assignments ENGL226 Writing About Writing: AUTHOR INTERVIEW
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Every semester that I assign this project, students complain about it. But, at the end of the semester, students almost always say that they feel that they learned more from this experience than they could have imagined. Additionally, some students have found mentors, help with publication, and advice and guidance on graduate schools and careers. Not every student will strike gold that way, but some of you will. By the end of the semester, you are responsible for interviewing an author of your choosing on the writing life. You will need to do a short write up, a summary of sorts, that hits the highlights of what you learned about making a living as a writer.
The hardest part of the assignment is getting an author to commit to an interview. You can try for a famous author if you want. Some simply won't do it. But I've seen students come away with some big scores--two years ago someone got an interview with Jodie Picoult. However you feel about her writing, she is a very busy, best-selling author, and she still agreed to an interview. You can't use a published interview or an FAQ from an author's website to stand in for an interview. You must have either a face-to-face, phone, or email conversation.
Many authors do have websites, and that is a good way to be in touch with them. You should probably send them the link to this course's website so that they know you aren't some creep trying to do something shady. You can cc me on emails if you think that helps. Published but not necessarily hugely famous authors are often good bets. You can do a BSU faculty member if you absolutely want to, but I'd prefer something with farther reach. You are not restricted to any particular genre. Anyone who calls him or herself a writer--a technical writer, a grant writer, a journalist, a screenplay writer, a greeting card writer, a novelist, a poet, whatever--is fine. If you have worries about who you are picking, just ask me. I'll certainly tell you.
On the day the interview is due, the last class before the portfolio is due, please come to class with a 2 to 3 page summary of your conversation--hit the high points of the interview. Please, also and if possible, bring any notes or emails you have from the experience to turn in to me. Be prepared to present for about two minutes to your classmates on what you learned from your author.
Some things you might cover in your summary/presentation:The thing the writer said that you didn't expect;Things the writer said that either validates or contradicts stuff we talked about in class or stuff you just generally thought about writing;Things you learned about the writing life--the money involved, health insurance, literary prizes, joy, misery, success, publication.
If you cover all that, you'll be in good shape for two to three pages.
The hardest part of the assignment is getting an author to commit to an interview. You can try for a famous author if you want. Some simply won't do it. But I've seen students come away with some big scores--two years ago someone got an interview with Jodie Picoult. However you feel about her writing, she is a very busy, best-selling author, and she still agreed to an interview. You can't use a published interview or an FAQ from an author's website to stand in for an interview. You must have either a face-to-face, phone, or email conversation.
Many authors do have websites, and that is a good way to be in touch with them. You should probably send them the link to this course's website so that they know you aren't some creep trying to do something shady. You can cc me on emails if you think that helps. Published but not necessarily hugely famous authors are often good bets. You can do a BSU faculty member if you absolutely want to, but I'd prefer something with farther reach. You are not restricted to any particular genre. Anyone who calls him or herself a writer--a technical writer, a grant writer, a journalist, a screenplay writer, a greeting card writer, a novelist, a poet, whatever--is fine. If you have worries about who you are picking, just ask me. I'll certainly tell you.
On the day the interview is due, the last class before the portfolio is due, please come to class with a 2 to 3 page summary of your conversation--hit the high points of the interview. Please, also and if possible, bring any notes or emails you have from the experience to turn in to me. Be prepared to present for about two minutes to your classmates on what you learned from your author.
Some things you might cover in your summary/presentation:The thing the writer said that you didn't expect;Things the writer said that either validates or contradicts stuff we talked about in class or stuff you just generally thought about writing;Things you learned about the writing life--the money involved, health insurance, literary prizes, joy, misery, success, publication.
If you cover all that, you'll be in good shape for two to three pages.