For Dec 5

1. Read Cameron's "Sketching" plus other essays (on myemich) and write your blog response on these.

2. Finish the TERMS (new terms are highlighted and the list is posted on myemich): find an example of a use of each highlighted term from a poem or story we read for class); bring your finished list of terms to class.

3. Fiction Writing Exercise: Boring Situation (on myemich)

4. Fiction Workshops: use the Fiction Workshop Guidelines + think about sentences (structure, length, wordiness or tightness, syntax) to read and give specific feedback, comments, and suggestions on the stories for everyone in your group. If you don't have a copy of the stories, find your group members' stories on their blogs (listed on the class blog page) and bring printed copies of the stories with your comments on them for next week.

Workshop Groups:

1.   Sammy, Jodi, Kendall, Bekkie F., Sarah, Alyssa, Nicole, Richard, Venus, Craig

2.   Kari, Jake, Becky K., Christina, Justin, Randy, Megan, Rebecca, Keegan, Amber

For Nov 28

Post a story of your own (from one of the exercises) on your blog (as soon as possible) and then bring 11 copies of that story to class on Wed, 11/28. This should be a story you did not share already in class. After you post your story please read your classmates' stories on all of the other blogs in preparation to discuss them on the 28th. Please also use the Fiction workshop guidelines that are posted on myemich to think about how to respond to the stories.


We will workshop the stories in two large groups (instead of all as a whole class) on the 28th. 

Final Assignment sheets (publishing assignment, fiction portfolio are posted on myemich; fiction writing exercise: N + 7 is forthcoming on myemich) .

Wed Nov 14

Please see syllabus for assignments

You should remember to bring 2 copies of 1-2 stories to share/turn in; and come prepared to discuss the stories in fiction packet 3 (and write your blog on a few of the stories).

I will bring addtional reading (a la Lamott) to class

Also, last week I handed out Fiction Exercise: Vocabulary; see myemich for a copy.

EMU Bathhouse Reading Events in Nov

 See more info at: http://www.emich.edu/english/creative-writing/readingseries.php

2012-2013

Roosevelt Hall (EMU campus)
4-6 p.m.
November 28 and 29, 2012.
Directions: http://www.emich.edu/walkingtour/roosevelt.htm.

November 28th will be a reading featuring Dimitri Anatasopoulo, Camille Roy, and Rachel Levitsky.

Then, join us on the 29th for a panel discussion with our presenters moderated by our own Carla Harryman entitled: Intersections: Community, Politics and Art.

for Nov 7

1. Fiction Packet 2: Thalia Field's story A . I from  Point and Line

2. Read the following stories (listed by author) from Wreckage of Reason: Foos, Reeves, Lillis, Treat, Jackson, Natov, (Mazza,) DeLuca, Tupitsyn, Shope, Ben-Oni, Doller, Brenner, Cain, (Brennan,) (Hoang) (stories in parenthesis are optional); we will have an in-class writing assignment on these reading assignments so come prepared to write about them and discuss.

3. Write a blog response on at least 3 of the stories from Wreckage of Reason

4. Creative assignment: Choose 4 postcards, spend 15 minutes writing down everything that comes to mind when you look at the postcards laid out in front of you. Be specific and use significant and concrete detail. Start writing and don't stop for the full 15 minutes. Then, look at the material you have generated. Construct a story from the material that include one or more character(s) in a place, in which something happens (any smallest or large thing; situation;conflict; or etc). Write the story, feeling free to add or subtract details and information from the original writing as you see fit.


We will talk about the midterm evaluations and other assignments in class.

Election Info

Links to Info about ballot proposals on Michigan ballot:

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/political/what-michigan-voters-need-to-know-about-the-6-ballot-proposals

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Statewide_Bal_Prop_Status_145801_7.pdf

http://www.crcmich.org/

for Oct 24

Your Poetry Portfolio is due. Please see assignment sheet on myemich and follow instructions.

Read the Fiction Packet 1, Lamott (Polaroids, et al.), Bernstein (Attack of Difficult Poems) all on myemich.

Start working on the Description Fiction Exercise and we'll talk about this more in class on Wed.

Write your blog on any of the above reading, unless you already wrote about Lamott last week.

Excellent Blog Response to City Eclogue

Please read and think about this:

http://alyssafreda.blogspot.com/2012/09/i-do-not-have-strong-ability-to.html

for Oct 17

If you did not have a poem workshopped in class last week, then bring 22 copies to do it this Wed. Also, you should write comments/feedback on last week's workshop poems and bring them back to distribute to their writers next week.

Also, the Lamott reading is posted on myemich: Polaroids - Character - Plot - etc. Read this and come prepared to discuss. And write your blog post on this.

Also, work on your poem that is a copy in different words of one of the workshop poems. And see the assignment for the poetry workshop due the following week.

for next week Oct 10

Bring Blood Dazzler back so we can talk more about poetic forms and some of the poems we haven't looked at yet. Also, a pdf by Cameron (Bad Writing) will be posted on myemich on friday so read that for class too.

Blog response: take the week off and post 1 or 2 of your creative pieces (20 poetry projects and concrete- abstract handouts are posted on myemich) instead of a reading response.

Bring 22 copies of one poem:
Sammy
Jodi
Kendall
Aarti
Becky Faust
Justin
Alyssa
Nicole
Richard
Venus

Next week the rest of you can bring your 22 copies. Bring back the poetry workshop guidelines and we'll use these for discussing the poems.

Also, please note my revised "office" hours if you need to talk to me outside of class:

             

Office Hours: Wed after class; Fri 10-10:45 am By Appt. in the Pray-Harrold Eagle Cafe (send me an email if you'd like to schedule a meeting on a Friday)

For Next Week

Follow the syllabus for next week. Read all of City Eclogue paying attention to language and detail, and come prepared to discuss a few specific poems.

Blog response assignment should be posted to your blog by class time next Wed. See specific assignment sheet on myemich.

The Sonnet writing exercise is posted on myemich. You should be keeping drafts and revised versions of your creative work in preparation for upcoming class workshop and portfolios. Any poems that you've written may be included in the portfolio.

Welcome

Welcome to the creative writing class blog. Here you will find updates, announcements, and assignments from week to week. Also take some time to look through your classmates' blogs linked to the right.