Note: Ongoing assignment: Be thinking about/generating ideas for your first story, which is due Monday 3/3.
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, suggested by "While the Women Are Sleeping": 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 2/17--NO SCHOOL!
Tues 2/18--Read Writing Fiction, "Tower and the Net: Story Form, Plot, and Structure," pp. 247-265. Note: this is CHAPTER 7 so we are not going chronologically through the book.
Thur 2/20--Short story reading: "One of These Days" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez (157-159). 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.
Fri 2/21--Writing workshop day. For tonight,
In your journal, post FIVE possible ideas for a story
Do a freewrite on one or more of these ideas in your journal. 500 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.
Also, please post your 100 word story on the class website (site on website to be made on Thursday)