Treatment

Come up with your own full-length story. It can be a play, a novel, or a screenplay. Describe your story using one of the following two formats:

Hero's Journey

• This is what we used to analyze Finding Nemo. Click here for the outline.
• Include both the 12 stages and the 7 archetypes.

Three-act Structure

• Outline: Catalyst, Big Event, Pinch, Crisis, Showdown, Realization. Click here for help.
• Summary: Write the core story in three paragraphs (one for the beginning, one for the middle, and one for the end).

Due Sunday, 1/3 @ midnight

Film Analysis

We watched Finding Nemo on Friday, 12/4 and Tuesday, 12/8. You guys analyzed that film using the hero's journey. You looked at the twelve stages and the seven archetypes.

Now I want you to do the same thing for another film. You choose this one. You decide how this looks on your blog. Your classmates will be reading it and commenting on it, so make it accessible.

Due Sunday, December 13

+2 comments by Friday, December 18

A Gift I'd Like to Give - Reflection

To get credit for the final draft, click here to submit your reflection.

I want to know what, if any, changes you made to your final draft.

Young Writers Contest

The Deseret News announced its John Hughes Young Writers Contest, which is an essay contest to showcase the talent of Utah's young writers. Your next assignment is to submit an entry (while posting your entry on your blog). Dude, you can win a thousand bucks.

Click here for the handout.
Click here for the contest timeline.

• Open to juniors and seniors in Utah
• 1,000-word limit, non-fiction essay based on personal experience, observation, or opinion
• Send in an e-mail to youngwriters@desnews.com (no attachments) by 5pm Friday, Nov. 20
• Include your name, address, telephone number, and high school
  

Post your first draft by Sunday, November 8 @ midnight
Post your final draft by Friday, November 20 @ 5pm

Poem 3: Love Poem

You've written a poem about memories and you've told your life story through a poem. Now I want you to write a poem about love. (Does a better topic exist?) This doesn't mean I want a cliche poem with red roses and blue violets... A poem about love could be anything: something you love (football, coins, skateboarding), someone you love (mom, sister, girlfriend), someone you want to love (dad, brother, that boy/girl in your A3 class), or something/someone you used to love.
A love poem doesn't have to be happy or sad or hopeful or cynical. It can be whatever you want it to be. We've looked at a lot of poems. Even if you don't think you can write poetry yet, you're figuring out what you like in a poem and what doesn't work in a poem. Try to use that.

Due Sunday, 11/1 @ midnight

+2 comments by Friday, 11/6

Poem 2: Life Story

Write a poem telling your life story. Good luck.

Use this format if you want.

Know the difference between poetry and prose. The poem tells your life story, but it's different than telling your life story...you understand?!?!? Also, I understand some of you have still kept your identity hidden from other students in the class. This assignment could reveal who you are...or, it could teach you a lesson in poetry: sometimes you don't have to come right out and say everything.

Remember: poets are writers who strive to say things in fewer, more powerful, more carefully chosen words.

Due Sunday, 10/25 @ midnight

+2 comments by Friday, 10/30

Poem 1: I Remember

Finally, we're going to write some poetry. Your first poetry assignment is inspired by writing prompt #16, I Remember. Joe Brainard created a book full of memories he begins with I remember. Use this format to write your poem.

Due Sunday, 10/18 @ midnight

Journal Entry

Your next writing assignment may seem like an easy one: publish one of your journal entries. It would be easy if you didn't have to revise it. But would it be good?

Choose one of your journal entries (Prompts #1-15), and revise it. Publish the polished version (with title and prompt #).

Due Sunday, 10/11 @ midnight

Impulse 2

Remember our discussion on conflict and high stakes.

Click here for notes on scenes.

Write a scene (remember, dialogue only) using the following image:

A busy coffee shop. An afternoon on a winter weekend. We hear the clatter of dishes and cups being cleared. It is cold outside and the windows have steamed over: inside it is warm, a little too warm, steamy and muggy. Coats and sweaters and scarves are draped over the back of chairs and booths, and hang from hooks on the wall. Puddles of dirty water have formed under the tables- the drippings from shoes. Two people are sitting at a table by a window. One of them studies the menu. The other person does not look at the menu. Finally, the person looking at the menu speaks. What does this person say?

Due Sunday, 10/4 @ midnight

+2 comments by Friday, 10/9

Sketch Writing

Your next writing assignment is to write a sketch (of a character, object, or incident).

Click here for notes on sketches.

Some things are easier to inspire than assign. I will say this: no matter what you choose to focus on in your sketch (a character, an object, or an incident), choose only specific details that will contribute to a specific overall impression. In other words, FOCUS on a specific mood you want your sketch to convey.

We will be in the writing lab Friday, 9/25 working on our sketches. It will be due Sunday, 9/27 @ midnight.

+ 2 comments by Friday, 10/2.

Scene

On Tuesday we did a writing activity (The Impulse) designed to get you in touch with your subconscious mind. We spent 15 minutes crafting a dialogue between these two people in the car.

That was your first draft. Thursday, we will be in the writing lab revising those scenes.

Rules:

• Your scene must be written in script format (character name, dialogue). No he said/she said or narrative description.
• Your scene can be as long/short as you need it to be.
• Your scene must be inspired by The Impulse image read in class.
• Click here for notes on scenes

Post your scene on your blog by Sunday, 9/20 @ midnight
+2 comments due by Friday, 9/25

First Page

On Friday we talked about openings and hooking your reader. The goal is to help you revise the opening of your story.

Here's your assignment:
Post the first page of your story on your blog. Your story can be a short story or a novel, as long as it's fiction. Remember the elements: Plot, Character, Conflict, Theme, Setting.

It's up to you how long your first page is. Feel free to end in the middle of a sentence. Just get your reader interested enough that she wants to move on to page two.

Also: read at least two writers' posts and leave a comment on their page. Your comment should include a prediction of what this story is about. (Think plot, character, conflict...and tone/genre. Is this a comedy, romance, fantasy, realistic fiction, what?)

Due Sunday, 9/13 @ midnight.
****NEW****Comments due Friday, 9/18 @ midnight.

Intro

Your first writing assignment is to write an introduction about yourself as a writer. I'm not interested in how many brothers and sisters you have- rather, why are you in this creative writing class?

Some things to consider:

• Which do you like more, reading or writing? Why? Which are you better at?
• How would you characterize a writer? (Personality, social status, etc.)
• What is your experience as a writer? (School vs. Personal, what have you written, do you keep a journal?)
• What do you like about writing?
• What is your favorite type of writing? (Genre, style, form).
• Do you want to be a writer? Why?

Also: read at least two writers' posts and leave a comment on their page.

Due Friday, 9/4 @ midnight

Welcome

Welcome to Lone Peak's Creative Writing class blog. This is my second year at Lone Peak, and my first year teaching creative writing. I am extremely excited for this guinea pig of a class we have here. I'm going to try out all kinds of stuff on you guys, so be prepared.

This blog will have two functions.

• #1: Assignments, prompts, and other correspondence from me to you will take place on this blog. I will update it regularly, and you can post questions if you have any. You'll always know what is expected of you, and when things are due.

• #2: Each writer in this class will create his/her own blog. There will be a link to each student's blog (as a list on the left of this page). Your blog will be your online portfolio. You will post your writing weekly and other students will read and respond to your work. You will get credit for posting your work and posting comments on other writers' blogs.

Assignment #1
Create your own blog and e-mail me the address (knelson@alpine.k12.ut.us). Feel free to keep this anonymous (come up with a pen name). There are many free blog services out there, such as blogger, wordpress, or livejournal. Surf around and find the one that works best for you.
DUE: THURSDAY, 8/27

Invitation