Portfolio Interviews

On a "first come, first served" basis you can request a time to present your portfokio. Just leave your name and desired time as a comment and I'll add you below.

Monday, January 18, 2010: (In Class) Rhonda, Cheyenne

Tuesday, January 19, 2010: (In Class) Sam, Jenn

Thursday, January 20, 2010: (Room 47) 11:00am Lenora 11:15 Blair

Friday, January 22, 2010 (Per. 3 Exam Day)

8:15 _Alisha_________ 10:15 Amy
8:30 ______________ 10:30 Matt Steele
8:45 Stephanie_______ 10:45 Ashley Marabella
9:00 AJ Howard______ 11:00 Tessa
9:15 Matt Brockwell ___ 11:15 Jena
9:30 Lenora ______ 11:30 Ashley McVey
9:45 Michael _____ 11:45 Kayla Rose
10:00 _____________

Portfolio Activity

This is the link to the portfolio requirements.

Almost there!

Query Letter

Here is the link to the Sample Query Letter.

Your Query letter should accompany the final draft of your sample chapter.

Seminar Handout

The basis for your seminar presentation on your ISU author will be a handout that you make ahead of time. You are advised to begin preparing your handout as soon as possible and show me your draft work so that I can help you revise. Once it has been finalized, doing your seminar presentation will be simply a matter of leading us through your handout. There's no need to be nervous--these are fun (and largely informal) presentations.

Your seminar handout should have a number of elements:

A brief biography of your writer. --> Please, just the highlights!

A thesis about what makes your writer's work distinctive and highly publishable. Choose 3 or 4 elements of your writer's writing that make it effective. Perhaps he or she is masterful in the use of imagery, plot construction or dialogue. Maybe characterisation is his or her forte. This is a great place to draw on the various literary terms you've acquired in your many years of study. Perhaps you're not sure which term is best to describe what it is you want to say--if so, come see me.

Proof(X3-4). For each term you've decided to use, quote a passage (or two) from the novel that demonstrates your author's use of the technique. You (or an eager classmate) will read these excerpts during your presentation.

Comment(X3-4). Connect the dots for us. Explain, how the excerpted passage demonstrates your claim. Expand, where appropriate.

A Journal Topic. Using some of my prompts as models, devise a journal topic that relates to your writer's style. Avoid generic and opinion based questions such as "Would you like to read a novel by this author?" Try for a topic that fits the content of your presentation. e.g. "Write a scene that begins with very little tension and gradually builds tension and ends with a 'cliffhanger'" to go along with a presentation on Stephen King's writing.

**Students will be offered a chance to use these journal topics to "make up" for previously missed journal assignments

Goals for the Week

I just want to put it in writing to make it "official." Isn't it funny how as a society we don't tend to put much faith in words unless they are in writing? What ever happened to a person's word being his or her bond? There must be a journal topic there somewhere.

Anyway, I will be looking for your Guided Style Analysis by the end of the week. I had also suggested that you should be trying for 2 pages/day of manuscript writing. Those of you who have maintained the pace will have very little EWC work over the holidays. Enjoy your well earned rest.

Students who are still trying to complete their 20 page sample chapter should do it over the holidays. We will be in Seminars from Tuesday, Jan. 5th until the Friday of the first week back. You will all be expected to be good citizens and be present for your peers' seminars, just as you will want them to be present and alert during your seminar.

Questions?

Such Drama!

Hi Everyone,

I'm at a workshop this afternoon. It's suppose to teach me how to use acting in the classroom. I thought it might enable me to teach some people in my per. 2 class how to act like students!

Anyway. I know you are working away. There are about 6 of you for whom I still have not received a novel outline. This should be your first priority.

Then, in 2 weeks minus a day I will be asking for your Guided Style Analysis (posted on an earlier blog).

Also, journals 13-16 are past due. I've been picking away at them this week and will continue to do so.

See you tomorrow,

CP

Matt B's Found Poem

is very clever. Take a look: http://mattbrockwell.blogspot.com/2009/11/found-poem-left-in-cold.html