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).

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.

Specific Nouns Exercise

As we discussed in class, use all the following nouns in a piece of writing that (at least tries to) makes sense.

Orchid, garlic, sushi, kiwi, persimmon, high heels, diamond, iron.

Have fun! See you in 2010!

I Wish I Lived . . .

Post your piece here! See you in the New Year!

Boredom and Fear

Write, using only description of a person's actions and thoughts, to show a person who is "bored." According to the Encarta Dictionary bored means “tired of and slightly annoyed by a person or situation that is not interesting, exciting, or entertaining.”

Now, do the same for the word “fear.” According to the Encarta Dictionary fear means “an unpleasant feeling of anxiety or apprehension caused by the presence or anticipation of danger.”

Post the results of your writing (edited and improved) on the blog for us to see in class next week. Please also try to use a semicolon once or twice in your writing this week.

More information on the semicolon.

Commas, Commas, Commas

Here's the link: Comma Placement

If you'd like to practice, try writing a short piece that uses all the different kinds of commas discussed on your worksheet (without being boring!)

The Jealous Character

Write, using only description of a person's actions, 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."

Taking a Walk with a Notebook in Hand

Go to the nearest stationery store. Buy a small, spiral bound notebook with lined pages. Walk to and from the store if you can.

On the way back (or later), closely observe two locations. You might choose a place you like and another that you dislike. Take a good look. Slow down and notice things: maybe that fence needs painting. Or the 30 meter fir tree swaying in the wind. Whatever you see . . .

Write your impressions immediately into your notebook. If you have a digital camera, take a picture of the scene to aid your memory.

Write a brief report on your experience. What did you find? Did you notice anything new? Do you have any ideas you could use in your writing?

A Person You've Noticed: Using the First Person

“Think of a person that you've noticed, but don't know—a drugstore clerk, a bus driver, a politician, a celebrity. Using the first-person, write a two-page scene that describes a moment in the life that you imagine for that person. What is he/she thinking about? What matters to him/her? What doesn't? How does his/her mind work?”—Ali Smith; short story writer from England

Posting Versus Commenting

Hi All,

I noted that Lola and Kay both posted work rather than entering it as a comment. I've duly moved your work into the correct post, so not to worry. Please look at post titles to find the right place to put work so it stays organized and easy to find.

Smelly Story?

Using the work you did in class today (and the ideas we discussed), please submit some "smelly" writing.

Begin with these words: "I remember the smell . . .

Sorry that I sent the wrong file to myself. It will need to wait until Wednesday. Sorry!

A Story Idea?

Present a story idea for discussion. Create a basic dilemma for a character to experience. Choose a genre. Create a basic plot (what happens) and list it in point form.

Writing that Matches Vonnegut's Seven Suggestions

Post short (100-word) excerpts here, please.

"Rain on My Face" Writing

Using the "Lake O'Hara Lodge" piece as a guide, rewrite your in-class work starting from the idea of having rain on your face. Try for at least one longer than your usual sentence and make the sensory details better, too!

Personification Example

As assigned by L in your previous class.

What about Style?

What does style mean to a writer? What makes some writing more stylish?

Be specific and answer in a paragraph (or two or three). We'll discuss more next week.

Characters Interacting with Setting

Name five places your character loves; name five places your character hates. Feel free to choose another student's character or work on your own.

Choose one of the places and have your character interact with that place. Remember that setting includes the social world (the manners and customs of people). For example, a strictly moral or religious person might find the manners of people in a bar unattractive.

Ziggurat Sentences: Part Two

Imitate, as closely as possible, O'Connor's structure but make the writing your own.

Sample One:

“Just . . .” The new girl blushed, then went pale. “Well . . . you know. It’s like I said before.” After that, she put her hands in her lap, became very quiet, and seemed to shrink to half her size.

Sample Two:

He took to wearing a kerchief and giving his lips a hasty wipe after every meal.

Online Notebook: October 15 to 29

This time, make a note of something about the physical world around you. Try for an observation you've never made before.

Online Notebook: October 8 to 15

As always, any observations you make are welcome here. Treat it as a chance to write your thoughts and perhaps to give us something to discuss in class the following week.

Ziggurat Sentences (Copy the Style)

Take the sentences from this week's worksheet and try to do a version of your own. Use the same number of words, the same style, the same general ideas and so on. If, for example, three sentences begin with "They would . . ." do the same. If you wish, use the description to describe your own character from last week's exercise.

Sample One: "His lips were fat and earthworm pink, his eyes were asymmetrical, and his eyebrows were like forests of black wire."

Sample Two: "They would sprinkle his hide with lead. They would pound him with their fists the way flies pound themselves against windows. They would attempt to reason."

Our Characters Meet: What Happens?

Take two (or three if you are daring) characters created by the class and put them together in some kind of situation. Given what you know about the characters, have them act in appropriate ways. Include some dialogue. No set length, but not too long!

Online Notebook for October 1 to 8

If you have any observations, comments, thoughts, place them here.

Create Your Own Character

Using the Episode 2: Characters sheet as a guide, provide a paragraph description.