions or scene directions as needed to make the reader “see” the conversation). Use this text and write Journal Assignment 8: Take dialogue from a text and revise it to tell a story (perhaps fashion it after Topdog/Underdog).
  • Go to Short Story 2 and add or revise dialogue.

Week 14 – Wednesday, May 11

Preparation for WORKSHOP:

  • Bring your Short Story 2 (revised with dialogue) to your Cohort for review.

WORKSHOP:

  • Review and respond to your Cohort’s work.

DISCUSS:

  • I’ll continue to talk about the Final Portfolio and Final Reflection.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • Go to one of your memoir pieces OR Short Story 1 and add or revise dialogue.
  • Work on your Final Reflection and prepare your Final Portfolio.
  • Journal Assignment 9: Reflect on your experience with dialogue writing—good, bad, so-so, and why. Title it Full Name, Journal 9 and save it under Journals.

Week 15 – Wednesday, May 18

DISCUSS:

  • We’ll have an open mic to share our improved memoirs or short stories! (This activity is optional, though definitely encouraged!)
  • I’ll open the floor for any questions about the Final Reflection or Final Portfolio.

Prepare for WORKSHOP:

  • Post your Final Reflection under Final Reflection. Title it Full Name, Final Reflection, 1st Draft.

WORKSHOP:

  • Review and respond to your assigned partner’s work.

During and after class, WRITE:

  • The Final Portfolio and Final Reflection, which are both due no later than Friday, May 20.
  • Journal Assignment 10: If you could write a letter to a future student of this class, what would you tell them? Title it Full Name, Journal 10 and post it under Journals.

FINAL REFLECTION & FINAL PORTFOLIO DUE MAY 20!

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