ENG310: Professional Writing, Fall 2007
Schedule

Week 1: Introducing Ourselves

9/5 (W)
Introduction & syllabus; why we read/why we write.
Assignment for 9/7: Read Introduction and Chapter 1 through p. 14 of Crafting a Life.  Write a couple of pages about why you write, or respond to anything in the reading.

9/7 (F)
Discussion of your writing and the reading.  Announcement: lunchtime discussion of reading, today at noon in the cafeteria in KCC, sponsored by Dr. Galloway; free-wheeling discussion on anything you like to read; a purely voluntary activity, for the fun of it!
Assignment for 9/10: Read "Why I Write" by George Orwell, "Why I Write" by Joan Didion (handout), and "Why Do I Write?" by Natalie Goldberg.
Highly recommended: Freedom Writers, Sunday evening convo (6:00 p.m.)

Week 2: The Process: Getting Started

9/10 (M)
Discussion of reading.  Elements of the writing process and the workshop approach.
Assignment for 9/12: Read pp. 15-27 of Crafting a Life and Chapter 1 of The Courage to Write (handout).

9/12 (W)
Discussion of reading.  Ways to get started.  In-class writing: some suggestions from Natalie Goldberg in Writing Down the Bones.
Assignment for 9/14: Read Introduction through "Getting Started" in Bird by Bird. Select a short text by an author that you really, really like--anything from political writing to sports writing to a poem to a picture book text, and beyond. We'll use it for an in-class activity.

9/14 (F)
Notebook check: Amanda Atkinson, Brooke Barr, Julia Brockman, Erin Brummett, CJ Caniglia.  Discussion of reading.  In-class activity: analyzing voice.
Assignment for 9/17: Read Chapter 2 of Crafting a Life.

Week 3: The Writing Life--Thinking about Voice

9/17 (M)
Continued analysis of voice. Discussion of reading.  Film clip: Finding Forrester.  Assignment (due 10/12): find out what you can about the writing practices of a favorite author, using interviews, biography, autobiography, etc.; keep notes (which can be part of your notebook); write a couple of pages about some aspect(s) of this writer's process/practices.
Assignment for 9/19: Imitation assignment.  Optional:  watch the rest of Finding Forrester.

9/19 (W)
Continuation of imitation.  Discussion and analysis.
Assignment for 9/21: Read Chapter 2 of Crafting a Life.  Select and bring to next class 3-4 writing samples that really embody your voice as a writer.

9/21 (F)
Notebook check: Elizabeth Connor, Bethany Funkhouser, Joy Griffith, Sarah-Reuben Jones, Michelle Kratzer, Christine Larkin.  In-class activity:  Review samples of writing that embody your personal voice, and describe them closely, being very specific. 
Assignment for 9/24: Quick first take on revising: Select a text or a passage from a text you have written in the past, one that you were not very happy with, and revise it to embody more of the best elements of your own voice.  Read "Shitty First Drafts" through "Polaroids" in Bird by Bird and "Revising Out and Revising In" by Wendy Bishop (handout). 

Week 4: The Writing Life--Revising

9/24 (M)
Sharing your revision.  Presentation of revising assignment.
Assignment for 9/26: Work on revision. Read "A Study in Sentence Style" by Wendy Bishop.

9/26 (W)
Continued work on revision. Examples of effective writing: rhythm and repetition.
Assignment for 9/28: Continue working on revision. Read "From Correct to Effect: Revising Alternate Styles" by Melissa A. Goldthwaite (omitted from schedule).

9/28 (F)
Notebook check: Sarah Leeth, Kevin McDonald, Madison McElmurray, Alisha Mitchell, Sheila Pangle. Discussion of selected revisions.
Assignment for 10/1: Read "Index Cards" through "Writing Groups" in Bird by Bird. Optional additional reading: "The Tractable Apostrophe" from Eats, Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss (handout). Continue working on revisions.

Week 5: The Writing Life--Making Use of Response

Each of you should meet with me during one of our class meetings this week to discuss your revision assignment.

10/1 (M)
Discussion of reading.  "With a little help from my friends."  Working on writing style: balance. Examples of effective writing: rhythm and repetition. See A Handbook of Rhetorical Devices.
Assignment for 10/3: Read "Rhetorical Patterns of Sentences" by Richard M. Weaver.

10/3 (W)
Continued work on writing style. Some examples from sports writing.
Assignment for 10/5: Read "Someone to Read Your Draft" through "Writer's Block" in Bird by Bird and "Fighting Tofu" by Natalie Goldberg (handout).

10/5 (F)
Notebook check: Erin Ralston, Bryan Staudt, Kari Thorstenson, Sarah Beth Walton. Discussion of reading. Preparing your midterm portfolio.
Assignment for 10/10: Work on midterm portfolio. Read Chapter 3 of Crafting a Life.

Week 6: Portfolio Preparation

10/10 (W)
Workshop with mini-conferences on portfolio.
Assignment for 10/12:  Work on midterm portfolio.
Read selectively from my list of essays.

10/12 (F)
Notebook check: Amanda Atkinson, Brooke Barr, Julia Brockman, Erin Brummett, CJ Caniglia. Workshop on portfolio.
Assignment for 10/15:  Finish midterm portfolio.
Read selectively from my list of essays.

Week 7: Writing for Publication--Research

10/15 (M)
Portfolio due.  Discussion of reading. Exercise:  Analysis of what you enjoy reading, what you enjoy writing.
Assignment for 10/17:  Look at some magazines that you read regularly. Would you classify the nonfiction pieces as articles or essays?  Why?

10/17 (W)
Meet in Alexander Mack Memorial Library. Researching periodicals. Alternate venue: research blogs.
Assignment for 10/19: Analyze one specific periodical that you can imagine yourself writing for. Brainstorm for a text that you would write and submit to that periodical for potential publication. Alternate venue: start your own blog. 

10/19 (F)
Notebook check: Elizabeth Connor, Bethany Funkhouser, Joy Griffith, Sarah-Reuben Jones, Michelle Kratzer, Christine Larkin. Workshop on periodical writing assignment.
Assignment for 10/22:  Continue working on periodical writing assignment. Begin reading Chapter 6 of Crafting a Life and continue over the next week.

Week 8: Nonfiction for Publication--Research & Writing, continued

Midterm Conferences during class

10/22 (M)
Workshop on periodical writing assignment.
Assignment for 10/24: Continue working on periodical writing assignment.

10/24 (W)
Workshop on style.
Assignment for 10/26: Complete periodical writing assignment.

10/26 (F)
More on style: passage from Bleak House. Notebook check: Sarah Leeth, Kevin McDonald, Madison McElmurray, Alisha Mitchell, Sheila Pangle. Periodical writing assignment due. Discussion of the fiction we enjoy reading.
Assignment for 10/20: Read Chapter 4 of Crafting a Life.

Week 9: Writing Fiction

10/29 (M)
Discussion of reading; discussion of fiction.
Assignment for 10/31: Read "Character," "Plot," and "Dialogue" in Bird by Bird.

10/31 (W)
Discussion of reading. Getting started on fiction.
Assignment for 11/2: Read "Set Design," "False Starts," "Plot Treatment," and "How Do You Know When You're Done" in Bird by Bird. Work on fiction.

11/2 (F)
Notebook check: Erin Ralston, Bryan Staudt, Kari Thorstenson, Sarah Walton. Workshop on fiction.
Assignment for 11/5: Read Part Two: The Writing Frame of Mind in Bird by Bird. Continue work on fiction.

Week 10: Writing Fiction, continued

11/5 (M)
Workshop on fiction: giving and receiving feedback.
Assignment for 11/7: Revise as needed. Read as recommended (individualized suggestions).

11/7 (W)
Workshop on editing. Recommended evening activity, Nov. 8: Hear African American poets read at JMU's Memorial Hall Auditorium (the old Harrisonburg High School) at 7:00 p.m.
Assignment for 11/9: Continue revising as needed. Select a poem you've written, or select a published poem that you love, for sharing in Friday's class.

11/9 (F)
Follow-up on Editing. Notebook check: Amanda Atkinson, Brooke Barr, Julia Brockman, Erin Brummett, CJ Caniglia. Fiction (short story or excerpt of longer text) due. Discussion of writing poetry; sharing poetry we love, poetry we're working on.
Assignment for 11/12: Read Chapter 5 of Crafting a Life. Work on poetry.

Week 11: Writing Poems

11/12 (M)
Workshop on poetry.
Assignment for 11/14: Continue work on poetry.

Movie in BOWMAN 301 9:00 p.m. Tuesday.

11/14 (W)
Workshop on poetry.
Assignment for 11/16: Prepare one or more poems for feedback. Watch movie and write about it in notebook: What connections do you see with your own writing? Work on poetry.

11/16 (F)
Class canceled: watch movie on reserve.  You can find me in my office if you need to see me. Notebook check: Elizabeth Connor, Bethany Funkhouser, Joy Griffith, Sarah-Reuben Jones, Michelle Kratzer, Christine Larkin.
Assignment for 11/19: Work on poetry.

Week 12: Revisiting/Revising

11/19 (M)--Meet in Bowman 310
Workshop on Web page writing. Notebook check: Sarah Leeth, Kevin McDonald, Madison McElmurray, Alisha Mitchell, Sheila Pangle, Erin Ralston, Bryan Staudt, Kari Thorstenson, Sarah Walton.
Assignment for 11/26:  Work on portfolio.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Week 13: Portfolio Preparation

11/26 (M)--Meet in Bowman 310
Workshop.
Assignment for 11/28: Work on portfolio.

11/28 (W)
Guest speaker (tentative)
Assignment for 11/30:  Work on portfolio.

11/30 (F)
Workshop.
Assignment for 12/3:  Select one or more pieces for presentation in class.

Week 14: Presentation and Self-Assessment

12/3 (M)
Presentations.
Assignment for 12/5:  Write a self-assessment for inclusion in portfolio.

12/5 (W)
Notebook due.  Presentations.

Final Exam Period
Portfolio due. Editing test.

Completed Classes:

Updated by Dr. Trupe Oct. 19, 2007