The Man Across the Street (Prompt)

The man across the street is trimming branches off a tree with a chain saw. He stops suddenly and tries to see into the window of the house. Begin the story with this setting/idea. It is not necessary to put the words in the piece if you don't wish to do so.

Use these verbs: gasp, turns, crush, flutter, bonk

Use these nouns: Porsche, projector, tear

Field Work: Shopping

Note your observations while shopping. It can be any kind--for food, for clothes, for electronics. Describe one of the shopkeepers and one of the shoppers. If something bothers you when shopping, note that also.

*Try to do this exercise before we return to class on January 6, 2011

Three Word Dialogues

Put your dialogue here, but add a bit of narration to it to make it more interesting (description of characters' actions, a bit of setting and so on) However, remember that the dialogue is still limited to only three words!

Making our Writing More Metaphorical

Using the handout as a guide, find three or four (or more!) places in your current story to add metaphor. Paste your original sentence and then provide us with a new, improved and wonderfully metaphorical one in its place.

Writers slip sliding on thin ice making metaphors just in time to prevent themselves from falling in . . .

A Longer Version of a Short Story

Here goes: Try for as close to a full draft as possible. Looking forward to seeing your writing before next week's class.

Bored? Fearful?

Try in 50 to 100 words or so to "show" a bored person without saying it directly. Do the same for someone who is fearful. Don't be boring!

Stealing a Character (or two!)

Take one (or more than one; you might even take two from different scenes and different students) and put him or her in a new situation. Try to reflect the personality of the character in the new setting as well as you can. The motorcycle father meets the blonde bombshell?!

Have fun with it. Once you've done it, you might feel inspired to work on your story by adding more to your current scene.

Fibonacci Poem

Try a Fibonacci poem: the Fibonacci progression is a mathematical formula that starts with 0 and 1 and then builds by adding numbers that are equal to the sum of the previous two numbers. The famous sequence begins as follows: 0-1-1-2-3-5-8.

A Fibonacci poem, or Fib, is a six-line poem (though, rarely, some are longer, and multiple-stanza versions are sometimes seen). Each line contains the same number of syllables as the corresponding digit in the Fibonacci sequence: 0 - 1- 1- 2- 3- 5- 8. (The unspoken first line of each Fib is silence.) —Patchwork Farm Writing Prompt

Is it really a poem? Perhaps! In any case, it is a good mental exercise to write in such a short form. Make every word count and if you want (Linda, I'm thinking of you here) rhyme a word or two for practice. Write more than one if the spirit moves you . . .

Imitating Sentences from Established Writers

To make things easier, I've made a Word file with all of our contributions in one place. Work on your imitations in Word and then paste your results into a comment here. Do as many (or as few) as you wish. Be sure to include the original for comparison.

Established Writers' Sentences

Story: One Scene (or more!)

Follow Janet Fitch's advice to write one scene for a story. Base it on any plot you wish (feel free to steal from Linda or Tiffany or Marco or me). Or, create your own.

Linda's Scene

a) A scene starts and ends in one place at one time (the Aristotelian unities of time and place–this stuff goes waaaayyyy back). b) A scene starts in one place emotionally and ends in another place emotionally. Starts angry, ends embarrassed. Starts lovestruck, ends disgusted. c) Something happens in a scene, whereby the character cannot go back to the way things were before. Make sure to finish a scene before you go on to the next. Make something happen.

What are you reading these days?

Give an account of your reading to us (why, where, how, what kind) and select one or two sentences that you think best reflect some of Janet Fitch's ideas.

Type the sentences into your comment so we can examine them carefully in next week's class. Also, if you like, please choose a really interesting (musically speaking) sentence for us to look at and imitate.

Link to Story Plots (the ones we didn't print properly last class)

Another version of the same plots with different, more easily understandable explanations.

TSA Writing Tips - THEMATIC PREMISE SHEET

TSA Writing Tips: No Nos (common plot problems)

Tennessee Screenwriting Association (home page for all above; lots to look at here)

Rules for Writers: Janet Fitch

Write a short comment (100 to 150 words) about one of Janet Fitch's rules for writers. Does it make sense to you? Why or why not? Is her advice familiar or unfamiliar to you?

Story Idea

Give us a plot and basic theme that you think might make the "bones" of a short short story of 1 500 words or so.

Varying the Narrative "Voice"

Take one of your pieces and rewrite it according to the way events and characters might be viewed by a very different narrator. Try to include all the same elements of setting, dialogue, plot and character.

*For an extra challenge: try doing the rewrite as a change from the omniscient narrator (all-seeing) to a first person (or the reverse, depending on your original).

A Jealous Character

Write, using only description of a person's actions and thoughts, to show a person who is "jealous." According to Wordsmyth, jealous is "envious of the qualities, possessions, or achievements of another." It can also mean, "doubtful and suspicious of the faithfulness of someone for whom one has affection; fearful of losing the other's affection."

Choose the kind of jealous you wish to express.

Field Work: Describing a Setting

Write 100 words or so based on your field observations of a new place. Make the setting appear either extremely negative or very positive. For fun, you might try describing a dirty or disgusting setting as positively as possible or a clean and bright setting as negatively as possible.

Explore the possibilities! Add a polysyndeton if you can.

Describing a Person

Write a paragraph about someone that includes one example from each category: physical characteristics; behaviours; anecdotes. Include asyndeton if you can. Any length is fine. I'll provide a sample on the weekend for you to follow.

Nice to meet you all. I think we have a solid class this term!

Portfolio: Problems and Solutions

I will be happy to answer any question or explain anything you need explained. Ask away!

The Woman in the House on the Left

The woman in the house to the left is standing out in her yard. She never just stands there. She’s always on the go. Her husband comes out. They talk. They hug. She cries. He comforts.—from “Write Any Genre” Web site.

Word list for today’s writing:

NOUNS: brush, roses, blender, bandanna, ring, kiss

VERBS: scurry, snag, whirl, nest, paint, argue

The Man Across the Street (Prompt)

The man across the street is trimming branches off a tree with a chain saw. He stops suddenly and tries to see into the window of the house.

Begin the story with this setting/idea. It is not necessary to put the words in the piece if you don't wish to do so.

Use these verbs: crouch, squash, scratch, stab, stroke, caress

Use these nouns: shirt, laptop, lady, stranger, bikini, garden

Edits on Pieces from May 13 Class

A Rant or a Rave About Sports!

Write either a rant (an angry, upset and frustrated piece) or a rave (a glowing, happy, wonderful piece) about sports. Be sure to narrow your topic to something specific; for example, Roberto Luongo's bad goaltending in the sixth game of the playoff against the Chicago Blackhawks . . .

Rants and Raves from WE Newspaper in Vancouver

I'm Watching a Flagger

Post your "flagger" pieces here. If you missed class, instructions below:

Starting writing with “I’m watching a flagger (someone who controls traffic with a handheld sign) . . . As you write make sure to use all the following verbs. Use the verbs in the same order as given below.

curse, tangle, flick, sweat, kneel, buzz, flip, grasp

EDITS from Kay, Esther and Somayeh's favourite tree pieces

On Language: Vocabulary Size

What do you think of Ammon Shea's ideas about vocabulary? Do you agree?

A Favourite Tree

"Think of a favorite tree, living or gone. Begin writing with a close description of the tree, even if you have to make up the details. Let something happen around the tree." (like a mini story)

See the previous classes' tree stories here.

See the edits from April 29 here.

A Catch-All Post

Put any writing for any prompt you've missed (or would like to do again) here. Here's today's edit from the class.

Field Work: Parenting Styles

If you are uncertain about parenting styles, take the time to observe children and parents together. Take a newspaper or magazine to a local park or playground and discreetly observe and listen. Go to a café afterwords and make notes on your observations.

Consider the article on parenting styles discussed in class today. For next week, write a parenting styles article based on your own experiences. You might make it a fiction if that feels more comfortable to you, but base it on what you have observed.

What's the Recipe?: Writing About Food

Time to share something yummy. What is one of your favourite (simple) recipes? Try to use "the guide" from today's class if you can.

Field Work: A New Place

Go somewhere you’re curious about, but have never visited. It doesn’t need to be far away and could include a store you’ve never gone into, for example. Write down your impressions. Was it worth the visit? Write it as a rant or a rave.

Travel Writing (How To Write the Perfect Travel Article)

Read Martin Li's article. Think about a favourite place and post an anecdote (mini story). Brad will join in from London, Brussels or Amsterdam. Be sure to critique Brad's writing in class.

Field Work: Take Off Your Shoes and Socks

Take off your shoes and socks, close your eyes, feel the floor/ground with your whole foot. Let yourself remember a time when you were barefoot and begin writing with one small image. Write whatever comes.

Small Window Piece by Elaine

Here's a link to latest revision:

Looking Through a Small Window: The Things We Lost

Field Work: Closed Eyes in Your Kitchen

Go to your kitchen. Close your eyes for a few minutes. Note smells and sounds. Now, open your eyes and note colours, textures, light, what is on the walls (and etc.).

Write something that begins with "It was there . . ." and use your notes as a guide.

Edits of Amrita and Esther's Window Pieces

Edit of Kay's Window Piece

Edit of Lola's Culture Piece

Partial Edit of Elaine's Window Stories (the first story only)

The Pearson Buzz: Revisions and Edits and More

If you've edited/revised a piece, put it here for us to see. I'll also show you my edits and suggestions here in a Word file by next week. Remember that we don't have a class on March 25. Next class is April 1st!

Note that new pieces are welcome here, too.

The Pearson Buzz: First Draft of an Article

Time to write something you would like to see published. Put your first draft here before we meet again on Thursday, March 18.

Edits of "I'm Watching an Insect" exercise.

Edits of "Random Magazine Write" exercise.

Field Work: Looking Out a Small Window

Look out a small window. Notice everything you can see. Find something that draws your eye but takes up no more than 1/20th of the view. Begin with that something and write. Try to write a longer piece than you usually do.

I'm Watching an Insect . . .

Start with "I'm watching an insect . . .

Use all (or some) of the verbs from the list in your piece.

gurgle, murmur, hum, stall, kiss, curse, scale, leap, tangle, fondle, flick, fry, kneel, nest, thread, buzz, flip, grasp

Edited Writing (Olympics) in Word Format

Field Work: Magazine Random Write

Open a magazine at a random page. Choose the first word or graphic you see. Begin to write from this point. Concentrate on using a good variety of solid nouns and verbs. Avoid adjectives and unneeded adverbs if you can!

The Olympics!

The sky's the limit! Comment, complain, appreciate. Write a poem. Write an article. Write anything that comes to mind.

Story Ideas for The Pearson Buzz

Put them here as a comment.

Read The Pearson Buzz.

Field Work: A Love Letter

Remember: no love letters to any humans!

Colour Me Red

If you'd like to write with a "red" theme, please put your writing here. Try to incorporate ideas you heard in today's class if you can. Have fun!

Here I Am

Using the sample I've provided, copy the structure as exactly as you can. I'll give you a brief sample as the first comment. Remember that the word limit is 100!

Postcard Stories

Please share a completed version of the postcard story you completed in today's class. I promise to try again for something a bit more interesting! If you want to see the formula (sorry that I forgot to give you the worksheet today), I post it as the first comment.

Field Work: The Quietest Thing

What is the quietest thing you heard this week? Note what created the sound, and use metaphor or simile if you can. Do not write from memory; instead, use a direct observation of something you noticed during the week before next week's class.

Shh!

Reflecting on Writing 12

What have you enjoyed the most? What would you like to do more? What’s the most important thing you’ve learned this term. Why do you think so?

NOTE: I've added links to the right side: Punctuation Tree (click on a mark to learn more) and Punctuating Dialogue (good examples)

Field Work: One Small Thing

Find one small thing near your home. The object should be no bigger than your hand.

Describe the object fully. Give colour, shape, smell details. Imagine how the object came to be at its location. What is its story?

Why I Write (Short Essay)

Post your short essay, "Why I Write," here.

Could Elaine please post the information about the TV show on Bravo here for us all to see. Thanks for sharing that!

Field Work: Overheard Conversation

This week, write down a snippet of conversation you've overheard in public. Take a notebook with you when you are out to make it easier to remember the words.

With the snippet, write something about what you've heard, for example, imagine the reason for the person saying it or imagine the character of a person who says something like that etc.

A First

Write about a first. It can be about anything you have done (but must be about the first time). A first kiss, a first car, a first date . . .

Field Work

This week note your observations while shopping. It can be any kind--for food, for clothes, for electronics. Describe one of the shopkeepers and one of the shoppers. If something bothers you when shopping, note that also.