Due: Friday, May 15th
(but extensions possible through May 22nd!)
Here's the turnitin.com info:
Class ID: 23771899
Enrollment key: English
Click here
Please revise the story you workshopped or your other main story submission (but you can also write something new--just discuss this with me first)
Instructions for handing in your final piece:
Revise your story
Write a reflection on what you revised and why (instructions below)
Post your story and the reflection on turnitin.com
Word count: 1000 words + 250 word reflection= 1,250 words
You will be graded on
Correct formatting, spelling, grammar, other mechanical issues
Really important to get this stuff right in your final draft
Demonstration of thoughtful revision in story
Note, you must revise the story
In other words, it's not an option to hand in the same story you submitted for workshopping or for me to critique
If you hand in the same story, your grade will be substantially lower.
It's possible that you love your story as is and don't really feel that it needs changing. Not a problem--with writing, you can (and should) always keep successive drafts. For this assignment, I only ask that you play around with your story. Remember that you learn from taking risks and honoring your intuition. DO NOT PLAY IT SAFE!
Try something wacky, like changing the POV or form
Change the beginning and see where the new beginning leads you
Cut a scene and add a new one
Go straight to the conflict (cut your beginning) and expand on your crisis scene
Please consult the writing contract before you hand in your piece.
Proofread your piece and check for errors
Remember--I do take off points for mechanical errors
Instructions for Reflections on Revision:
B) Required: At the bottom of your story, please write the following:
What you revised and why
Be specific in your description of what you revised
State which suggestions you're using and why
Which suggestions did you decide not to use? (Totally fine not to use them--you should always go with your own gut when revising!)
Tell me what you're proud of in the revision
Tell me what you think might still need work
Any questions for me?
How long did the revision take you?
Minimum word count for the reflection: 250 words but can be longer
VERY IMPORTANT! By revision, I don't simply mean fixing punctuation, grammar, spelling, etc.
(though this is all extremely important).
Revision means (among other things):
cutting paragraphs
re-writing dialogue
fleshing out a scene, character, detail or setting
eliminating a scene
providing background on a character
adding a flashback
even re-writing the entire story from scratch
pov change
To this effect, I recommend you re-type the story and read it out loud--
don't just cut and paste, using the delete key on an earlier draft. Even better, put the earlier drafts away and re-write your story without looking at them. This will help you eliminate the "darlings" in your writing.