New Writer's Notebook Entries1--What is the worst essay prompt that you had to write about?
2--Write a small piece about your favorite holiday. 3--With the final six weeks in sight, what are you the most excited about for summer, what are you looking forward to, etc? 4--Write a small piece about going on a hike. 5--Write a small piece about your favorite Greek God or Goddess. 6--You are hanging with friends and they want you to do some Karaoke. Do you do it? If so, what song? Write a piece about this. 7--**Thank you notes to the staff. 8--As a person, why is it so important to show ‘thanks’ to others? Write a small piece on being thankful. 9--James Joyce said, “Better pass boldly into that other world, in the full glory of some passion, than fade and wither dismally with age.” Use this to write a piece or tell me what you think he meant. 10--Create a piece about the changing of fortunes. 11--Loch Ness Monster, Bigfoot, Theory of Atlantis, UFO’s...any other urban legends, do you believe in any of them? Answer or use as a theme. 12--How does standardized testing limit creativity? Previous CW UpdatesWhile it has been awhile since the last class update, there has been plenty of work going on in CW. Besides keeping the website going, we have also been in full literary magazine mode. Both classes continue to produce great work as we work on closing out the year.
They have been active in class working on weekly products that have ranged from free writes to genre / theme specific (heist short stories and a murder mystery three scene play to name some of the recent ones). This group has also remained active outside of class, hosting our second Open Mic Night Event back in February. The best thing about our second Open Mic was that we had students get up and perform pieces that wouldn't have even thought about doing something like that back in November. We have also had success in various writing competitions outside of DSHS. We had a student win two Silver Keys for Writing Portfolio and Poetry as well as Honorable Mention for Short Story from the Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards. Over 330,000 pieces were submitted this year for the contest. We also had CW students finish 1st and 2nd in the Youth Short Story Category for the Texas Night Sky Festival's Writing Contest. I am so proud of everyone's work this year. Last week was exciting for the class as we had poet Taylor Mali visit campus. He met with the Creative Writing students in the morning in a small setting before speaking in front of the entire campus.
He read some of his poems and then would backtrack and speak about the inspiration of the poem and how he had constructed it. This was a great experience for our students as they were able to ask questions of a well known author and speaker. Both classes have been hard at work since the semester began. A day has been hard at work both in writing new pieces and revamping the Meraki website. We finally relaunched last week with more material being added this week. A day will also begin honing in on our next Open Mic Night very soon! B day has also been hard a work. The class met with our Literary Magazine representative last week and really nailed down the schedule for completing the second edition of the Meraki Literary Magazine. Advertising began two weeks ago and submissions have already come in. It has been great fun to see our students plug in and be able to create new works for themselves but also devote time to our two publications and our campus event. Creative Writing Updates and NotesThe CW program has plenty in front of it this semester. Our 'A' Day team has been handed the reins to the classroom website. They are in the process of a re-design and will be adding new works soon. Our 'A' Day team is also planning the next Open Mic Night event. The day, time, and (new for Open Mic Night) theme will be announced soon.
Our 'B' Day team has begun the process of putting together The Meraki Literary Magazine. The class has split up into departments from Editorial to Design. Spring Writer's Notebook Entries#1--With a fresh 2017, what do you hope you can do this year?
#2--If you had to explain what an X ray was to someone who had no idea what it was, how would that conversation go? #3--Let the following quote guide you today: Screenwriter Syd Field once said that, “Talent is God’s gift; either you got it or you don’t. But writing is personal responsibility; either you do it or you don’t. #4--Take the following statement and incorporate it into a small piece: In order to fully see, first you must feel. #5--Write a small piece about why anger is a healthy emotion. #6--In celebration of Edgar Allan Poe's birthday, what is your favorite Poe story and why? Also, what about him as a writer has kept him in the public eye? #7--Write a small poem about the importance of a whisper. #8--Write a small piece about you getting to meet your favorite literary character. #9--Write a small poem about the advantages or disadvantages of naps. #10--If the blue whale eats the green grass, what happens? Have fun with this and let it take you somewhere. If you have nothing then it becomes a free write. #11--Using a AB AB rhyme scheme, write a poem about going to dinner. #12--If someone handed you a blank check, how much money would you fill it in for and what would you use it for? #13--If you were given the ability to do origami well, what animal would you make and why? Would it be difficult to make? How many pieces of paper would you go through? #14--Write a small piece about stress. Creative Writing NotesThe classes have been hard at work on the project described below. I can not wait to see what they turn in on Friday. On another note, this past Friday our dance class held their Winter Dance Concert. Their performances were shaped by poetry our students wrote. In addition to their dance performance, in the lobby on the auditorium, our students had their poems on display along with photography and art that were also influenced by their poems. Some of our poems were even translated into Spanish. It was amazing for our students to see how their work had inspired others to create. I am so very proud of them!
Update on the Creative Writing ProjectThe students have been placed in small groups of four to five students including a captain for each group. They were then allowed to make the following choices:
They could work as a whole group, pair off, or work individually. Then they had the following options: Write seven poems* Write a novella between 17,500-40,000 words Write a 60 page screenplay *they will end up turning in seven poems but may write as many as needed to finalize their best seven. We are having weekly check ins and workshops with me midweek. On Fridays, the groups have check ins and workshops with the captains. |
Next Week's AgendaMonday/Tuesday--Portfolio work and writing day
Wednesday/Thursday--Crain meeting and writing day Friday-- Writing day |
3rd Six Weeks Calendar
cw_3rd_six_weeks.pdf |
Writer's Notebook Entries Rd. 2
#17--When it comes to the universe, do you feel like we are alone or that something else exist that we need to find?
#18--When it comes to legacy, what do you want to leave behind and how do you want to be remembered?
#19--Write a small piece either in favor of letting go of your fears or holding on to them and letting them fuel you.
#20--There’s a dark cave, you don’t have a flashlight and you don’t know what’s in there. Do you go in first or wait for someone else to go in?
#21--You have to build a four piece band. Who do you get to sing vocals, play guitar, drums, and bass? What is their band name?
#22--Why is eye contact important? What does it say about a person? What does lack of eye contact mean? How can you use that in character development?
#23--Write a piece or talk about a time you had to deal with disappointment.
#24--In the sports world, the Chicago Cubs are going back to the World Series for the first time since 1945. People believed the team was cursed. Do you believe in curses? Explain or write.
#25--What can music do for you? Does it help you write? Do you use it in story?
#26--"People have forgotten how to tell a story. Stories don't have a middle or an end anymore. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning"--Steven Spielberg. Why is this a bad thing?
#27--What was the best Halloween costume that you ever had?
#18--When it comes to legacy, what do you want to leave behind and how do you want to be remembered?
#19--Write a small piece either in favor of letting go of your fears or holding on to them and letting them fuel you.
#20--There’s a dark cave, you don’t have a flashlight and you don’t know what’s in there. Do you go in first or wait for someone else to go in?
#21--You have to build a four piece band. Who do you get to sing vocals, play guitar, drums, and bass? What is their band name?
#22--Why is eye contact important? What does it say about a person? What does lack of eye contact mean? How can you use that in character development?
#23--Write a piece or talk about a time you had to deal with disappointment.
#24--In the sports world, the Chicago Cubs are going back to the World Series for the first time since 1945. People believed the team was cursed. Do you believe in curses? Explain or write.
#25--What can music do for you? Does it help you write? Do you use it in story?
#26--"People have forgotten how to tell a story. Stories don't have a middle or an end anymore. They usually have a beginning that never stops beginning"--Steven Spielberg. Why is this a bad thing?
#27--What was the best Halloween costume that you ever had?
Writer's Notebook Entries
#1--Write a small piece about rain.
#2--Create an original character. Describe what they look like, what their background is, and what makes them 'them'.
#3--Write about a memorable high school moment (so far).
#4--Write a short piece about where you feel the most comfortable or at peace and why.
#5--Out of the following: earth, fire, wind, water, which one is your favorite and why?
#6--Write a poem that includes your favorite vacation or a place that you would like to visit.
#7--Write about what you did over the three day weekend.
#8--Write a piece where you take the character your created from WN#2 and place them where you feel the most comfortable from WN#4.
#9--From the Apply Texas college application--You have a ticket in your hand, where does that ticket take you, what does it get you into?
#10--You walk into a dark alley. You can only have three other people with you. Who are they and why? What about them makes you want them there?
#11--Write a piece with the foundation being a dream that you’ve actually had and turn it into a story.
#12--Write a short piece about something you wanted to do this weekend but didn’t.
#13--Incorporate your favorite food or drink into a short piece.
#14--You find an object in the woods at random, what is that object? Why do you find it appealing enough to pick up? What significance does this object hold to you?
#15--Do you have the confidence to get up and perform a poem on stage? Why or why not? What piece would you do?
#16--Write a small piece about the process of waking up in the morning.
#2--Create an original character. Describe what they look like, what their background is, and what makes them 'them'.
#3--Write about a memorable high school moment (so far).
#4--Write a short piece about where you feel the most comfortable or at peace and why.
#5--Out of the following: earth, fire, wind, water, which one is your favorite and why?
#6--Write a poem that includes your favorite vacation or a place that you would like to visit.
#7--Write about what you did over the three day weekend.
#8--Write a piece where you take the character your created from WN#2 and place them where you feel the most comfortable from WN#4.
#9--From the Apply Texas college application--You have a ticket in your hand, where does that ticket take you, what does it get you into?
#10--You walk into a dark alley. You can only have three other people with you. Who are they and why? What about them makes you want them there?
#11--Write a piece with the foundation being a dream that you’ve actually had and turn it into a story.
#12--Write a short piece about something you wanted to do this weekend but didn’t.
#13--Incorporate your favorite food or drink into a short piece.
#14--You find an object in the woods at random, what is that object? Why do you find it appealing enough to pick up? What significance does this object hold to you?
#15--Do you have the confidence to get up and perform a poem on stage? Why or why not? What piece would you do?
#16--Write a small piece about the process of waking up in the morning.
Documents
tanka.pdf |
listening_in.pdf |
a_night_above...a_sestina_example.pdf |
sestina.pdf |
visuals.pdf |
personal_narrative.pdf |
2_sentence_challenge.pdf |
Welcome
Welcome to Creative Writing! This class looks to explore, expand, and encourage your ideas and thoughts to turn them in to workable pieces of writing.