WEEKLY COURSE
SCHEDULE: Week 3
Extra Credit:
Terry McLaughlin on Becoming a Writer: Sat., Feb. 9 at 2 pm at the Humboldt
County Main Library, 1313 3rd St., Eureka.
Open Mike Poetry Reading: Monday, Feb. 11th. Poets on the Plaza at
the Plaza Grill View Room, 2nd Floor, Jacoby's Storehouse 8th and H in Arcata.
Signups at 7:30 pm; reading starts at 8 pm.
Remember, all you have to do is go, take notes, get a program of ticket stub,
and write a one-page journal (double-spaced) that is your review of the event.
The journal is due at the next class session. The extra credit is worth 20
pts., but you can only do one extra credit for the semester.
| 2/9 | Class 3 | 1) Syllabus calendar and Dave will read a strong piece from the stack. |
| 2) Share your first kiss story | ||
| 3) Share BBB quotes from readings. | ||
| 4) Discuss "Lamb to the Slaughter" and figure out the story. Also discuss types of irony and what they can be used for. | ||
| 5) Notes on copy editing marks | ||
| 6) Review rules on dialogue | ||
| 7) Share exercise 2 in small groups. | ||
| 6) Dave will hand back graded work. | ||
| Homework | 1) Find a copy of your favorite recipe or type it up--bring 10 copies to Class 4. Do note, however, that 2/15 is a holiday, so our next class is 2/22 | |
| 2) Choose one of the following exercise on irony and write two-four pages--and make five copies to bring to class to share in a small group. Do try to incorporate some dialogue in this sketch. | ||
| A) Create a character with a phobia of something and write a sketch in which the character in trying to avoid his/her habit, runs directly into it. That's situational irony. | ||
| B) Create a character who has difficulty responding to anything without being sarcastic. Bring this character into contact with someone who is very sincere--and then watch how they interact with one another. This will work particularly well if the sincere character wants to change the world for the better, but is slightly over-obsessed about doing that. This exercise is practice in verbal irony. | ||
| C) Create a character and set him/her in motion toward a goal, but then tell us (the audience) something important that that character doesn't know--and then watch as that character heads right toward that thing. This should create tension or humor or at least expectation. That's dramatic irony. | ||
| 3) Read "How to Become a Writer" by Lorrie Moore, paying particular attention to the ironies--and come prepared to discuss what makes this a story. | ||
| 4) Read BBB and mark up to share quotes/ideas with class. Read pp. 16-32 and do record any great quotes in your writer's journal. Bring your book to class to share these quotes. | ||
| 5) Also, do pick up a copy of this week Northcoast Journal, which is a special fiction issue, featuring a piece by former local writer Crawdad Nelson. |
Note: The above assignments and deadlines are subject to change in the event of extenuating circumstances.