Finally... whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,
whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8
Creative Writing
(updated on 04/27/2024)
(updated on 04/27/2024)
Spring 2024
Week 14: January 8
READING/EXERCISE DUE: Capstone
Week 15: January 15
READ: "The Three Act Plot Structure" and "Two Narrative Arcs"
WRITE:
A) For whatever story you're working on, write down brief answers for 2, 3, and 4 below:
- How... what happens (the plot) [you don't have to answer this yet]
- Affects someone (who is your protagonist?)
- In pursuit of a difficult goal (what is the story's main problem?)
- How he or she changes as a result (what is the character arc?)
Week 16: January 22
READ: Playwriting Handout
WRITE: Spider in Your Hair!
Week 17: January 29
WRITE: Playwriting Exercise
Week 18: February 5
WRITE: Create a Character
Week 19: February 12
WRITE: Finish the Character Arc story you started in class (also sent via email).
Week 20: February 19
WATCH: "What Writers Need to Know..."and "4 Ways to Tell..."
WRITE: "Ticking Clock" (sent via email)
Week 21: February 26
WATCH: Symbolism
READ: Gaslighting
WRITE: Write a scene or two where the antagonist uses the techniques described in the reading to "gaslight" another character (preferably the main character). You may use a character from another story you're already writing (for example, your Capstone), or a separate one if you prefer. NOTE: This scene is just for PRACTICE -- you don't have to use the result in your story, but let's take a shot at learning the technique.
Week 22: March 4
READING/EXERCISE DUE: Writing Mysteries Handouts
WRITING DUE: Mysteries: Part 1 -- complete a Story Structure Graph for your story – complete this graph AND BRING IT TO CLASS.
Week 23: March 11
Watch: 10 World Building Tips
WRITING DUE: Mysteries: Part 2 (Rough Draft) (print your draft and bring it with you to class)
Week 24: March 18
READING/EXERCISE DUE: Master Class: Writing Mysteries (I suggest reading this BEFORE you finish your story)
WRITING DUE: Mysteries: Part 3 (Final Draft)
Week 25: March 25
READ/EXERCISE (EVERYONE): Writing Graphic Fiction AND the two sample graphic stories: 5 Seconds and How Uncool. Notice that these samples are very simple stories. Yours can be, too. Here are a few more examples: Recipe for Disaster, Paused, The Scenic Route
WRITE:
- Complete Steps 1 - 3 in "Writing Graphic Fiction," including a Story Structure Graph for your graphic fiction story
Easter Break: No class April 1! (No April Fool's Day joke, either!)
Week 26: April 8
READ: "A Sound of Thunder"
WRITE: Complete Steps 4 - 6 in "Writing Graphic Fiction" (complete and bring ROUGH DRAFT to class)
Week 27: April 15
READING/EXERCISE DUE:
WRITING DUE: Complete Steps 7 - 9 in "Writing Graphic Fiction" (complete FINAL DRAFT)
Week 28: April 22
READ/EXERCISE: The Hero's Journey, Part I AND The Hero's Journey, Part II
WRITE: Use this handout to pick a topic and briefly outline a story that follows the HJ
Week 29: April 29
READ/EXERCISE: How to End a Story: Three Questions
WRITE DUE: Write a ROUGH DRAFT of the story you outlined for last week (minimum 3 pages). NOTE: You may make this exercise part of your capstone project, but it can also be completely separate.
Week 30: May 6
READ/EXERCISE: How to End a Story: Three Questions (required for all)
WRITE DUE: Complete the HJ story you started last week. The completed story must be at least 3 full pages long, properly formatted, and well-proofread. Here are some things to watch for:
- Double spacing (skipped lines)
- One side only
- Appropriate use of paragraph breaks -- start a new paragraph when the speaker or focus changes
- Correct capitalization
- No comma splices or fused sentences
Week 31: May 13
READ/EXERCISE:
WRITE: You should have the rough draft of your final project ready. BRING IT TO CLASS.
Week 32: May 20 – THE LAST DAY!
READ/EXERCISE:
WRITE: Final project due
______________________________________________________________
Fall 2023
Week 1: September 11
READ: The BIG Facts of Story Writing-overview.pdf
Week 2: September 18
READ: Fact of Story Writing 1 (FOSW1)
WRITING DUE: Complete the assignment at the end of FOSW1
Week 3: September 25
READ/EXERCISE: FOSW 2; The Gift of the Magi
WRITE:
1) Complete the assignment at the end of FOSW 2.
2) Revise, polish, and submit the story you wrote in class. Here's what we started with:
Make up a character—any character at all. Then write a brief (2−3 page) story, poem, play, or song that involves one or more of the following situations:
- Your character is walking down the street when a dog approaches her. She quickly realizes that the dog has been abandoned and takes in the animal as her own. Until…
- Your character writes a love poem about his secret crush, only to lose it in the hallway at ACTS.
- Your character is walking along in the woods when she discovers a hidden, magic zoo.
- Your character is checking the mailbox after school. There’s a mysterious letter addressed to him, and the only thing inside is instructions.
- Your character comes home one day only to find that her room is a completely different color and all of the furniture is new. She has no idea what happened, but it could only mean one thing.
Week 4: October 2
READ/EXERCISE DUE: Specificity and Concrete Language: How to Write Vividly (video) AND FOSW 4 (read only -- no need to do the assignment)
WRITE:
1) Write a short summary of the tips in the video.
2) Write a story (minimum: 3 pages) based on a character you create. Clearly reveal one of your character’s main values. Then, bring that value into conflict, either with another positive value (for example, two people want the same dog) or by contradicting that value (one loves dogs; the other fears them).
Week 5: October 9
READING/EXERCISE DUE: Several Basic Plots and Story Structure: Some Key Terms
WRITING DUE: Take the story you're already writing and chart it our using the Story Structure Graph. Feel free to use the character you used last week, or another you have already written about or imagined.
- Decide on the climax first and enter it in the box marked number 5.
- Determine what exposition (information) your reader needs to understand and identify with the protagonist, at least a little. Enter this information briefly in the Exposition (#1) box (Example: Ben is a 9-year old kid looking for his lost chihuahua)
- For the Rising Action (#2 through #4), enter at least three major story beats (events) that will lead to the climax AND cause the protagonist to change.
Week 6: October 16
READING DUE: Effective Story Beginnings (tap the link)
WRITING DUE: 1) Pick a plot type we read about (Overcoming the Enemy, Rags to Riches, Quest, Voyage and Return, Fish Out of Water; Rebirth/Redemption), and then 2) write a ROUGH DRAFT of story (2-page minimum; no maximum). You may use EITHER the story you outlined for last week OR one of the topics below (yes, you can combine them!). Concentrate especially on writing a strong opening.
- “Someone stole my dog!"
- A fairy, zombie, anime character, or pirate moves in next door
- Someone who’s been sent to boarding school
- A character who makes a dramatic life change to pursue a goal he or she has secretly always wanted
Week 7: October 23
READING/EXERCISE DUE: Satisfying Story Endings
WRITING DUE: Finish, proofread, and turn in the final draft of the story you started last week.
Week 8: October 30
READING/EXERCISE DUE: none
WRITING DUE: Finish the cliche' exercise we did in class AND write a poem or a song based on your own topic(s) OR on one of the following topics:
- Waking up late for ACTS
- A kid with a bad haircut
- Saying goodbye to a friend
- A cat and dog getting married
- Monkeys driving too fast
- Worst. Vacation. Ever.
Week 9: November 6
READING: Harrison Bergeron
WRITING: None!
Week 10: November 13
WATCH: Plot Twists
WRITING DUE: Write a 3-page story—with a big plot twist, using the link above as a guide—based on your own idea OR one of the following (yes, you can combine them).
- The girl ate candy until she threw up
- Football players were crying all over town
- Yay! Zombies got Dr. Sigalas!
Thanksgiving Break! – No Class November 20
Week 11: November 27
READING: Narration from Different Perspectives
WRITING: None!
Week 12: December 4
READING/EXERCISE DUE: None
WRITING DUE: Begin planning the story described here: Change the Perspective. For this week, you do NOT need to write the completed story. Instead, as we did in Week 5, start planning a story by completing a Plot Graph. The graph is a map for writing or revising your story.
- Decide on the climax first and enter it in the box marked number 8.
- Determine what exposition your reader needs to understand and like the protagonist. Enter this information briefly in the Exposition (#1) box.
- For the Rising Action (#2 through 7), enter the key events that will lead to the climax and also cause the protagonist to change.
- For #10 Resolution, enter how the story will be resolved.
Week 13: December 11
READING/EXERCISE DUE: none
WRITING DUE: Submit a finished draft of the story you started last week. You may also write a new story.
The completed story should have:
- ONE main character (protagonist, the one from whose perspective you tell the story) in pursuit of a
- clear, difficult goal the character wants to achieve
- clear obstacles the character must overcome
- purposeful, relevant dialogue (no chit-chat!) that a) advances the story and b) is correctly punctuated
- action that is shown, not told
- a series of at least five "beats" (events, even if they're internal) in the rising action that change the protagonist and lead logically to
- a clear climax
- a clear change in the main character caused by the story's events
- a clear resolution (one that wraps up any loose ends)
December 18, 25, and January 1 – Christmas Break!