No Writing 12 This School Year!

Writing 12 is taking a break in the 2011-2012 school year. In its place, I'm teaching a new course called Drama: Film and Television 12. Learn about it here.

About Revision

Marco asked about materials to help with revision at the end of today's class. Although that's what we've been doing to some extent in every class, I've not given you any specific resources. Sorry about that! I've located some good ones online to help you to do a better job revising.

Here's a very good general resource: Revision at the University of North Carolina Writing Center

Here's another one for fiction: Revision Help for the Fiction Writer

And another that gives great ideas for anything fictional: Stages of Revision

To learn how to track changes in Word watch this video.

For the Portfolio

If you would like to share anything for your portfolio, please put it here. For example, you could post a paragraph on your most challenging assignment. Or, if you like, you can tell us about the assignment you are proudest of and why.

If you share here, the class (and teacher) can help you with the details and make sure you have a better result.

I'd also be interested in your comments on your best sentences (taken from your six pieces chosen for the portfolio). Remember that sentences could be good for a number of reasons: because of their structure; because of good use of vocabulary; because it has a wonderful, poetic rhythm . . .

Good luck. I'm here to help you! Oh, and wasn't that collaborative story a lot of fun? Definitely I should do that one again.

Travel Journal

Write a short article about a place that you have visited as a traveller. As we read in Martin Li’s article, “Remember that most places you write about will already have been written about before. Your challenge is to find something new and original to say.”

Limericks

Do your best to capture the essence of "limerickness" by not being too serious in subject matter, but much more serious in terms of rhythm and rhyme. Here's a link to a rhyming dictionary. Remember to choose easily rhymed words to simplify your task.

Anything at All: Old Villanelles, Articles on the PALC

Here's the place for the unclassified, the continuing, the in process.

A Favourite Tree

Especially important: "Let something happen around the tree." This prompt could lead to fiction or can be a true account. As you wish!

Other Writing in Progress (including villanelles)

Put the writing here for us to see before next week.

The Story of a Scar

Tell the story (but careful that you don't make us faint!).

Being a Student at the PALC

Any pieces you are working on should be posted here.

Villanelle: Technically Easy?

Well, that's what Conrad Geller thinks in the handout. Try for, at least, a couplet to work from, but writing a whole villanelle is also acceptable. Good luck!

Smelly Writing

The smellier the better!

Rant or Rave?

Time to let off some steam instead of having it come out of your ears! You can rave, too, if you'd prefer.

Pieces for Further Review and Comment

Anything you are working on and wish us to review and comment on should be placed here as a comment. I plan to bore you some more with my experiences as a writing teacher. Sorry!

Rhetorical Sentences

Practice here. Use the handout of 50, choose four or five (different from the ones done in class) and put them here. ID them by number (or by name) and fire away!

Have a great holiday. Hope we have some warmer weather sometime soon . . .

Book Review: Brief Description

Give us a general idea about the book you are reading for review before we meet again on April 7!

Pieces for Publication and/or Comment

Anything at all. We'll start with Marco's review of 127 Hours and work from there. I'll publish Linda's piece on TV and the law before our newsletter goes out next week and the two recipes, too, so people can try them over the holidays!

Thanks all of you for making this class my favourite every week.

For The Pearson Buzz

Any pieces you think might be published at The Buzz should be submitted here . . .

More Narrative Essay Work

Either a new piece, part of a piece, revision of a piece. Whatever you have, here's the place to put it for review in next week's class. Remember your focus, no matter what it is, needs to be on your mind as you write. We should be sure exactly why you are telling us (showing us) something.

What influence has the person had on you? How can you illustrate that influence in a way that is understandable and enjoyable?

Good luck!

Field Work: Looking Out a Small Window

You can write in any style you choose. Mix it up to make it more interesting: use description, some dialogue, settings and the like. I'll post an old example of mine here to give you some ideas and provide you with a link to Kay's piece.

Working on a Narrative Essay

From Tiffany or Maria or Linda (or anyone), a first paragraph or more on your chosen character. Remember to bring the person to life as much as you can and avoid telling us; instead, show us. Use as many of the techniques from our example essay as you can . . .

Something for The Pearson Buzz

First drafts anyone?

Monologues Anyone?

I promise to do mine! Linda can revise; Tiffany can find her glasses; Maria can join in; Marco can have his femme fatale deliver one; Esther can give insight into bulimia. Looking forward to them!

Field Work: Magazine Random Write

Open the magazine and (be honest now) let it be a random page. Choose the first and most noticeable word or graphic from the page and get going from there. Remember to concentrate on solid nouns and verbs and avoid using too many adjectives or adverbs.

The Pearson Buzz: Story Ideas

Here's where you can "pitch" an idea to us. If, like Linda, you have already written a piece that might be used at the Buzz, name it. Sketch out your idea in a bit of detail and suggest a suitable length. Also, say why student readers may be interested in your story idea.

Ideas for Narrative Essay

Put your ideas here. For example, name the character who had/has had an influence on you as Uncle Charlie did to his nephew. Also, see if you can find some concrete details (like the sawhorses, the carpentry tools for Maria's father, the journal belonging to Linda's uncle etc.).

Other things to think about: things the person repeatedly said; a personality trait (like Uncle Charlie's smile); a special event or incident (like the building of the cottage barn/garage). If you can think of these details, outline them here.

Colour Me Red!

If you are feeling inspired by our discussion of "red" today, please put that writing here!

Field Work: What Did You Forget?

Write about forgetting something (or to do something). Make it a rant (angry tone is preferred) and use a bit of hyperbole (exaggeration) for emphasis.

Monologue Poems

If you have any good ideas for characters etc. you can share them here. If you missed class, here's the worksheet and sample poems for you to see.

Field Work: A Love Letter (to some thing)

Write a love letter to the thing you love most. You might choose ice cream, your bed, a soccer ball, an easy chair, your iPhone! Use your imagination.

Why I Write: Edits

I'll edit my demonstration essay as well. See you in February!

Here's an edit (with track changes shown) of my demonstration essay. I tightened it up quite a bit, but am still not satisfied!

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?

Using Phrasal Verbs

Write a dialogue in the same way as the BBC example where you use four or five phrasal verbs. Use a couple of the "extra" ones we discussed if you can find a way to fit them in. For interest, include more than just dialogue (setting, character's actions and the like)

Why I Write

Post a short essay on the topic, "Why I Write," at the blog before next week's class. Remember that next week is our "last" class before the semester break. We will begin a new term on February 3 (and welcome some new students I hope).

Length? About 300 words, but do go on longer if you have something to say!

A Snippet of Conversation

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.

Beginning with the snippet, write something about what you've overheard; imagine the reason for the person saying it or imagine the character of a person who says something like that etc.

Field Work: The Quietest Thing

This week, write about the quietest thing you heard in your home. Describe it fully and use metaphor or simile in your description.

After describing the quietest thing, go on to explain what paying attention to the quietest thing makes you think about or reminds you of.

A "First"

Share your story here. Embellish your original by adding a bit of dialogue, a metaphor, and a sentence fragment (on purpose).