Creative Writing Class
Melodie Harris, instructor ~ click HERE for teacher's main webpage
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purpose of the class
purpose of the class
- express self through the written word
- learn the craft of writing
- publish - share what's created
grades are weighted
grades are weighted
- 70% - final copy
- 20% - pitch piece
- 10% - everything else
units of study
units of study
possible projects
possible projects
- personal narrative
- drama - plays
- children's book
- memoir
- nonfiction
course work
course work
- quick writes
- lists-clusters-webs
- word play
- ferocious self-editing
- journaling & reflecting
- writer's chair & reader's chair
- author on tour
the process
the process
- write & rewrite - drafting
- pitch piece - present best draft
- revising time & critiques
- submit final copy for publication
journaling & writing lessons
- warm-up writing
- quick writes
- a try it exercise after a writing lesson on a skill or a technique
- dialogue, POV, setting, characterization, backstory, sensory details, vivid & active verbs, vivid nouns
- notebook of ideas, lists, brainstorming, clusters and webs, picture prompts, quick writes, reflections, journal of process, etc. (used as springboard for ideas)
write & rewrite
- play around with an idea
- writing & rewriting
- revising & editing
- experimenting w/ content
- may have multiple versions of the same idea before picking which one to go with
ferocious self-editing
- practice-practice-practice
- Given a passage, revise & edit according to Jerry Jenkins' ferocious self-editing rules. This is his term.
- JJ is a NYT best selling author the students will be learning from via his blog and videos.
word play
- writers love words
- we'll play word-related games & complete word puzzles
- poetry elements provide great fodder for writers
- rhyme
- alliteration
- onomatopoeia
- rhythm
- simile & metaphor
- personification
- hyperbole
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