Writing Life
Tues. Jan. 11: Introduction to course; in-class writing: our writing autobiography; lecture on the characteristics of creative nonfiction (pages 2-14 in Writing True); indentifying these characteristics in “Buzzard” (Writing True)
Homework: Read and respond to Sedaris “Let it Snow” (Writing True); post writing autobiography to blackboard discussion board
Fri. Jan. 14: Practice RR due; class introductions; discuss “Let it Snow;” in-class writing: childhood home
Homework: Read Walker “Beauty: When the Other Dancer is the Self” (Writing True) and Didion “On Keeping a Notebook”; post in-class writing to blackboard
Tues. Jan. 18: On keeping a journal (extra points); discuss Walker and Didion; lecture on Voice (Writing True 64-77); in-class writing
Homework: Post in-class writing to blackboard discussion board; read Lopate “Writing Personal Essays: On the Necessities of Turning the Self into a Character”; read and respond to Ephron “A Few Words about Breasts” (Writing True)
Fri. Jan. 21: Reading response due; Lecture on Gutland “Information Transfer and the Personal Point of View”; discuss Lopate and Ephron; in-class writing
Homework: Post in-class writing to blackboard; Read Earley “Somehow Form a Family” (Writing True); revise/expand one of your three blackboard postings and bring 4 copies to class (typed, at least 500 words)
Tues. Jan. 25: Small group workshop; discuss Earley
Homework: Read O’Brien “on Rainy River” and “Ambush”
Fri. Jan. 28: discuss Tim O’Brien; in-class writing on an event that haunts you
Homework: Students workshopping their essay bring 21 copies of revised essay (either the essay you workshopped on Tuesday or an expanded blackboard posting)
Tues. Feb. 1: Lecture on “Workshoping a Draft” (Writing True 85-104) and “Taking Shape” (Writing True 46-61); whole class workshop
Homework: Revise one of your blackboard post with non-chronological shape and post to blackboard; Students workshopping their essay bring 21 copies of revised essay
Fri. Feb. 4: Whole class workshop; lecture on “The Craft of Revision” (Writing True 106-128)
Homework: Read and respond to Tayebi “Warring Memories” (Writing True) and O’Brien “Spin”
Writing people
Tues. Feb. 8: Reading response due; Lecture: “Writing about People” (Bloom); discuss Tayebi and O’Brien; in-class writing
Homework: post people writing to blackboard; read “Miss Dennis School of Writing” (Writing True) and “Going to the Movies” (Writing True); revise/expand one of your blackboard postings and bring 4 copies to class (typed, at least 500 words)
Fri. Feb 11: Small group workshop; discuss readings
Homework: Prepare portfolio with blackboard post, workshop draft, and revised draft of 2 essays; read O’Brien “Dentist” and “Stockings”
Tues. Feb. 15: Portfolio due; discuss O’Brien; in-class writing
Fri. Feb. 18: No class – conferences
Homework: post in-class writing to blackboard: in-class writing on people and/or extra credit writing; read and respond to Schwartz “Memoir? Fiction? Where’s the Line?”, Kupfer “Everything But the Truth,” and O’Brien “How to Tell a True War Story,” “Good Form”
Tues. Feb. 22: Reading response due; discuss Schwartz, Kupfer and O’Brien; lecture on the “Ethics of Creative Nonfiction” (Writing True 163-178); interviewing (lecture and practice)
Homework: read Sedaris and Obrien “Notes”
Fri. Feb 25: In-class reading response; discuss Sedaris and O’Brien; in-class writing
Homework: post in-class writing to blackboard; revise/expand one of your blackboard postings; bring 4 copies 500 words; read O’Brien “The Things They Carried” and “Love”
Tues. Mar. 1: small group workshop ; discuss O’Brien
Homework: Students workshopping their essay bring 21 copies of revised essay (either the essay you workshopped on Tuesday or an expanded blackboard posting)
Fri. Mar. 4: whole class workshop
Homework: Students workshopping their essay bring 21 copies of revised essay (either the essay you workshopped on Tuesday or an expanded blackboard posting
Tues. Mar. 8: Spring Break
Fri. Mar. 11: Spring Break
Tues. Mar. 15: whole class workshop
Homework: Revise/expand one of your blackboard postings OR conduct and draft an interview for class; bring 4 copies 500 words
Writing the world
Fri. Mar. 18: Small group workshop;
Homework: prepare draft portfolio with first drafts and revisions of 2 essays not included in first draft portfolio; bring an op-ed to class
Tues Mar. 22: portfolio due; in class writing – op-ed; discuss O’Brien; lecture on “Writing about Places” (Bloom); lecture “The Role of Research” (Writing True 143-160)
Homework: post op-ed with research question; read and respond to O’Brien “Speaking of Courage”
Fri. Mar. 25: no class conferences though most conferences are actually on Monday; reading response due
Homework: read and respond to O’Brien “Into the Field” and “Field Trip”
Tues. Mar. 29: Reading response due; discuss O’Brien; library research day; in-class writing - places; read op-eds
Homework: post writing about places with research or research question; read and respond to O’Brien “The Lives of the Dead” and “Port Authority” (Writing True)
Fri. April 1: Reading Response due; Discuss O’Brien; create list of questions for Tim O’Brien
Homework: students workshopping their travel/place narrative or op-ed draft, bring 21 copies of to class
Tues. April 5: whole-class workshop – travel/place narrative or op-ed
Fri. April 8: No –class library research day/revision day
Homework: students workshopping their travel/place narrative or op-ed draft, bring 21 copies of to class
Tues. April 12: whole-class workshop – travel/place narrative or op-ed
Homework: students workshopping their travel/place narrative or op-ed draft, bring 21 copies of to class
Fri. April 15: whole-class workshop – travel/place narrative or op-ed
Homework: Bring two copies of writer’s statement for peer review
Tues. April 19: Peer review of writer’s statement
Homework: Final revision of essays in portfolio, revise writer’s statement; extra credit reading response (of an op-ed or interview)
Thurs. April 21: Tim O’Brien; extra credit reading response due
Fri. April 22: Easter
Homework: Revise final version of Portfolio (Writer’s Statement and 5 essays including one from writing life, one from writing people, and one from writing world that contains library research; respond to tim O'Brien
Sat. April 30 12-2:30: reading response due; Portfolio due with first and revised draft of the writer’s statement that, in part, explains the revisions of 5 essays (include any five essays but be sure to include one from writing life, one from writing people, and one from writing world that contains library research). Essays should contain an early and final draft.
