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General Information
This is a loosely structured course. There are no required texts. All we will do is read and discuss models, write, discuss what we write, examine ways of looking at things, and write some more. There are, however, a few things you probably ought to know.
Grading (top of page)
There will be no individual grades attached to any of your work (though certain things may be assessed on a +/?/- scale). It is my firmly held belief that creative writing is about as subjective a focus as a class can possibly have. Two different readers, given the exact same piece of work, can have reactions 180° apart from each other. So why should I pretend to be the only true judge of your material?
So, if I am not going to grade your work, how will you then get a grade? Simple: As of this moment, you all have a B in this course. Do the work, participate in class discussions and activities, try your best at all times and fulfill all of the requirements of the course, and you get to keep that B. Fail to perform up to your potential, fail to turn in work, fail to participate in whatever the class is doing, and you risk seeing that B slip away. (Note: Due to the nature of this class, there are usually no grades lower than C or C-, but I have given them in the past and I do reserve the right to give them again.) About A's: this is a senior year honors course. An A in such a course means a lot. It means that your work, your attitude, and your participation have been exemplary throughout the entire semester. It means that you have consistently gone above and beyond the call in your handling of assignments, both written and oral. And, because this is a creative writing class, it means that I believe your work indicates that you belong to that elite group whose writing is really special.
Subject to the above, grades will be based approximately as follows:
· 35% for writing process, which includes effort, participation, evaluation of others' work, regular meetings with me, and all of that lovely drafting of your own pieces that you do;
· 35% for a portfolio of your best work, submitted to me on a date designated later in the semester (but very likely prior to Christmas); requirements for this portfolio will be determined later also;
· 30% miscellaneous, including "minor" writing, doing all of your work on time (whatever that might mean), etc.
Feedback (top of page)
I will read everything you give me and make comments that vary in length and development with the nature of the project. Those comments, my feedback on your writing, constitute an on-going "grade"; that is, by working on those areas about which I express concern, you will be solving what I perceive to be concerns about your writing and, at the same time, working on improving your letter grade.
Occasionally, I may suggest that you try a completely new approach to a piece. Unless you explain at the time a reason for not doing so, I expect that, if you decide to continue with that piece, you will in fact try the revision I suggest. You may of course completely abandon it later, but you must at least try it.
Class Format (top of page)
The class will function as a modified Writer's Workshop. Although there will be several assignments that you are required to try, you will, for the most part, be working on pieces which you have chosen and on which you wish to continue. After an introductory phase (which may last through the first quarter, but more likely will last through September) in which we become accustomed to each other, we will be workshopping approximatedly half of the time or more. Some days will consist of mini-lessons covering a variety of topics, followed by individual and group work on your pieces. On other days, we will be doing large group activities designed to stimulate creativity, try out new genres, or to provide you with ideas. Still other days might be dedicated totally to writing from the start.
In the introductory phase of the course, there will be several activities designed to awaken your creativity and allow you to get to know each other as a group. Don't be afraid of them: there is nothing you can do that is really "wrong." We will work on aspects of criticism as well as techniques for revision. There will be a few assignments on which the entire class is working in order for this section of the course to function efficiently.
While Workshop pieces are by definition selected by you, there are several interesting genres which we will all attempt during the semester. Any whole-class assignment after the introductory period may evolve into a workshop piece or not, as you see fit, but you may be required to make two good-faith drafts of each piece before abandoning it.
Organization of Your Pieces (top of page)
Binder
Each participant in the class should immediately purchase a three-ring loose leaf binder in which all handouts, rough drafts, and "graded" work should be kept. You may organize the contents of the folder in any way you would like, but you should always be able to pull something out at a moment's notice for discussion or for contest entry. You do not need to keep interim printouts that never received feedback, but you must keep everything else.
Here is one suggestion for organizing your work:
Use major dividers for each piece, and then keep adding new drafts on top of previous drafts. Use of draft numbers is almost critical, and I suggest that you start with draft zero (your rough draft) and call your first "completed" version draft one. Many people have had good luck designating future revisions as 1.1, 1.2, etc. until a major re-draft has occurred, at which point they switch to "draft two." (You might also choose to use dividers for each fully revised version.)
Revisions
All revisions must be submitted with at least the last version of the piece that I saw and wrote comments on. Highlight all changes on the newer draft, and paper clip it on top of the earlier draft.
Please use a post-it note to let me know what you wish me to critique and whether the feedback is for a conference. Also tell me WHY you made the specific changes that you made.
If pieces are submitted by e-mail, I still need the same information (old draft, what was changed) as in a printed submission. You are responsible to get these to me. (See the Conferences section below.)
Workshop Summaries
Each week, you must submit a revised and dated Workshop Summary. On this sheet, you should note all pieces you have worked with in that week and what you have done with them. We will discuss this assignment in class before it is first due.
Journals (top of page)
You will be expected to do daily--or nearly daily--"journal writing." Good writers consistently say that, to enhance their perceptions of ideas, to "get their creative juices flowing," or simply for fun, they keep journals. (We will discuss specifically what is acceptable as a journal very early in the semester.) Daily writing might include clustering activities, focus questions, free writing, response writing, or other activities. This writing might be done in class or might be expected of you on your own. Your goal is to come as close as possible to one journal entry per calendar day of this course. I will never collect these journals. I will never ask to read them, although I will occasionally ask you to find one entry of your choice and expand it for an assignment. Ordinarily, though, I will only ever see them if you want me to; I will only know about them through the reports you make in your Workshop Summaries. (If ever I am late for class, simply begin this journal writing automatically.)
Format for Written Work
All work must be submitted in computer draft or via e-mail. The only exceptions are in-class work and first drafts submitted for informal feedback. If you submit via e-mail, please adhere to the instructions noted in Conferences below. I will have a format sheet available soon for all submissions.
Letters (top of page)
A few times each month, I will write you a letter containing something that is on my mind. It may be long, or it may be short. It may or may not have to do with issues concerning this class. (Occasionally, I might even use archived letters from past classes, if the idea is appropriate.) I want each of you to write "responses" to my letters by the end of the week in which you receive them. You may address the topic I bring up or go off in whatever direction you choose. Your letter can be as short as one paragraph or as long as you want it to be. It can be about anything that is on your mind. But I want you to concentrate not only on what you are saying, but on how you get it across. Concentrate on imagery, on metaphor, on technique, not simply on content. Consider the letter to be an extension of journal writing. Make it as personal as you want; I will never share anything with anyone unless you give me permission. Letter-writing--real letter-writing--is becoming a lost art. It seems to me that, if it is to survive at all, those of us dedicated to the art of the written word are the ones who must save it. By the way, you don't have to wait for my letters; write any time at all! (You might even get a private response!) Usually, I will request a specific response date; however, let me provide a default: in any week that I give you a letter by Wednesday, I expect a reply from you by Friday, or (via e-mail) by Saturday evening.
Deadlines (top of page)
You are always responsible for finishing reading assignments, whether they are models, articles, or your classmates' work, on time. However, I am acutely aware that even the best writers suffer occasional "writers' block." I know that there are times when the "juices" simply won't flow, and you can turn something in that is a piece of crap or you can wait a day or so and turn in a decent effort. Since I would rather have the decent efforts, I intend to be flexible regarding due dates, as long as I perceive that you are making sincere efforts to get things done. (It is for this reason that you will be turning in a Workshop Summary each week.)
Four notes:
A. There may be some smaller assignments which need to be completed by a specific date in order to facilitate class discussion. I will try to be very clear when this is the case.
B. If I or you become convinced that stricter due dates are in your best interest, they will be assigned and adhered to.
C. If we are having a group share day, you must have something to discuss.
D. There might be times during the semester when, for one reason or another, I need to assign "absolute" due dates. "Absolute" means "absolute": please don't ask for extensions.
Conferences (top of page)
I will have weekly scheduled conferences with each of you, and in these conferences I expect to be discussing specific pieces which you have prepared to discuss in advance. Feel free though to come in at any time. You don't need an appointment to come in to see me, but it certainly can help; there will be times when I am extremely busy. Still, feel free to try. The more I see you, the more I get to know about you: this can be a tremendous resource for both of us in terms of evaluating your work.
According to the requirements for this course, you must confer with me at least once on each piece you choose to continue. (Pieces abandoned after early drafts are exempt.) Any piece selected for your portfolio is required to have had three conferences with me, only one of which may be after Thanksgiving and only one of which may be handled via e-mail. (Exceptions will be made for brilliant work conceived late in the semester if you have been keeping up with this requirement otherwise.) It is obviously to your benefit to confer with me as frequently as possible. To avoid confusion, you may sign up for additional conferences only at the computer in Room 55 and only with my permission.
In addition to conferences with me, you will be conferring with your classmates, both in groups and as individuals. Feedback on peers' pieces should be specific and honest. Check your egos at the door.
Final Comment
I have many ideas that I would like to work with, but I am certainly open for suggestions. If there is something that you feel we should do more of--or less of--please let me know. It's your course.
These pages copyright Karen Kopriva 2002;
all rights are reserved