HEW202 - Creative Writing
Assignments

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Suggestion:  print a hard copy of these Assignments

Read

Write

Exploring Your Creative Energies

Chapter 1
Thinking About Writers and Writing

Exploring Your Own Beliefs.
(This activity is based on your response to the belief statements shown on pp 5-6).

• Discuss your circled, highlighted, and starred responses.  Post your responses in the Discussion Area and in your Writer's Journal.  Respond to other's posts.

Exploring Your Own Feelings.
(This activity is based on the explorations listed on pp 9-11).

• Respond to the exploration questions.  Write your response in your Writer's Journal.

Writing Process Self-Audit.

• Answer all questions on pp 12-13.  Send your answers to the instructor.

Writing Model:  Write a poem or short story in which two unlikely authors meet and discuss writing.

Week One

• How do these images compare to the images you wrote down in your own self-audit?  Do these images enlarge or change your understanding of writing and revising?  Post your comments in the Discussion Area.  Provide example metaphors from your self-audit to support your comments.  Respond to others' posts.

Writing is . . .

• Write your responses to the Directions shown on page 37 in your Writer's Journal.

Writing Model:  Discovering Your Muse.

• In your Writer's Journal,  list the people, places, things, situations, moods, and occasions that prompt you to write.
• Write a short reflective piece or poem to your muse.

Week Two

The Process of Creative Writing

• Collect at least five clich�d expressions or phrases.  Post them to the Discussion Area. 
• Using this collection of clich�s, write a clich� piece using as many expressions as you can.  Post this writing to the Discussion Area.
• On ____________,  vote for the best clich� piece.

Exploring the Material World:  Objects and the Senses.

• Choose from the "Paired Object," "Talismanic Object," or "Audio" exercises.
• Complete the Directions, as appropriate, in your Writer's Journal.
• Then, in your Writer's Journal, write a reflective piece discussing this writing experience.

Writing Model: Autobiography and Personal Archeology.

• Complete Directions #2 (p 63) in your Writer's Journal.
• Choose from Follow-up Activities #2, #4, or #6(p 67) to write a short story.

Week Three

(This activity is based upon your reading of John's and Ray's journals p 87 & p 89)

• In what ways does John's journal differ from Ray's journal?   What portions of each journal seem most valuable to you?  Post your responses in the Discussion Area.  Respond to others' posts.
• In your Writer's Journal, respond to Exploration #4, pp 85-86.

Writing Model:  Biography

• You will be paired with another individual in this class.   Contact each other via email and find out several odd, unusual, or interesting things about him/her.  Write a brief biography of that person based upon your discoveries.

Week Four

The final stories will be posted in the Discussion Area at the beginning of next week.

The Fifteen-Sentence Portrait.

• Complete the Directions on pp 133-134.
• In your Writer's Journal explain the effects of this exercise.

Writing Model:  Writing Art About Art

• Choose TWO explorations from those listed on pp 112-114.

Week Five

• In the Discussion Area post your response to Self-Analysis Exercise #5 (p 147).
• In your Writer's Journal, answer Self-Analysis Exercises #1 & #2 (p 146).

Writing Model:  Informal Research

• Complete a research paper involving a famous literary influence.  

A Writing Conference:  Email a piece of your writing that has not been previously submitted to this class to your instructor for review.

Week Six

Chapter Eight
Evaluating Your Writing

How do you feel about the process of revising your writing?  Do you believe it is a necessary step in the writing process?  Write your feelings in your Writer's Journal.

Writing Model:  Word and Sentence Exercises.

• Complete the Descriptive Word Exercise on pp 190-191.
• Complete the Sentence Revision Exercises #1 & #2 on p 191.
• Complete Syllable and Word Eperiment #1 on p 192.

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You previously identified attributes of good writing.  Now you will decide what the basic, essential criteria is for an A paper, a B paper, a C paper, and a D paper.  By Friday, your group will post your conclusions in the Discussion Area.  In your discussions, be sure to consider the Questions on pp 203 & 204.

Using the piece of writing shared during the previous writing conference, write a process cover sheet narration similar to the example on pp 206-208 in   your Writer's Journal.

Week Seven

Week Eight

The Results of Writing

In your Writer's Journal, respond to Explorations #1 and #2 on p 230.

Writing Model:  Poetry

Select one of the following situations, write a poem of not more than ten lines, avoid rhyme and focus on image and thought:

• an accident on or near a lake that you witnessed
• a time when you became angry and were tempted to strike out in physical violence.
• a time when you were disappointed about the lose of a job, a promotion, or the affection of another person.
• you listen to or read a news story about violence in a place in the world that is unfamiliar to you.

Select one of the following ideas and using details and imagery, write a poem of not more than ten lines.  You may choose to use rhyme:

• observe a small natural object and describe it in detail
• watch a boring process (i.e. an insect crawling up a wall) and describe it in detail.
• remember something your parents did when you were a child and describe the details of doing it.
• feel the emotions you dealt with upon the death of a pet and describe the pet and your emotions

Write short poems (not more than five lines) using a simile, a metaphor, and a symbol.

Week Nine

In your Writer's Journal, reflect upon the importance of dialogue in fiction writing. 

Writing Model: Fiction

Select TWO of the following prompts.  Write to any length that effectively completes your writing:

• (Plot)  Choose a short story and write a different ending.   You only have to write your new ending.
• (Setting)  Go somewhere you have never been and describe the place.
• (Characterization)  Write a character sketch with two characters, one based on you ten years ago and the other on you ten years from now.   Give your characters names and create a situation in which they interact.  Use dialogue.
• (Conflict) Write a short story where the main character is torn between two forces, i.e. honor and greed
• (Point of View)  From an objective point of view, describe something that happened to you.

Week Ten

Based on your reading and personal experience, reflect upon what makes drama different than short fiction.  Write your thoughts in your Writer's Journal.

Writing Model:  Drama

• Take a familiar and favorite short story and dramatize it.
• In collaboration with another student in this class, write a one act play, all elements of your choosing.  Email the instructor as soon as possible the names of the playwrights.  If you are unable to locate a partner, the instructor will provide one for you.

Week Eleven

Week Twelve

What type of person reads science fiction?   Reflect upon the type of person who would read or not read science fiction in your Wirter's Journal.

Writing Model:  Science Fiction

• Write a science fiction story using the elements you or other learners identified earlier.

Week Thirteen

Re-read the last paragraph of Writing Percy, p 269.  What do you think is the secret to writing for children?   Write your reflection in your Writer's Journal.

Writing Model:  Children's Fiction

• Write a children's story, within the limitations of online writing, illustrate your story, and share it with a child.

Week Fourteen

Do you think TV journalism will eventually replace written journalism?  Reflect on your opinion in your Writer's Journal.

Writing Model:  A Family Story

• Write a personal story of "growing up."

Week Fifteen

"We Knew You When . . ."

Use the technology available to you and publish your work on your own personal web page.  Yahoo.com and Go.com offer free websites.

Use this last week to organize your Writer's Journal and send any writing that has yet to be submitted by email.  Send your Writer's Journal and Writing Models on Wednesday of this week to the address shown in the Instructor's Notes..

Lastly, please reflect upon your experiences during this class.   Post in the Discussion Area.

Week Sixteen