Week 4: Plot

Note: Ongoing assignment: Be thinking about/generating ideas for your first story, which is due Friday 2/12.

• • One possible way to start: think of two interesting characters (maybe based on people you know) who have conflicting desires.

  • Another possible way to start: peruse the newspaper or web for strange stories. Use one as the basis for your own story.

  • A third possible way: do some people-watching, take the strangest character you observe, imagine having the most bizarre conversation with them that you can imagine, and see if this turns into a story . . .

Mon 2/1--No class (English PD Day)

Tues 2/2--Read Writing Fiction, "Tower and the Net: Story Form, Plot, and Structure," pp. 230-251.

• Note: this is CHAPTER 7 so we are not going chronologically through the book.

Thurs 2/4--This assignment has two parts:

• Short story reading: "One of These Days" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (157-159) in reader. Also,

  • Short story exercise: Write a short story in 100 words. Notice that if you're going to manage a conflict, crisis, and resolution in this small space, you'll have to introduce the conflict immediately.

    • Optional: include the words "Valentine's Day" in your story.

    • Note: due to continuing internet difficulties, I haven't been able to post this assignment on Canvas yet. Please bring your story in a word doc with you to class and you'll upload the assignment during class time.

Fri 2/5--Journal entry on Canvas (you can do this assignment ahead of time on a word doc)

• • Read through your old freewrites

  • In your journal, post FIVE possible ideas for a story

  • THEN, do a freewrite on one or more of these ideas in your journal. 600 words.

    • Remember to follow Goldberg's guidelines for a freewrite.

      • Keep fingers moving; don't worry about grammar, punctuation, etc.; go for the jugular, etc.