READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS FOR WEEK OF MARCH 27 – APRIL 1, 2006

Tuesday, April 28, 2006:

Please read Chapter 6 (Long Ago and Far Away: Fictional Time and Place) in Writing Fiction.

Thursday, April 30, 2006:

Jim Reese will be visiting our class today!

Please read Chapter 10 (I Gotta Use Words When I Talk To You: Theme) in Writing Fiction.

(Sorry these reading assignment posts went up a little bit late this week. Just make sure that you get the chapters read at some point during the week, okay?)

And here’s this week’s memoir prompt, for blog posts due on Sunday, April 1, 2006:

Remember something or somebody you pursued with a passion. How old were you when this happened? Does it seem a rite of passage, or a turning point in growing up? Did you get the thing or that person? If so, was it worth it? If not, do you have regrets?

Finally, don’t forget that your first fiction assignment (write the opening scene/exposition) of your short story is due on Tuesday, April 4. Guidelines are located in the post below.

Also, here’s a listing of this week’s literary events (either for your Writerly Immersion Paper #2 – which requires attendance of a minimum of one literary event/reading outside class – or for extra credit to replace an absence):

Thursday, March 30, 4:00 p.m., Old Main, Farber Hall – Jim Reese, Poetry Reading

Thursday, March 30, 7:00-9:00 p.m., Coffee Shop Gallery – VLP Women’s History Month Poetry Slam

READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS FOR WEEK OF MARCH 20-26, 2006

Tuesday, March 21, 2006:

Class canceled today; instructor giving out-of-town reading.

Thursday, March 23, 2006:

Please read Chapter 2 (The Tower and the Net: Story Form, Plot, and Structure) in Writing Fiction.

Important! Your first Writerly Immersion Paper will be due in class today! (See guidelines below)..

Looking ahead a bit, here are the guidelines for your next formal assignment, which will be due on Tuesday, April 4, 2006:

The assignment is to write an opening scene (or exposition) for a short story.

Your short story scene should be approximately 3 pages, or 750 words.

The scene should reveal aspects and traits of the characters who are in the scene.

The scene should set up a dramatic situation/narrative tension/central conflict.

Your scene should jump right in and begin in medias res and attempt to engage the attention of your reader right off the bat.

Your scene should attempt to skillfully weave together different elements of fiction writing (action/dialogue, narrative summary, scene setting/description, etc.) in ways that work best for the scene.

And finally, here is this week’s memoir prompt from The Autobiography Box for blog posts due on Sunday, March 26:

Write down a story that you tell people that didn't really happen the way you usually tell it. So many times we have a good story we embellish with exaggerations, switch events for the sake of timing or humor, all kinds of things. Come on, it's fun! But after you write down the story you tell everybody, tell the same story in its bare-bones, no-frills, true version. Think about the reasons why you twisted the facts around.

READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS FOR WEEK OF MARCH 13 - 19, 2006:

Tuesday, March 14, 2006:

Please read Chapter 9 (Beyond the Rational) from Writing Poems.

Important!! Poem #3 -- Dramatic Monologue with Bibliography is due today! (See post below for guidelines).

Important!! Please make sure to bring six copies of ANY one of the three poems you've written thus far to class for small-group workshopping today.

Thursday, March 16, 2006:

Please read Chapter 12 (Becoming a Poet) from Writing Poems.

Important!! Don't forget to be prepared to read three of your own poems for today's In-Class Open-Mic Reading Day! Please be prepared to provide brief introductions for your poems, and make sure to take your time reading/performing them.


And here is this week's memoir prompt from The Autobiography Box for blog posts due on Sunday, March 19:

Write about the first time you went away from home alone. Was it a vacation? Was it for work? Were you looking for something? Were you running away? Do you see that excursion as a "hero's journey", or did you go kicking and screaming? How did it change you?

Guidelines for Writerly Immersion Paper #1 (Due Thursday, March 23, 2006):

Please write a 3-4 page comparison and contrast paper that compares and contrasts two literary journals.

One of the literary journals should be the VLP 2005 Literary Magazine (available for purchase from the English Department secretary, Melanie Westin, Dakota Hall 212, if you didn't purchase one already at the start of the semester). If, for some pressing reason, you would prefer to replace the VLP 2005 Literary Magazine with an alternate print journal, I will be open to discussing this with you.

The second literary journal can be either another print literary journal or an electronic literary journal. Click on the Porta del Sol link below for an excellent guide/listing of electronic journals and print magazines. (Scroll down past the WebDelSol editor interviews). Electronic journals listed here have a direct link to the online journal, and you can check to see if our library carries subscriptions to any print journals that sound interesting to you.

Porta del Sol

Please make sure cite appropriately using MLA format as needed.

MLA CITATION TUTORIAL

The link below will take you to an excellent website that will tutor you in MLA citation procedures, and allow you to practice your citation skills in interactive exercises:

MLA Citation Tutorial