Creative Writing

Hey Gang, Just making sure that you know that for Am Noveling blog homework, you will be doing a total of 1,500 words for your first report on Thursday.

One of the assignments (as we dealt with in class yesterday is already posted: Week Two: Character and is of course, about character development. Remember that I added the additional option to empty out your character's wallet, purse or pocket. What do they carry with them? Why? You can write anywhere from 500+ words on this assignment and then the remainder for the next.

The second assignment will be posted on the amnoveling blog next week (week three) and since it isn't posted, I don't yet know what it will be.

Please give me feedback as we end next week as to how these are working for you and if you think the extra blog is giving you some interesting approaches.

See you all soon.

Also, a little weekend gift. (This is one of my favorite writers of all time.)

Three Kinds of Essays (LA 190)

Remember that in addition to your reading homework (seven moves, Cyrus, etc.)

you are to bring in three types of writing (Personal essay, journalism, review, parody, etc. any of these as long as your three are different varieties: 1. An opening to a memoir 2. a news article 3. a movie review, would be examples) You need only to bring in the opening paragraph or two and take notes and be ready to share and discuss why it was especially good or bad.

Here are some places to look at creative non fiction essays:
Brevity:
How to Leave a Room
Aloucious

Some work by Kathrine Wright:  1  2

The Miley pieces have given you some other writing varieties to look at it and here is a link to my favorite movie reviewer's work.
And two more to add to your Miley collection:  6     7

You've Probably All Seen it (All Classes)

but I couldn't risk that you might not have.

Check it out

CREATIVE WRITERS

The blog I mentioned is here

You can actually subscribe to it and get notices as the new week's assignments are posted.
Let's report on our progress each Thursday--sound good?

LA 190 Weekend Homework

Seven Deadly Sins of Writing

Analysis of the subtext in non-language-based "art"
Miley Cyrus  1  2  3  4  5

LA 190 Students

As promised, here is some reading homework:

So What and the Seven Common Moves (from Moves WritersMake by James C.
Raymond)

The So-What Factor. What does the writer want you to know, understand, feel, or believe
after reading the essay? Does the writer's interpretation ofthe subject earn your
interest?

• Beginning. What moves does the writer make to create interest atthe beginning?
• Ending. What moves does the writer make to give the essay a sense of an ending?
• Detail. Look for examples ofthe writer's eye and the writer's ear at work. Look for
examples of showing and telling. Look for generalizations that are not supported by
specific evidence. Would the essay be improved by adding details, stories, examples,
or explanations atthose points?
• Organization/Plot. Are the various parts ofthe essay arranged in a sequence that
makes sense? Does the writer sustain a sense of unfinished business untilthe end?
• Style. Name or describe the writer's best moves.
• Voice/Attitude. How would you characterize the writer's attitude (angry, serious,
detached, playful)? What sort of person do you imagine the writer to be? Is the voice
too formal or notformal enough for the purposes ofthis particular essay?
• Economy. Testfor economy by looking for words, phrases, or details that could be
omitted without being missed.

SOURCES:
• Nadell, Judith, et al. The Macmillan Reader. 4th ed. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1996.
• Raymond, James C. Moves WritersMake. Upper Saddle River, NJ

Some quotes about bad writing.