In this exercise, I ask my Craft of Prose students to think about the ways in which one element of their worlds—sports—can reveal a great deal about cultural values in addition to demonstrating some of what’s possible. With the class having just read about the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and been introduced briefly to other examples of games popular fiction, they will create their own sport, have a partner demonstrate, in a charades-like fashion, how that sport works, so that the writer m then ask themselves if they effectively described the sport in “All in Good Sport.”
First few lines from “Why I Write Poems About My Body”
Yesterday I drafted a poem titled “Why I Write Poems About My Body.” As an undergrad professor, I’ve been thinking a lot about what writing I was exposed to when I was an undergraduate, what that offered me, and how it limited me. One part ars poetica, one part invective, the poem needed me to write it, even if only for myself.
Good way to start any draft
Writing Exercise: “Dursleyish: Writing Unlikeable Characters” for Craft of Prose
As an icebreaker for my worldbuilding-themed Craft of Prose class, a Harry Potter text provides the inspiration for this exercise in creating unlikeable characters. Students start this “Dursleyish” writing exercise by drawing their character and then freewriting about that character’s day-to-day routine.
Writing Exercise: “Of Violins and Violence” for Poetry Workshop
With a subscription to Poetry magazine as one of the required texts for my Poetry Workshop class, students will have read “Violins” by Rowan Ricardo Phillips prior to completing this exercise, “Of Violins and Violence,” based around the tension between similar sounding words.
“Reasons for Creating a New Literary Magazine” Assignment for Literary Editing & Publishing Class
My students read a number of excerpts from the text Paper Dreams: Writers and Editors on the American Literary Magazine (Atticus Books, 2014) in preparation for today’s class, and one of those excerpts was of Jill Allyn Rosser’s “Reasons for Creating a New Literary Magazine.” In class, I’m asking students to come up with their own reasons for creating a literary magazine in the “Reasons for Creating a New Literary Magazine” in-class writing assignment, and I’m giving them the freedom of being sincere or tongue-in-cheek in their tone.
“How to Become a Writer” Exercise
For the second day of class in ENG 2031: Craft of Prose, students will begin the day by reading an excerpt from Lorrie Moore’s piece “How to Become a Writer” and then write directions for themselves about becoming a writer in this “How to Become a Writer” Exercise on Google Drive.
#FridayWritingDay
Now that the semester is here again, I have to make sure to protect my writing and research time so that I stay focused and productive on my own creative and scholarly projects while also staying focused and productive on my teaching. For that reason, I try to reserve Fridays for my writing day. Because I don’t teach on Fridays, it’s the perfect time for me to assess all of the energy and ideas I’ve had throughout the week, throughout my class discussions, and empty myself before the weekend, during which I try to have at least one day of self-care, time for myself, away from grading, away from writing, away from any kind of work. I find that I’m more productive in all of my endeavors if I protect my writing and self-care time, and I find that I’m happier, healthier, and more energetic when I return to work on Monday. Additionally, I like to think of my #FridayWritingDay as one kind of self-care I practice throughout the semester, and it also serves to keep my Professional Development & Scholarship, a component of my faculty assessment, current and relevant.
Some writers who teach protect their writing time by getting up really early in the morning and writing every day. Others I know only write during winter and summer breaks. How do you protect your writing time? I’d love to hear your strategies, so feel free to comment below!
Introductions and the Alias of Imagination for First Day of Craft of Prose
Note: In an effort to keep this blog updated regularly, I’m going to be storing my writing exercises and handouts in my Google Drive. I will post these exercises as a link here.
This single document includes two components:
- An introduction questionnaire, allowing students to tell me a little about them, their needs, and their preferences.
- A Writing Exercise in which students introduce themselves by creating a fake or exaggerated writer’s bio or acknowledgments page, titled “Alias of Imagination.”
Students will read two of Michael Martone’s flash CNF pieces titled “Contributor’s Notes” and “Acknowledgments” by Paul Theroux. This should be a fun way for students to tell one another about themselves while exercising their skills on the page.
Poetry Reading Calibration and a Writing Exercise for the First Day of Poetry Workshop
Note: In an effort to keep this blog updated regularly, I’m going to be storing my writing exercises and handouts in my Google Drive. I will post these exercises as a link here.
This single document includes three different components:
- An introduction questionnaire, allowing students to tell me a little about them, their needs, and their preferences.
- A Poetry Reading Calibration Exercise, featuring Ari Banias’s poem “A Sunset.”
- A Writing Exercise titled “Home” after the Safiya Sinclair poem by the same name.
I’m giving these exercises on the first day of class in order to get a better sense of where the students are in terms of their poetry knowledge and reading ability. Additionally, I wanted to introduce them to some terminology (e.g. line breaks, tone, concrete details, etc.) that will make it easier for them to talk about poetry throughout the course.
Emilia Phillips 