Tuesdays/Thursdays
(The) Writer's Mind: Daily Schedule for Unit 2,
The Observation Assignment (weeks 5-6)
Week 5
Tuesday, Feb 16
Read Chuck Palahniuk's "Nuts and Bolts: 'Thought' Verbs." Workshop first "bare-bones" draft (at least 3 pages) of the observation assignment. Focus on elements of narrative and work to assist each other in shifting abstract exposition into concrete scene, and begin to make plans for revising for the 2nd draft. Read Williams' Lessons 4 and 5. Use Williams' to help you provide specific commentary concerning stylistic issues. |
Thursday, Feb 18
Workshop the 2nd draft of the observation assignment.
Read Tell It Slant, Chapter 12, pages 186-187 and use this to help workshop.
Prepare for the 3rd draft.
Workshop the 2nd draft of the observation assignment.
Read Tell It Slant, Chapter 12, pages 186-187 and use this to help workshop.
Prepare for the 3rd draft.
Week 6
Thursday, Feb 25
Review the course assignment breakdown and read through the Memento Project before class.
Listen to this interview.
Assign fourth round of provocations to be posted by Tuesday.
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Print, read, and notate Mamet's "Countercultural Architecture and Dramatic Structure."
Notebook work (in class):
Write a list of the things you would never write about. What are the silences that can't be broken? Begin each sentence with "I would never write about" or "I am slow to write about." Reflect in your notebook on whether this backward maneuver might actually lead you into scenes, details, and memories you might be able to handle in a short essay (this is exercise 8 from Tell It Slant Chapter 4). Notebook work (to prepare for Tuesday's class):
Begin list of strengths; Write brief narrative sketches for each strength listed; Begin interviewing 5-7 people over the weekend: invite them to share with you what they think your dominant qualities/strengths are. Whatever quality they say you possess, work to have them narrate a story that for them exemplifies that quality in you. Write this out in your notebook or have them write it out for you. Aim to have at least three for Tuesday's class. If you can, it might be valuable to record each interview (video or audio) and reflect on the experience in your notebook. |