Monday, April 15, 2013

Reminders: April 16, 2013

Just a reminder:  We'll be attending the English Writing Capstone readings on Tuesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. in VH 118. I'll return your humor essays to you and answer any questions you may have about our final portfolio checklist.

Our final class is next Tuesday, April 23. We'll be discussing Stephen Elliott's book Adderall Diaries. There will be a short quiz on the book.

Your final portfolios are due in my office -- 208 FOB -- by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 25.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Class Updates and Final Portfolio Checklist

Hope you all enjoyed Tony Buba's presentation on using film and digital media to tell true stories, as well as Andrew Brown's essay as an example of creative nonfiction in action.

Remember next week we'll once again meet in VH 118, this time for the English Writing Capstone readings featuring senior creative nonfiction writers and more.

Our final class will be Tuesday, April 23. We'll discuss Stephen Elliott's book THE ADDERALL DIARIES, complete our last in-class writing assignment, and review the requirements for your portfolios. Portfolios are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. There will be a drop box outside my office (208 Faculty Office Building).

Your grade in this course will be based on your attendance and participation throughout the term (including bonus points for attendance at Jimmy Cvetic/Bob Ziller's W/S reading); the overall quality of your writing; evidence of effort/revision; evidence of your ability to meet deadlines;  your quiz grades (CNF/Memoir Quiz 1; Terkel Quiz); and your portfolio.

Your portfolio should showcase your best work and should include the following 17 items in this order (first item-- final revision or new piece -- on top and so on). Please label each item.

FINAL PORTFOLIO CHECKLIST

*  One in-depth revision of an earlier piece OR one new piece on a subject of your choice (Note:  you have the option of revising all of your pieces one more time if you'd like. If you choose to do so, be sure to label your revision as REVISION, and staple it to the original copy of your piece.)

*  In-Class Writing/Adderall Diaries, April 23

*  Essay/Assignment #3:  Humor Essay (Sedaris model) 

*  Your five sure-fire interview questions (in-class writing)

*  Essay/Assignment #2:  Terkel-Style Interview (Terkel model)

*  Table of Childhood Tastes (in-class writing based on p. 60 in ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AN ORD..)

*  Three Encyclopedia Entries (Krause Rosenthal model)

*  Six-Word Memoir (in-class writing)

*  One True Sentence (in-class writing)

*  Essay #1: (What They Don't Tell You)

*  Prompts 1 and 2, p. 40 (Truth of the Matter)

*  Prompts 1 and 2, p. 28 (Truth of the Matter)

*  Prompt 1, p. 17 (Truth of the Matter)

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Sedaris Links

Repeat After Me:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-CJjGPWF3w

David's Way of Seeing:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSjKKK0vc3A

Tonight in Creative Nonfiction

We'll finish workshop on your Terkel pieces. Then we'll move on to a discussion of Sedaris. We'll try a few humor writing prompts, which you'll develop into a short (750-800 word) essay for next Tuesday. Please bring one hard copy of your essay for me when we meet for the Writers Festival next Tuesday at 7 p.m. in VH 118. Our guest that night will be filmmaker Tony Buba, who will discuss a particular kind of creative nonfiction:  documentary filmmaking.

The following Tuesday, April 16, we'll meet again at 7 p.m. in VH 118, this time for the English Writing Capstone readings featuring several of our graduating senior creative nonfiction writers. I'll return your humor essays to you that night, along with a checklist you'll use to compile your final portfolio for our class.

Remember that you're able to revise all of your pieces for your portfolio, though you're required to do only one in-depth revision of one piece. The checklist will provide more details.

We'll meet for our final class on Tuesday, April 23 to wrap a discussion of our last book (we'll choose between Adderall Diaries and Stitches). Your final portfolios will be due at my office, 208 FOB, by 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 25. If you'd like your portfolio returned, please submit a SASE and I'll mail it back to you over the summer.