The Thief of Always Writing Prompts; Looking over Chapter 1 Closely; Scott McCloud's Six Steps of Art

Period 3:

In groups of 3-4, take 10-15 minutes to please discuss the book The Thief of Always so far. Start with these questions:

• How does Clive Barker capture our interest?
• How does Barker introduce the "status quo" or normal, everyday life of Harvey Swick? What do we learn about our protagonist?
• What event occurs to create an "inciting incident"--an event that changes or disrupts this status quo?
• What is at stake for Harvey? What might he gain/lose if he makes the decision to follow Rictus? Would you follow Rictus? Why or why not?
• What paragraphs/passages/lines are most compelling to you as a reader? Why? What makes the writing effective that compels a reader to continue reading? What is the author promising in chapter one (what mystery is set up or how is your curiosity piqued?)
• How does the chapter end? Literally? Transitionally?

After your discussion, please use the rest of period 3 to work on your blog. Again, many of you are falling far behind. Please use this time to write, get caught up, or read A Thief of Always.

Those few of you who have read the book and completed your blog posts, please move on to the next writing project:

• Write a story that includes the following elements:
1. A beginning, middle, and end
2. A motif (remember that you will need to establish your motif by repeating your event, object, or character at least 3 times--see previous posts for help.)
3. Personification
4. Similes
5. Names that add to the theme and tone of your story
6. Transformation (your protagonist should be dynamic)
7. Horror tropes (see link for some ideas)

Period 4: Please refer to the handout by Scott McCloud today. Let's read it, then discuss and write about what we've learned or what we've learned about ourselves.

As you read along, please do the following: While McCloud is primarily discussing visual arts, the same philosophy applies to writing. As we read take notes in your journal. Pinpoint or record questions that arise in the artistic process, or personal comments that you would like to examine. We will discuss this after completing the reading.

The Creative Process: Six Steps of Art/or Becoming an Artist from Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics.

1. Idea/Purpose
2. Form
3. Idiom
4. Structure
5. Craft
6. Surface

In your journal, reflect for a couple minutes on the different stages. Which stage(s) do you seem to identify with most?

Then: When you finish reading, respond to Scott McCloud's ideas by writing a short personal response to the following question ON YOUR BLOG. Please answer ALL parts of the question; it has two essential parts:

• What is your 4-year goal concerning creative writing and the arts. Why did you enter this program (be honest, the idea is to "discover" truth through writing about it) and where do you want to take your writing in the next four years? (i.e. what is your long term goal concerning creative writing?)--if you don't have a goal, make one now.
• Second part: What is your relationship with reading? What sorts of literary genres do you prefer? If you don't read, why not? If you do, what helps you read? If you are a skilled reader, what do you think caused you to be skilled? If you are a weak reader, why do you think you are a weak reader? Explore the concept of reading.

Please complete your response and post it on your BLOG for credit. Realize that incomplete work results in lower grades, etc. Learn to use class time and home time efficiently.

HOMEWORK: Complete any writing/reading assignment that you did not complete today in class. Aim to finish reading The Thief of Always by the end of this weekend. Bring your books and notes back with you to our next class. You will have a test and discussion on the book.

The Thief of Always; Black Lives Matter Assembly

Period 3: See our previous post for details about The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. For homework, complete the two writing posts for each section (chapters 1-3; chapters 4-7; chapters 8-13; part 2, chapters 14-26)--that's 8 journal entries in total. 4 should be in YOUR JOURNAL, the other FOUR should be posts on your BLOG.

Complete the book over your break. If you need it, click the link for the audiobook.

More Journal/blog ideas for the Thief of Always: (see previous post for chapters 1-3)

Chapter Four - Seven (choose 2 prompts from this list--1 should be written in your journal, 1 on your BLOG):

1. Pg. 33; “Another day, another dollar.” Collect sayings that your parents or family use. List these sayings in your journal. Start a poem with a saying and explore its meaning or relevance.
2. Pg. 46; “This was a place where dead things belonged.” Start a description of a setting with the words: “this was a place where…” Perhaps turn your list into a catalog or chant poem.
3. Pg. 49; The description of autumn. This passage uses a lot of imagery: appealing to our senses through words that recall a touch, taste, smell, sound, or sight. Pick a season and, using imagery, describe it without naming it.
4. Pg. 55; The description of the musty room with the masks. Barker uses effective imagery here as well in this passage. You should note that the most important detail is left for last and that there is a build up of details. Write a description of a room, leaving the most important detail for last. (he does this again on page 56 when describing clothes).
5. Wendell’s practical joke (pgs. 59-62). Write about a time you played a practical joke on someone or when someone played a practical joke on you.
6. Pg. 68; Make a list of things you would like for Christmas. Add to your list odd items that may be impossible to find or get. Be creative!
7. Pg. 70-72; Describe an old gift given to you many years ago or describe a favorite gift. Where is this gift now, or what happened to it? Explore this exercise in a poem or short vignette.  

Chapter eight-thirteen: (choose 2 prompts from this list. 1 should be in your JOURNAL, the other on your BLOG):

10. Pg. 80; Tell a water story from your real life; describe a time when you encountered water.
11. Pg. 81; Describe a precious item you lost or that was stolen from you.
12. Pg. 83; Describe a dream you have.
13. Pg. 89-92; Describe a transformation or explore the possibility of being something else. What would you like to be? Why?
14. Describe a time you witnessed or participated in the death of a living being.
15. Pg. 130. An appositive is a description of a named noun. It is used after a comma to clarify or provide further detail to something already identified. Carna is described in a series of appositives (the appositive phrase is italicized): “Carna, the tooth-stealer; Carna, the devourer; Carna, the beast.” Use the appositive to describe an object or person.

This covers the first half of the book. The book is divided into two parts. The first part of the book has 13 chapters. The second does as well. There are 26 chapters in all. Why do you think Barker divided his book in this manner?

Part Two: 

Chp. 14-26 (choose 2 prompts from this list. One should be in your journal, the other on your blog!)

1. Pg. 139. Start a story with the sentence: “He knocked on the door…” continue the story.
2. Describe a time in your life when you wished that time would move faster or slower.
3. pg. 153. Draw a picture of a house or place. Use this drawing to start a story or poem set in that location.
4. Pg. 194. Describe your attic or a fictional attic. What sorts of things are there in the dark?
5. Pg. 199. Start a story or poem with the line: “There were five doors ahead of him.”
6. Chp. 20 – Have a conversation with an inanimate object. What might it say or believe?
7. Pg. 220. Oh, to be a vampire again…. Start a poem with a similar line. Choose a noun that you would want to be “again” and use this repetition (like pg. 220) to create verse.
8. Chp. 23. Write about the war between two or more inanimate objects. What would they argue about? Who might win?
9. Describe a time when you stole or thought about stealing something.
10. Pg. 266. Start a poem, story with the line: “The days were…”

HOMEWORK: Complete the book The Thief of Always. Use the prompts above to write in your journal and on your blog during the week. The more you write, the higher your grade for this project will be.

Period 4: Black Lives Matter assembly.

HOMEWORK: Complete the book The Thief of Always. Have a nice Feb. break!

Student Blogs

Elani
Eniyah
Ari
Janiya
Jahna
Kanene
Tashianna
Anthony
Kyla
Roxy
Gabrielle
Fardowsa
Shaolin

If you haven't sent me your blog's URL (students who are not linked) please do so in the comment section of this blog post. You are now late and losing points...!

Genre Markets Slideshow Presentation; Introduction to The Thief of Always

Take the first 15 minutes of class today to prepare, proofread, and submit your Google slideshow to our Google classroom. We will then present the presentations to the class.

As you present and listen to the presentations, take notes of each genre and relevant information from your peers in your journal.

When we conclude the presentations, please go to the library to pick up the YA novel The Thief of Always. When we return from the library, we will begin reading the book in class.

When we return from the library, click here for information Clive Barker has provided on The Thief of Always. What strikes you as interesting or important? What expectations do you have in reading this book? Let's discuss.

As you read the first few chapters (1-3), keep track of some of the following literary devices/terms that can be found in the book. As you read, jot down notes in your JOURNAL about what you find. This will be collected later in the marking period.

Motifs (a motif is a recurring or repeated object, image, or idea in a story):

• Questions: Rictus says “No questions boy…questions rot the mind.” Questions (pg. 6, 8, etc.) are a recurring motif in the novel. Try to notice as many “questions” or “question-like” items or events in the book. Remember that this book is a mystery. Without questioning, one can never find the answer to a mystery. What might the author be trying to tell us as people?

Personification: Giving inanimate or non-living objects human qualities.

• Barker uses the poetic technique of personification throughout the book. As you read, try to notice when he uses it. Consider why he might want to describe inanimate objects with living traits.

Similes: A comparison between two things using the words “like” or “as”.

• Similes are used like adjectives to describe an abstract idea in a more concrete or solid way.  They help create imagery! Keep a record of the number of times Barker uses similes in his novel. Why does he use so much comparison?

Time: Follow references to time throughout the novel. Notice when characters talk about time. How might all this talk about time create a lesson or meaning for us as readers?

Names: many of the names in this book hold clues as to their true nature or significance. What might the names: Rictus, Carna, Millsap (the town), Griffin, Swick, Mr. Hood, Jive, Marr mean?

Animals: Look for the types of animals mentioned or met in the novel. What might be the connection between them?

Transformation: A character that changes in a story is called “dynamic”.

• What kinds of changes occur to Harvey and the other characters in the book? Are these all physical or mental changes? Why is change important as a theme, do you think?

Journal exercises. Complete at least ONE of the following in your JOURNAL. Complete at least ONE (a different one) for your BLOG. (Minimum credit is two entries).

Chapter One - three:

1. Pg. 2; Pick a month. Personify it. Explain why the month is monstrous or marvelous, etc. 

2. Pg. 3; Write about your own route to school. What would a detective following your route to school and your day find. Describe where you go and what you do routinely. 

3. Pg. 5; Describe what you would like to do with your time or life. 

4. Pg. 8; make a list of questions that you would like answered. Start realistically, then begin asking questions a small child might ask or ask questions that seem odd or far-fetched and creative. 

5. Pg. 22; What would be a fine thing to build in your life? 

6. Pg. 22; Use infinitives to string a series of seemingly random thoughts together as in the first paragraph on page 22 (chapter 3). An infinitive is made by adding TO + VERB. Notice how Barker creates a rhythmic passage using semi-colons and infinitives. 

7. Pg. 23; Describe a person’s face using a simile. 

8. Pg. 25; Mrs. Griffin says, “Nothing’s perfect…because time passes…and the beetle and the worm find their way into everything sooner or later.” Consider the meaning of this statement. In your journal, list your own reasons why nothing is perfect.

HOMEWORK: Complete reading chapters 1-3 for FRIDAY, Feb. 14--Valentine's Day! Bring your books back with you to class. Write at least 1 entry in your journal AND at least 1 post to your blog from the choices above.

Next class will be a Black Lives Matter celebration!

Survey Results

1. Horror/Suspense: 59
2. Mystery/Thriller: 58
3. Comedy/Humor: 50
4. Children: 47
5. Fantasy: 46
6. Realistic Fiction: 45
7. Romance: 43
8. Poetry: 42
9. Science Fiction: 36
10. Historical Fiction: 31
11. Autobiography/Memoir: 26
12. New Journalism: 24
13. Westerns: 21

Thank you for submitting your surveys.

Blog Project; Slideshow Genre Markets: Day 2

BLOG PROJECT: Setting up your very own blog

One of the most important marketing/writing skills you will need to succeed as a writer is having your own blog. Many authors have a blog where they can interact with their potential audience(s) and share the process of writing or snippets of their personal lives.

First off, many of you are probably familiar with what a blog is, but if not, here you go--some important information:

A blog is a weblog or web journal. Just like your physical writing journal, a blog can include ideas for stories, your own personal reaction to books/films/national events, etc. It can be a good place to publish your poetry, fiction, and plays before you eventually get paid for your writing. Some companies and media sources hire writers to set up and contribute to a company blog--and they pay you for it! For more info check here.

However, there's a lot to know about blogging. Check out the links below and read a little about blogs before attempting to create one.

• 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Blogging

Here's a few sample writers blogs (with tips about being a writer)

• Sample Blog
• Sample Author Blog
• Sample blog (writing tips)

To set up your blog:

1. Go to https://www.blogger.com or https://blogspot.com. Some students like to use WordPress.com instead. I suggest blogger because you already have an RCSD Google account. For help setting up your blog if this is foreign to you, you may use this link blogger or Google's blog site. Use your student Google email address when prompted.  

NOTE: If you have already started a personal blog as a side project, or because you have already been introduced to the idea, I don't want to stop you from using your blog. Use your original blog site, but I will be asking that you write things specifically on your blog for our class. If this bothers you, start a new blog. No big deal, either way.

2. You may take a quick tour to get information about the blog site you are going to use, if interested. Otherwise, create a new account.
3. You must enter an email account (Use your student email account please.) Your email account name will be your “username”--Write your password somewhere safe where you will remember it. You will need to keep track of this.

NOTE: Please send me your blog address in the COMMENT section below.

4. Create a password, display your name, look at terms of service, etc.
5. Log onto your blog. Follow the prompts to set up your page. Write down your address/passwords, etc. Again, I can't help you if you screw this up.
6. You may provide biographical info and so on. At some point, you will need to create a NEW Post. Each new post needs a title and you should edit it before you post it.

Again, if you need help creating a blog, check out: How to Set Up a Blog on Blogger.

Once you have set up your blog and sent me the URL in the comment section of this blog post, please continue with the following assignments:

Blog Post #1. An introduction to your website. Your first blog entry should welcome your guests and explain that you are a student @ SOTA taking a creative writing course. This is important so that people know you are a teenager. Feel free to omit (leave out) your last name. You can also use a pseudonym if you'd prefer for privacy sake.

Blog Post #2. Write a short non-fiction entry about something you feel passionate about. You can rant, rave, etc. but remember that your blog is a public forum and other people in the world can access your writing. Don't embarrass yourself. Check your spelling and language so you don't come across as ignorant or unskilled. As always, it is important for a writer to think about his/her audience. 

Period 4: (please continue your slideshow project)
Classroom Project: Genre Slideshow

• Create a slideshow for your chosen genre to promote the genre to a fantasist, realist, or pragmatist reader.
• Take a look at the questions bulleted below. You will want to be able to answer these questions in your presentation.
• Use Google SLIDES to set up your slideshow. 
• Create a slideshow detailing your chosen genre by following the steps below. Be creative. Play around with the design and how you present the information in a clear and creative way. You may use graphics and lists to provide answers to these questions:

1. Create a title slide. 

2. Describe this genre. What is it? 

3. Who is the target reader (a fantasist, a realist, a pragmatist, or what combination?)

3. What are some expectations a reader of this genre might expect? 

4. What are some categories of this genre? AND what are the expectations a reader might expect from this genre? 

5. Examples of some popular or famous books or films that fit this genre; and some examples of authors who write in this type of genre.

NOTE: Slideshows should not have too much text--they should use graphics and pictures to get information across. Big concepts (like subgenres) can be listed, as opposed to painstakingly explained. Write your notes in your journal (double-dipping!) and organize your notes to select only the most important information about your chosen genre in the slideshow presentation! Use your handout chapter to help you! The project will likely be due at the end of our class Wednesday.

HOMEWORK: None. If you did not complete your 2 blog posts and/or created your blog, please do that by our next class. Remember to copy and paste your blog URL in the COMMENT section below...

Writing Markets & Genres

In today's writing market there are a variety of genres that writers tend to write. Knowing what readers expect from these genres will help you as a writer give your audience what it wants. So let's learn about these audiences and what they expect! Let's read that handout/chapter first.

• General fiction: chick-lit, domestic drama, sports, vampire lit, LGBT, humor, war, urban/black or minority literature, literary (melange)
• Historical fiction: romance, detective thriller, adventure, family saga, drama, multi-volume, African-American/urban
• Romance: paranormal, historical, regency, horror/gothic, LGBT, inspirational, contemporary, African-American/urban
• Mysteries and Thrillers: detectives, cozy, Christian, noir, forensic, police procedural, courtroom/legal, LGBT, historical, thriller, ghost story/paranormal, horror, spy, action
• Science Fiction: soft, hard, apocalypse, cyberpunk, feminist, comic/humor, first contact, colonization, military, time travel, steampunk, space opera, dystopian, speculative
• Fantasy: heroic, Arthurian, dark, urban, alternate history, RPG, high, science fantasy, speculative, magical-realism, fable
• Horror: gothic, paranormal, paranormal romance, occult, Lovecraftian (cosmic horror), vampire fiction, dark fantasy, survival, science fiction, zombie fiction, thrillers
• Autobiography & Memoir: bootstrap, political, family, celebrity, travel, survival, extraordinary lives, confession/conversion, spiritual memoir, writer's memoir, new journalism
• Children's/Young Adult: any of the above, usually with more fantasy or realist elements; often involving a young protagonist coming of age, bildungsroman, picture books, etc.
• New Journalism: memoirs, science, travel, history, writing about writing, creative non-fiction, etc.
• Comedy: romantic comedy, parody, burlesque, farce, dark comedy, satire, non-fiction/memoir (observational), absurdist comedy, [comedy is often combined with other literary genres]
• Literary Fiction: any of the above, but with better writing quality, skill, and attention to craft 

After reading today, take a couple minutes to complete the Genre Wars survey. See Google Classroom for details! Then...

Classroom Project: Genre Slideshow

• Find a partner or choose to work alone. Together, agree upon and sign up for one of the writing markets.
• Choose one of the genres in bold above--check the subcategories so that you know what you're getting into--more details can be found in the article you should have read...
• Together, you will be expected to create a slideshow for your chosen genre to promote the genre to a fantasist, realist, or pragmatist reader.
• Take a look at the questions bulleted below. You will want to be able to answer these questions in your presentation.
• Use Google SLIDES to set up your slideshow. Share your file with your partner (if you have one)
• Create a slideshow detailing your chosen genre by following the steps below. Be creative. Play around with the design and how you present the information in a clear and creative way. You may use graphics and lists to provide answers to these questions:

1. Create a title slide. 

2. Describe this genre. What is it? 

3. Who is the target reader (a fantasist, a realist, a pragmatist, or what combination?)

3. What are some expectations a reader of this genre might expect? 

4. What are some categories of this genre? AND what are the expectations a reader might expect from this genre? 

5. Examples of some popular or famous books or films that fit this genre; and some examples of authors who write in this type of genre.

NOTE: Slideshows should not have too much text--they should use graphics and pictures to get information across. Big concepts (like subgenres) can be listed, as opposed to painstakingly explained. Write your notes in your journal (double-dipping!) and organize your notes to select only the most important information about your chosen genre in the brochure! Use your handout chapter to help you! More tips on the way. The project is not due yet.

Finally, before you leave today, please make sure you completed the short survey regarding genre units for this course. Every vote matters!

HOMEWORK: None.

Introduction to Writing for Publication; Types of Readers; Genre Slideshow: Day 1

Welcome to our course Writing for Publication! Let's start today with a few short videos for inspiration and thoughts about writing.

The Power of Words
Why So Many People Want to Be Writers
How to Build Confidence
Being a Professional Writer

Write some goals in your journal. What do you want to learn/get out of this course? What sort of projects do you want to accomplish? What writing goals do you want to give yourself this semester? Consider the video advice and think about how you might be able to use some of this advice to gain confidence in your writing and grow in your writing skills.

LAB TASK: Genre Slideshow

Writing is a business. Books are published, not only because they're good for you, are beautifully written, or introduce you to human characters, events, and culture, but also because they sell. Publishers count on readers to consume books. It's all about the $, and less about the art. But it is also an art.

The first thing we should consider as writers is our reader. If we don't please our reader, we won't be able to sell a book. If we can't sell a book, we aren't going to be very successful writers, etc. It's a vicious circle. But before we continue, it's a really good idea to remember this golden rule of writing.

If you don't please your audience, you don't succeed!

So let's chat a bit about our potential audiences:

AUDIENCE

There are 3 general types of readers that a writer should be aware of:

• Fantasists: readers who read to escape the tediousness of ordinary life, seeking new frontiers and imaginative fiction
• Realists: readers who read about contemporary life to learn about or reinforce personal experiences
• Pragmatists: readers who read for a specific purpose--from cooking to learning history or science

Most of us favor one or two of these styles when we read. Our tastes can change depending on our life experience and maturity. Well read and well-rounded readers enjoy all types of reading styles at some point in their life.

Readers also become loyal to writers. Publishers count on this to occur. The more you like a specific author's style and writing, the more likely you will continue to buy books by this author.

In today's writing market there are a variety of genres that writers tend to write. Knowing what readers expect from these genres will help you as a writer give your audience what it wants. So let's learn about these audiences and what they expect! Let's read that handout/chapter first.

• General fiction: chick-lit, domestic drama, sports, vampire lit, LGBT, humor, war, urban/black or minority literature, literary (melange)
• Historical fiction: romance, detective thriller, adventure, family saga, drama, multi-volume, African-American/urban
• Romance: paranormal, historical, regency, horror/gothic, LGBT, inspirational, contemporary, African-American/urban
• Mysteries and Thrillers: detectives, cozy, Christian, noir, forensic, police procedural, courtroom/legal, LGBT, historical, thriller, ghost story/paranormal, horror, spy, action
• Science Fiction: soft, hard, apocalypse, cyberpunk, feminist, comic/humor, first contact, colonization, military, time travel, steampunk, space opera, dystopian, speculative
• Fantasy: heroic, Arthurian, dark, urban, alternate history, RPG, high, science fantasy, speculative, magical-realism, fable
• Horror: gothic, paranormal, paranormal romance, occult, Lovecraftian (cosmic horror), vampire fiction, dark fantasy, survival, science fiction, zombie fiction, thrillers
• Autobiography & Memoir: bootstrap, political, family, celebrity, travel, survival, extraordinary lives, confession/conversion, spiritual memoir, writer's memoir, new journalism
• Children's/Young Adult: any of the above, usually with more fantasy or realist elements; often involving a young protagonist coming of age, bildungsroman, picture books, etc.
• New Journalism: memoirs, science, travel, history, writing about writing, creative non-fiction, etc.
• Comedy: romantic comedy, parody, burlesque, farce, dark comedy, satire, non-fiction/memoir (observational), absurdist comedy, [comedy is often combined with other literary genres]
• Literary Fiction: any of the above, but with better writing quality, skill, and attention to craft 

After reading today, take a couple minutes to complete the Genre Wars survey. See Google Classroom for details! Then...

Classroom Project: Genre Slideshow

• Find a partner or choose to work alone. Together, agree upon and sign up for one of the writing markets.
• Choose one of the genres in bold above--check the subcategories so that you know what you're getting into--more details can be found in the article you should have read...
• Together, you will be expected to create a slideshow for your chosen genre to promote the genre to a fantasist, realist, or pragmatist reader.
• Take a look at the questions bulleted below. You will want to be able to answer these questions in your presentation.
• Use Google SLIDES to set up your slideshow. Share your file with your partner (if you have one)
• Create a slideshow detailing your chosen genre by following the steps below. Be creative. Play around with the design and how you present the information in a clear and creative way. You may use graphics and lists to provide answers to these questions:

1. Create a title slide. 

2. Describe this genre. What is it? 

3. Who is the target reader (a fantasist, a realist, a pragmatist, or what combination?)

3. What are some expectations a reader of this genre might expect? 

4. What are some categories of this genre? AND what are the expectations a reader might expect from this genre? 

5. Examples of some popular or famous books or films that fit this genre; and some examples of authors who write in this type of genre.

NOTE: Slideshows should not have too much text--they should use graphics and pictures to get information across. Big concepts (like subgenres) can be listed, as opposed to painstakingly explained. Write your notes in your journal (double-dipping!) and organize your notes to select only the most important information about your chosen genre in the brochure! Use your handout chapter to help you! More tips on the way. The project is not due yet.

Finally, before you leave today, please make sure you completed the short survey regarding genre units for this course. Every vote matters!

HOMEWORK: None.