Week Five: Character

Monday 2/25--Story submission due. Click here for details (can also be found by going to your section's website):

Tuesday 2/26--Read three stories by you classmates (ten pages of reading total). Please write comments in the margin, but make sure those comments are either respectful questions (e.g. "I don't quite follow what's happening here") or comments on stuff that works ("what a great detail!") or spelling/grammar corrections.

Further guidelines:

a. Everyone’s work remains private.

i. Does not leave your group or this class.

b. This is NOT about your likes and dislikes.

i. Refrain from expressing your dislikes on the story.

ii. You can, however, write in the margin parts that work for you especially well.

c. Ask questions in the margins.

i. E.g. Instead of writing “This is confusing,” write “Can you clarify whether it was Mrs. Dangerfield or Little Alfie who picked up the knife?”

d. Remember that these are still early drafts, not finished pieces of writing.

i. Your job is not to criticize but to help the author fulfill her/his vision for the piece.

e. Be gentle!

i. Think of it like a first date: you want to be extra-courteous and respectful to an author whose work you've never commented on before.

f. Tomorrow, your job will mainly be to tell the author what happened in the piece and how you understand/picture the main characters. Keep that in mind as you read the pieces tonight.

Thursday 2/27--Read Chapter 4, "Building Character: Characterization Part II" (116-138) in Writing Fiction. Also, download the file below ("2/28/12--Character_details"). Follow the directions and post the list on your private journal site.

Friday 3/1--Revision of story due (limit of 1000 words). To be posted on turnitin.com.

***No need to bring a paper copy to class--just bring the writing contract!