syllabus ENGL227 Introduction
to creative nonfiction workshop
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Need to be in touch with me?
LEE TORDA 310 Tillinghast Hall Bridgewater State University 508.531.2436 [email protected] www.leetorda.com |
Fall 2016 Office Hours:
M/W 11:30-12:30 T 11:00-12:00 and by appointment. Need to make an appointment? Click here: https://goo.gl/3CqLfo |
7 SEPTEMBER 2016
Introduction to the Course. Discussion of Readings in general, plan and policies for the course, and complete description of Reader’s Notes assignment and Writer’s Notebook assignment. Also, some in-class work on defining creative nonfiction.
14 SEPTEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Chimera” (page 368). In Best: “Strange Days” (page 35) and “The Loudproof Room” (page157). DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes (see assignment link on this website for complete details). Discussion of Drafts for Feedback deadlines and requirements. Please refer to the “Drafts for Feedback” assignment link on the class website for complete details. In-class work on writing about our lives and the hateful Dead Grandmother Essay.
21 SEPTEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Mixed Blood Stew” (page 382), “Shunned” (page 49). In Best: “Charade” (page 23). DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes. In-class Discussion of Publication Talks. Please refer to the “Publication Talk” assignment link on the class website for complete details. NOTE: This week’s Reader’s Notes will be a double-entry notebook. Please refer to the “double-entry notebook” explanation on the Reader’s Notes assignment link on the class website for complete details.
28 SEPTEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact “Why I Ride” (page 395) Read, also, Writer’s on Writing handout available off of the syllabus page on our class website. DUE: First Writing Workshop. Please bring two copies of your essay draft to class. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
5 OCTOBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Killing Wolves” (page 133). In Best: “Find Your Beach” (page 192), “Arrival Gates” (195). DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Draft of an essay to turn in to me. Reader’s Notes. In-class discussion about immersion writing.
12 OCTOBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Being Brians” (page 163). In Best: “Stepping Out” (page 185) and “The Crooked Ladder” (page 98). Read also, Chapter 12 in Tell it Slant . DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes. In-class discussion of midterm portfolio. Please refer to the “portfolios” link on the class website for complete details.
19 OCTOBER 2016
READ: In Best: “Reflections on Indexing My Lynching Book” (page 172). Read, also, Chapters 13 & 14 in Tell it Slant. DUE: Second Writing Workshop. Please bring two copies of your draft to class. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
26 OCTOBER 2016
DUE: Midterm Portfolio. Time in class to complete your midterm portfolio coverletter. Please refer to the “portfolios” assignment link on the class website for complete details. In-class discussion about telling stories (rather than writing them), listening too This American Life. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
2 NOVEMBER 2016
LISTEN: To This American Life podcasts of the episodes “Superpowers” (episode 178) and “Ruining it For the Rest of Us” (episode ). You can listen or download these hour-long radio programs on the This American Life website: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/. The quickest way to locate both programs is to search for them by title. READ: 26-71 in To Show & To Tell. DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes.
9 NOVEMBER 2016
READ: On or before 11 November 2016, in In Fact: “Looking at Emmett Till” (page 24). In Best: “Scenes from a Life in Negroland” (page 124). Read also, Chapters 6 & 7 in Tell it Slant. DUE ONLINE: On or before 11 November 2016, please post Reader’s Notes for the week to the occasional blog page for our class available off the syllabus page for this course or by clicking here. BEFORE 16 November 2011, please RESPOND to a post or several posts of your classmates.
NOTE: Actual Class Meeting Canceled. Due to the Veterans Day Holiday on the 11th (this coming Friday), Wednesday the 9th will be a Friday schedule of classes. This means that all Wednesday classes, day and evening, are closed. Confused? Me too. But it is what it is.
16 NOVEMBER 2016
READ: in Best: “It will Look Like a Sunset” (page208). Read, also, Chapter 2 in Tell it Slant and pages 82-99 & 107-115 in To Show & to Tell. DUE: Third Writing Workshop. Please bring two copies of your essay draft to class. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
23 NOVEMBER 2016
Class Canceled. Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday Break, Wednesday evening classes only are canceled. DUE: By noon on Wednesday, deliver your draft of your third draft for feedback to my Tilly 310 office (include last weeks workshop drafts as well as a reflection letter: what you like best, what you want to work on in this essay) and/or email me your draft.
30 NOVEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “In the Woods (page). In Best: “My Grandma the Poisoner” (page 162) and “A Man and His Cat” (page 150). Read, also, pages 64-81 in To Show & To Tell. DUE: FINAL Reader’s Notes(!). In-class discussion of final portfolios (information is available on our class website under portfolios.
7 DECEMBER 2016
DUE: Final workshops. Please have material emailed to our class for workshop reading no later than noon on Sunday, 4 December 2016 as a courtesy to each other. Please read and respond to your colleague’s work as described in the “final workshop assignment” on which complete details are available on our class website. A REMINDER: Come to class with TWO Copies of your workshop notes—one for your colleagues one for me. A NOTE: Class must start exactly at 4:45. Please come on time (that goes for me too) and ready to work.
14 DECEMBER 2016
DUE: Final Portfolios. Time in Class to write your final portfolio cover letter. with final portfolio cover letters. Due, also, Publication Talks.
21 DECEMBER 2016
Final Exam period. Dinner. Reading. Be prepared to read up to 8 minutes or four, double-spaced pages of work you are proud of for your classmates and class guests. We will dine and read. Don’t read with your mouth full. Family, friends, cherished faculty are welcome.
Introduction to the Course. Discussion of Readings in general, plan and policies for the course, and complete description of Reader’s Notes assignment and Writer’s Notebook assignment. Also, some in-class work on defining creative nonfiction.
14 SEPTEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Chimera” (page 368). In Best: “Strange Days” (page 35) and “The Loudproof Room” (page157). DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes (see assignment link on this website for complete details). Discussion of Drafts for Feedback deadlines and requirements. Please refer to the “Drafts for Feedback” assignment link on the class website for complete details. In-class work on writing about our lives and the hateful Dead Grandmother Essay.
21 SEPTEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Mixed Blood Stew” (page 382), “Shunned” (page 49). In Best: “Charade” (page 23). DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes. In-class Discussion of Publication Talks. Please refer to the “Publication Talk” assignment link on the class website for complete details. NOTE: This week’s Reader’s Notes will be a double-entry notebook. Please refer to the “double-entry notebook” explanation on the Reader’s Notes assignment link on the class website for complete details.
28 SEPTEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact “Why I Ride” (page 395) Read, also, Writer’s on Writing handout available off of the syllabus page on our class website. DUE: First Writing Workshop. Please bring two copies of your essay draft to class. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
5 OCTOBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Killing Wolves” (page 133). In Best: “Find Your Beach” (page 192), “Arrival Gates” (195). DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Draft of an essay to turn in to me. Reader’s Notes. In-class discussion about immersion writing.
12 OCTOBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “Being Brians” (page 163). In Best: “Stepping Out” (page 185) and “The Crooked Ladder” (page 98). Read also, Chapter 12 in Tell it Slant . DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes. In-class discussion of midterm portfolio. Please refer to the “portfolios” link on the class website for complete details.
19 OCTOBER 2016
READ: In Best: “Reflections on Indexing My Lynching Book” (page 172). Read, also, Chapters 13 & 14 in Tell it Slant. DUE: Second Writing Workshop. Please bring two copies of your draft to class. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
26 OCTOBER 2016
DUE: Midterm Portfolio. Time in class to complete your midterm portfolio coverletter. Please refer to the “portfolios” assignment link on the class website for complete details. In-class discussion about telling stories (rather than writing them), listening too This American Life. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
2 NOVEMBER 2016
LISTEN: To This American Life podcasts of the episodes “Superpowers” (episode 178) and “Ruining it For the Rest of Us” (episode ). You can listen or download these hour-long radio programs on the This American Life website: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/. The quickest way to locate both programs is to search for them by title. READ: 26-71 in To Show & To Tell. DUE: Writer’s Notebook. Reader’s Notes.
9 NOVEMBER 2016
READ: On or before 11 November 2016, in In Fact: “Looking at Emmett Till” (page 24). In Best: “Scenes from a Life in Negroland” (page 124). Read also, Chapters 6 & 7 in Tell it Slant. DUE ONLINE: On or before 11 November 2016, please post Reader’s Notes for the week to the occasional blog page for our class available off the syllabus page for this course or by clicking here. BEFORE 16 November 2011, please RESPOND to a post or several posts of your classmates.
NOTE: Actual Class Meeting Canceled. Due to the Veterans Day Holiday on the 11th (this coming Friday), Wednesday the 9th will be a Friday schedule of classes. This means that all Wednesday classes, day and evening, are closed. Confused? Me too. But it is what it is.
16 NOVEMBER 2016
READ: in Best: “It will Look Like a Sunset” (page208). Read, also, Chapter 2 in Tell it Slant and pages 82-99 & 107-115 in To Show & to Tell. DUE: Third Writing Workshop. Please bring two copies of your essay draft to class. NO READER’S NOTES or WRITER’S NOTEBOOK ARE DUE TODAY.
23 NOVEMBER 2016
Class Canceled. Due to the Thanksgiving Holiday Break, Wednesday evening classes only are canceled. DUE: By noon on Wednesday, deliver your draft of your third draft for feedback to my Tilly 310 office (include last weeks workshop drafts as well as a reflection letter: what you like best, what you want to work on in this essay) and/or email me your draft.
30 NOVEMBER 2016
READ: In In Fact: “In the Woods (page). In Best: “My Grandma the Poisoner” (page 162) and “A Man and His Cat” (page 150). Read, also, pages 64-81 in To Show & To Tell. DUE: FINAL Reader’s Notes(!). In-class discussion of final portfolios (information is available on our class website under portfolios.
7 DECEMBER 2016
DUE: Final workshops. Please have material emailed to our class for workshop reading no later than noon on Sunday, 4 December 2016 as a courtesy to each other. Please read and respond to your colleague’s work as described in the “final workshop assignment” on which complete details are available on our class website. A REMINDER: Come to class with TWO Copies of your workshop notes—one for your colleagues one for me. A NOTE: Class must start exactly at 4:45. Please come on time (that goes for me too) and ready to work.
14 DECEMBER 2016
DUE: Final Portfolios. Time in Class to write your final portfolio cover letter. with final portfolio cover letters. Due, also, Publication Talks.
21 DECEMBER 2016
Final Exam period. Dinner. Reading. Be prepared to read up to 8 minutes or four, double-spaced pages of work you are proud of for your classmates and class guests. We will dine and read. Don’t read with your mouth full. Family, friends, cherished faculty are welcome.