The Writer's Workshop

Creative Writing – Quarter Two
Guidelines for the Writer’s Workshop

During the second half of this course, you will participate in a writer’s workshop. This means that you will now have control over the kind of assignments that you work on and which of those you submit to me for grading. You can write in any genre and in any style you choose. In addition, you will choose your due dates. Ultimately, the work done is up to you. Of course, there are a few guidelines.

General Guidelines
You must:
· Utilize your Writer’s Notebook.
· Come to class prepared to write everyday (a page per day is a good guide).
· Write about topics you care about.
· Have topics in mind before you come to class.
· Take risks as a writer and discover what writing can do for you.
· Focus on process not product.
· Follow these basic procedural guidelines:
o Brainstorm
o Compose (Save your work in a Word file and post your progress to your blog.)
o Self-reflect
o Revise (Turn on your Track Changes!)
o Peer Conference
o Revise based on suggestions received
o Self-Edit and/or Peer Edit
o Revise to reflected editing needs
o Publish (submit your work to me with all parts of the process)
o *You must have a teacher conference at least once at any point in the process.
· Submit at least three pieces to Solstice.
· You must show daily progress on your work.
· You must work in class every day.
· If you are not working in class, you will be asked to complete teacher generated writing exercises.
· You must write in at least two different genres. One of those must be a genre we have not tried in class.
· Your grade is based on work you decide to submit. Keep that in mind throughout the quarter.
· If any additional assignments are added by the teacher, you must complete those assignments in addition to your independent work.

The Blog
You will be given in-class writing exercises at least three times per week. You must post these to your blog. Be sure to keep them saved in Word as well in case they have the possibility of developing into a major piece. In addition, you must post your individual progress to your blog everyday (Your pace should be approximately 400 words per day.). Your blog will be checked daily.
Possible Genres
Short Stories
Short Short Stories
Fairy Tales
Myths/Legends
Fables
Children’s Books (you may illustrate this)
Poetry
Plays
Screenplays

The Writer’s Notebook
You must make at least four substantial journal entries per week. You should carry your Writer’s Notebook everywhere possible. Your Writer’s Notebook will be checked every Monday. Choose from the list of ideas below:
· Keep track of story ideas, possible characters, lines that come to you in a moment, etc.
· Make lists of things: words, books, famous people, cartoons, fuzzy animals, etc.
· Explode a moment by fast-writing about it for at least seven full minutes. Make sure that you write with as much detail as possible, drawing on all your senses. Write in the present tense if it helps.
· Write down snippets of conversations you hear during your day.
· Wake up in the morning and immediately write down everything you can remember about your dreams.
· Record your favorite lines from songs, books, stories, movies, or TV shows.
· Draw pictures and doodles. See if one of your drawings inspires you.
· Keep track of your thoughts. What have you been pondering today?
· Keep a daily journal. Record the events of your day.
· Record very close observations of things. Be sure to capture sights, sounds, textures, moods, and so on.
· Keep a list of interesting and unusual facts.
· Make a detailed list of character traits that you collect from your observations of people.
· Interview someone who may have personal experience with something that interests you.
· Make a list of several questions about a particular person, place, thing, idea, or event.
· Collect a series of photographs from a newspaper and respond to each individual picture.
· Respond to stories in the news. Cut out articles, watch CNN, or go online.
· Paste pictures, leaves, flowers, or whatever you like into your book.
· Write down a traditional family story.
· Keep a record of school related issues and give a personal response to each.
· Research facts about things that interest you: hockey, hiking, vacuum cleaners, snakes, or whatever strikes you.
· Keep a list of words you like.
· Make Wordles (www.wordle.net) or other word clouds (www.tagcrowd.com) and paste them into your notebook.
· Write anything in your Writer’s Notebook. Just write.