Creative Writing Week 1

Monday, November 16

  • Seating chart.
  • Take out your notebook for this class, write today's date, and then respond to the following:
    • My career thus far as an English student has been …
    • What drew me to register for this creative writing class was…
    • This is what I really hope we do in this class this term:
    • I really hope we don’t do this:
    • My goals for this class are ….
  • Introductions — write 2-3 questions for me on the index cards. I will answer a couple a day over the next week or so.
  • Go over Class Procedures and Expectations and the Creative Writing Tentative Syllabus
  • 6 Word Memoirs — these are based on the legend that Ernest Hemingway once penned a 6 word novel: "For sale: Baby shoes, never worn." Can your life be summed up in 6 words? Is that possible?


OR

  • Do you think writing this type of memoir is easier or tougher than writing a book-length memoir?
  • You are going to find out! The parameters of the assignment: You must write a personal memoir in only six words. Some tips:

  • As with all writing, there is no first draft, perfect draft. To accomplish this task:
    • Brainstorm: what defines you? You might start with just a list of words and events, or personality traits. Likes, dislikes, etc.
    • Start drafting, pulling words from your list. Write several different drafts of several different memoirs.
    • Choose your favorite and write it in ink or marker on the white index cards.
    • Add some color and design elements to your card.
    • Bring these back to class tomorrow.

Tuesday, November 17

  • Focused Free Write: Describe the most peaceful place you know.
    • Where is it?
    • What does it look like, sound like, smell like?
    • What experiences have you had there that give you the sense that this place is a place of peace?
  • Present 6 Word Memoirs
  • Discuss creative non-fiction
  • focused free write:
  • Assignment for tomorrow: read the excerpt from Dandelion Wine, by Ray Bradbury and underline passages that you found to be particularly descriptive.

Wednesday, November 18

  • Focused Free Write: Describe the most disturbing place you know
    • Where is it?
    • What does it look like, sound like, smell like, taste like?
    • What experiences have you had there that give you the sense that this place is disturbing?
  • Discuss the assigned reading — the excerpt from Dandelion Wine
  • Descriptive writing project: The Lunch Room

Thursday, November 19

  • Focused free write: Think of a place that has changed significantly over time, OR a place you love to visit or travel to…
    • Where is it?
    • What does it look like, sound like, smell like, taste like?
    • What experiences have you had there that make this place stand out in your memory — why is it important??
  • Discuss "The Longest Day: Act 1"
  • Using your notes from yesterday, write one solid paragraph describing the commons during lunch. These are due tomorrow!

Friday, November 20

  • Focused Free Write: Thinking about one of the three places you've described this week:
    • What is unique about this place? What makes it different than any other place?
    • What is ordinary about it? In what way might others think it is just like any other place?
    • Is this place symbolic of something?
    • Does this place seem different after further acquaintance with it? Did your impression of it change over time? How?

It's All About the Words and "Finding Luminescence" due Monday

Unless otherwise stated, the content of this page is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 License