E-mail the entire
class
E-mail individual members
of the class
Handbook of Magazine Article Writing. Jean M. Fredette, editor. Cincinnati: Writers' Digest Books. Purchase from City Lights.
Two folders with brads (for writing file and daily writings).
Note: Since this is a workshop course, you
will frequently be responsible for making xerox copies of your work and
of work from magazines and other publications. You will be responsible
for copying costs, which could exceed $20.00.
Attendance and Lateness:
You are solely responsible for making up work and discovering information missed because of absence/ tardiness. Please obtain the number of a classmate for this purpose.
total: 100%
Some Brief Explanations:
Organization: The course will be organized in three parts: personal essay or "new journalism," commercial magazine writing, and academic writing. Like many professional writers, we will use a workshop format to critique work. Occasionally we will workshop writing as a class; at other times we will work in small partnerships in which each participant plays a defined role. The goal of workshopping is to gain insight into the ideas of others as well as to do our best to support and improve the writing of our colleagues.
Editing partnership:
Each of you will be partnered with a member
of the English 307 (Editing and Publishing) class, which is putting out
a magazine. You will write one of your assignments based on the criteria
set out by the magazine staff's editorial board, and you will then work
with that student on revising your piece according to that magazine's specifications.
This essay can fall under one of the categories above, or you can substitute
one as specified by your editing partner. The magazine editorial staff
will have final say on which essays are included, but every student in
this course must submit an essay for consideration.
Structured independent work:
The daily writings and the reading file will
be kept in folders with brads and should be brought to class every Friday.
The daily writings will be structured assignments designed to help develop
different approaches to writing many kinds of non-fiction prose. The reading
file will contain articles from various kinds of publication plus a structured
summary that you provide. I may call on you to discuss assignments from
your daily writings at any time; I my also collect these without notice.
Group projects:
there will be two group projects in this class.
One will be a magazine that is a compilation of the best work by each student
in the class. The other will be an interdisciplinary academic conference
on a common theme. Every person in the class will serve either as magazine
staff or as conference organizer / introducer. Your participation in this
activity will be your final exam grade.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional
use of the words of another person without proper acknowledgment. Both
kinds are serious. Unintentional plagiarism can result from improper documentation;
one of the goals of this course, however, is an understanding of correct
documentation. Intentional plagiarism includes representing the work of
parents, friends, colleagues, or other authors as your own. Papers found
to be plagiarized will receive failing grades and may result in failure
of the course and / or legal action.
You can protect yourself by keeping all parts of your writing process together and handing in assignments with outlines, notes, and drafts.
JOURNAL ASSIGNMENTS
Journal Topics (do them in order):
(See due dates on Syllabus)
1. Lists-like the Pillow Book (i.e. hateful
things, foul-smelling things, nauseating things)
2. Mosaic or Collage--significant moments
associated with....
3. Letter or Epistle--letter to a future or
past self, letter from the grave, letter to a child (born or unborn)
4. Analytic Meditation (zuihitsu)--"On bathrooms,"
"On television," "On pets," etc.
5. Classification--3 types of nightmare, luck,
promises, accidents, etc.
6. Memoir (possible topics):
The first time I . . . .
Being under the influence of . . . .
My autobiography as a (writer, student,
teenager, etc.)
7. Portrait--(use descriptive strategies)
8. Reportage--objectively narrate a significant
scene
9. In Praise of (abstract concepts, foods,
conditions, other unlikely nouns)
B. Magazine Writing (see page numbers in Handbook)
10. Letter to the editor for ____ Magazine
11. List Article: "20 Ways To" 134-141
12. 3 Titles, 3 Lead-Ins, 3 endings for your
"20 ways to...." article 85-94
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|
Date |
Topic |
Reading (Due on the Date to the left) |
Misc |
|
W |
1/7 |
Intro to Course, Introductions |
|
|
|
F |
1/9 |
Begin Discussion Essay 1 (Family and Identity) |
Kingston, No Name Woman |
|
|
M |
1/12 |
Invention Essay 1 |
Eiseley, The Running Man |
|
|
W |
1/14 |
Discussion of Journals; Leads |
White, Once More to the Lake |
|
|
F |
1/16 |
Describing, Dialog |
Notes on a Native Sun |
Journal 1 Due |
|
M |
1/19 |
Martin Luther King Birthday |
|
|
|
W |
1/21 |
Peer Review Essay 1 |
Walker, Beauty: When the Dancer. . . |
|
|
F |
1/23 |
Conference Subject, Call for Papers |
|
Journal 2 Due |
|
M |
1/26 |
Workshop Essay 1 |
|
|
|
W |
1/28 |
Discuss Essay 2 Culture |
Eiseley, Judgement of the Birds |
|
|
F |
1/30 |
Invention Essay 2 |
Wolfe, Las Vegas |
Journal 3 Due |
|
M |
2/2 |
Bring a short description of your topic, and as much of the essay as you can write. Peer Feedback for Research for Essay 2 |
Dillard, The Writing Life |
|
|
W |
2/4 |
Research Due for Essay 2; Distribute 307 topics List (assignment 3) |
Ehrlich, Friends, Foes, & Working Animals |
|
|
F |
2/6 |
Topics Due for Conference Paper; work on program |
Lopez, The Stone Horse |
Journal 4 Due |
|
M |
2/9 |
Peer Review Essay 2 |
|
|
|
W |
2/11 |
Discussion of Magazine Article Topics (Profiles, Reviews, How-tos, Humor, Regional Topics) |
TBA |
|
|
F |
2/13 |
Workshop Essay 2 |
|
Journal 5 Due |
|
M |
2/16 |
Essay 2 due; Invent for Essay 3 |
TBA |
|
|
W |
2/18 |
Magazine Style; Query Letters |
TBA |
|
|
F |
2/20 |
Bibliography for Conference Pres. Due; query letters |
|
Journal 6 Due |
|
M |
2/23 |
Peer Review Essay 3 due |
|
|
|
W |
2/25 |
Workshop Essay 3 |
|
|
|
|
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
Misc |
|
F |
2/27 |
Finishing of Essay & Letter (lab); Essay 3 to Editing Partners (English 307) |
|
Journal 7 Due |
|
M |
3/2 |
Begin Discussion of Essay 4 (Profile for a specific magazine); Invention |
TBA |
|
|
W |
3/4 |
Discussion of Profile Subjects & Research |
|
|
|
F |
3/6 |
Bring List of Profile interview subjects; |
|
Journal 8 Due |
|
M-F |
3/9-3/13 |
SPRING BREAK |
|
|
|
M |
3/16 |
Profile interview(s) due; Revised Articles due to English 307 class (editing Partners) |
|
|
|
W |
3/18 |
Additional Reseasrch (Profile- 4) due |
|
|
|
F |
3/20 |
|
|
Journal 9 Due |
|
M |
3/23 |
Peer Review Essay 4 |
|
|
|
W |
3/25 |
Outline and Abstract for Conference Pres. Due; Programs |
|
|
|
F |
3/27 |
Workshop Essay 4 |
|
Journal 10 Due |
|
M |
3/30 |
Essay 4 due; Bring favorite essay (revised) on a PC Disk; Intro to Pagemaker |
|
|
|
W |
4/1 |
Discussion of Essay 5 (Arts, Culture Piece or True Confessions/ True Life Story) for a specific Magazine |
TBA |
|
|
F |
4/3 |
Invention Essay 5 |
|
Journal 11 Due |
|
M |
4/6 |
Partial Draft for Conference Pres. Due; Work on draft of Anthology (PageMaker); Conference Group Work |
|
|
|
W |
4/8 |
Work Day; get Anthology to English 307 Class |
|
|
|
F |
4/10 |
EASTER HOLIDAY |
|
|
|
M |
4/13 |
Peer Review Essay 5 |
|
|
|
W |
4/15 |
Peer Review Rough Draft Conference Pres. |
|
|
|
F |
4/17 |
Workshop Essay 5 |
|
Journal 12 Due |
|
M |
4/20 |
Essay 5 Due; Work on Anthology and Conference |
|
|
|
W |
4/22 |
Work on Anthology and Conference |
|
|
|
F |
4/24 |
Work on Anthology and Conference |
|
Journal 13 Due |
|
M |
4/27 |
Portfolio of Semester=s Work Due; work on Anthology |
|
|
|
W |
4/29 |
Printout and destribute anthology |
|
|
|
TH |
4/30 |
Party |
|
University Rules: Special Meeting |