Writers Workshop Syllabus                                back

Introduction: Writer’s workshop – What is it, rules and guidelines

Handouts:

    Don Murray’s Reasons to Write

    Don Murray’s Excuses for Not Writing

    Writer’s Workshop Expectations

    Writer’s Workshop Rules

    In Collecting Your Writing Territories

    Individualized Proofreading List

    Editing Checksheet

Mini-lessons:           

    What is writer’s workshop?

    Writing territories

    Your writing handbook           

Assignments:

    What is writing brainstorm

    List of Writing Territories

    Set up Writer’s Handbook

Poetry

Handouts:

    What Do You Notice: Poetry

    Polishing Poems

    Poetry Packet

    Music, Imagery, Metaphor

    Ways In To Poetry

    Poetry With Ways In To Poetry

Mini-lessons:           

    Music, imagery, metaphor

    Heart map

    Word pool                                               

Assignments:

    Heart Map

    3-5 pages of rough draft/week

    1 finished piece through revision/3 weeks

    Word pool 

Memoir

Handouts:

    What is Memoir?

    Ways In To Memoir

    Finding Your Core Story

    Ms. Tigner’s “How To Be My Father”

    Punctuating Conversation

    Make a Movie Behind Your Eyes

    Leah: Version I

    Leah: Version II                                               

Mini-lessons:

    Photo Assigment

    Snapshots & Thoughtshots

    “ME” Web

    Free-writes

    Hand-mapping

    Writing and punctuating dialogue

    Growing Leads

    Finding your core story

Assignments:

    Writing from a photograph: snapshots, thoughtshots,

            questions and free-writes. 

    I remember…I remember…I remember… (snapshots)

    “How to be …..” (writing about a family member)

    Free write from list (exercise #4)

    ME web

    Brainstorm off web

    More Snapshots

    More Thoughtshots

    Hand mapping

    Dialogue exercise

    Growing Leads

    Finding Your Core Story exercise

    Write your memoir 

Creative Non-Fiction 

Handouts:

    Creative Non-Fiction

    Packet of Examples 

Mini-lesson:

    What is Creative Non-Fiction, looking at examples 

Assignment:

    Brainstorm a list of issues

    Free-write an experience

    Write a creative-non fiction essay (2 pages, double-spaced) 

Short Stories 

Handouts:

    Writing a Short Story

    Developing a Short Story from a Premise

    Ways to Develop a Character

    Main Character Questionnaire

    Story examples 

Mini-lessons:           

    Developing a Short Story from a Premise

    The Idea Box

    Looking at character and setting

    Plot Line 

Assignments:

    Annotate “Developing a Short Story from a Premise”

    Write some premises for stories

    Fill out “Main Character Questionnaire” and give

            your character to your writing partner.

    Write a short story. Have a questionnaire for your main character.