Writing 12, Monday, Sept. 20

Thank you for your compelling responses to Patrick Lane. If you were absent today, be sure and get these in first thing Tuesday morning.

This week:

GET TO A LITERARY EVENT. DO NOT DELAY! 10% BONUS. SEE FRIDAY'S BLOG POST FOR SUGGESTED VENUES.

Monday: We handed our workshop groups our poems for editing. Be prepared to discuss these and return the poems Wednesday. Submit this poem Thursday with the heading: WORKSHOPPED so I know which one you've already edited thoroughly. I will edit the other poem thoroughly.

Our focus this week is describing people in poems. We read several great student examples today in class. If you were absent, read them tomorrow during USSR.

Tuesday: Claire M. and Sara will present Lorna Crozier's work to the class.

Wednesday: workshopping and completing poems for Thursday

Thursday: Two poems due. Thurs. night at SMUS, four poets will be reading. It's in the little building on McRae St. at Richmond. 7 pm. start. Poets: Patricia Young, Eve Joseph, Dorothy Field and Susan Stenson are reading.

Friday: Our first class reading in the library. Thanks to Tara, Claire M, Robyn V. Hanna and Sara for offering to set up. Meet in the library at 8:45 if you can help to set up. Students go directly to the library before 9:05.

Sat. Book Launch at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. 7 pm for refreshments from Truffles Catering. Yum. Readings begin at 7:30 p.m. Free admission.

Tonight: Finish the poem we started in class.
1. Stanza one: describe the setting.
2. STanza two: have the character do something
3. Stanza three: describe the light there
4. Finish this prompt He/She believes . ..
5. Use this prompt, Yesterday, (then describe something that went wrong)
6. Use this prompt If only . . .
7. Try to help this person but know you can't (the person helping may be a new character or use I or some other point of view, you, we, he, they, she etc)
8. Finish with a stanza describing a new aspect of the setting (aim for showing us something we couldn't or didn't see before so that this stanza will now become a symbol for the character.

Choose a key title

i.e. The Spirit Walker, The Sad Girl, The Gregarious Optician, The Insomniac, etc allow your descriptions to flesh out these imaginary characters. You may also have someone in mind as you are describing them but now they are becoming this strange title: The Quieter Mary, Harold's Daughter, The Crow Tamer etc.

Enjoy your writing tonight. If you are coming to Munros Books, I'll see you there.