Assignments+for+CREATIVE+WRITING

Assignments for Creative Writing

**KISS:** (1/19) Write 350 words or more about/ related to/ using the word Kiss. You may create a story, essay, long poem (350 words worth) so long as it has some connection with the word //Kiss//.

**Revision Guidelines** - Students should click on this document to see the guidelines. ANY REVISIONS made to the student's story **must be in bold font**. STUDENTS MUST turn in their original score sheet and original story with their revised copy to receive any credit on or before Tuesday, March 9.

__ANY TEXT WRITTEN BELOW THIS LINE DOES NOT PERTAIN TO THIS CLASS AND CAN BE DISREGARDED.__

**ASSIGNMENT: childhood memory poetry exercise (Nov 19)** - due Thursday.NOV 20. **ASSIGNMENT: short story** **#2** - due by Monday, November 17, this titled story is to be double spaced, 8-10 pages in length following all the grammar standards of the English language. It will be graded according to the development of a realistic plot with characters that remain true to their personalities and traits (as mentioned in the character sketch#2 - previous assignment). For more specific details on the grading of the story click on the following RUBRIC. .


 * Plot Summary for short story** **#2** - By Monday, November 10, students must hand in a summary of the basic plot (conflict, scenes, climatic moment, resolution) of their story before using the ibooks in class. This summary should be about a page in length and summarize what the story line will be for this second short story of the semester.

**Character Sketch #2 for short story** - Students may choose one of the characters we have developed in the last week. If the students do choose this option, they must write another page about their character telling me something more about them. Maybe you want to tell me about a secret they have, a special relationship they had with a grandparent or deceased relative, or something else of importance concerning the character. If the students wish to create a new character for the story, he / she must write up an entire character sketch complete with name, age, physical description, mannerisms, fears, goals in life, special relationships, hobbies, interests, regrets in their lives, etc. Due on Wednesday, Nov.5.

**Revision Guidelines** - Students should click on this document to see the guidelines. REVISIONS are due by October 24. STUDENTS MUST turn in their original score sheet and original story with their revised copy to receive any credit on or before October 24.

**Dialogue assignment (10-15-08)** - Students will create realistic dialogue between a parent and 18 year-old son or daughter. Escalate the dialogue so it becomes a full blown argument and then have it reach a resolution (a good or bad resolution is not important as long as the resolution is true to the two characters in the dialogue). The situation is that on Saturday morning Oct 18, (son/daughter) has plans for the day with friends and (mom/dad) has thought that today is the day for their son/daughter must complete his/her on-line college applications to UMD, UST, and Creighton. The parent is adamant about the applications being done today, the child is really hoping to delay this parent's plan. Make it sound real, remember to keep responses usually one to two sentences in length, avoid mumblings (er, ah, dunno know, etc.).

**Summary and Reaction**- Students will select an article of interest from the __Writer__ magazine (see Mr. Kocon for magazines) and then type out at least a 150 word summary about the major points made in the article about writing and another paragraph of at least 150 words reacting to the ideas presented in the article. In the reaction section, students should ask themselves: What did I find helpful or meaningful in the article? Explain why? and/or What points did I find myself questioning or discounting? Explain why? The assignment is due by the beginning of Class on Wednesday, Oct.15.

**Sketch of Totino-Grace High School**- Write a sketch of the school, carefully choosing from the details and images you gathered from the field trip we took in class. Your assignment will be graded on the precision, creativity, and clarity of the details you use. Remember that all of the images and sentences in the sketch should produce a unified effect or mood. DON'T TELL US WHAT THE EFFECT IS...Show us by the way you write about it. If you wish to use one of these sentences as an introductory or concluding sentence to your sketch, please feel free to plagiarize one of them. (positive image) The pristine school rose gently over the horizon on Gardena Avenue. (negative image) An ominous pall was cast over the school as the cars trickled into an already overcrowded parking lot.

**Character Sketch**- The first part of the assignment is to choose a person you know well (brother, sister, mom, dad, friend, relative). Then list as many attributes about this person as possible. List physical characteristics, (tall, short, skinny, muscular, etc.) values they hold, relationships they have, family, common gestures they make, jobs, goals in life, education, flaws, fears, etc. Then reread the sketch on pages 225-227 in the textbook. Now write a 300+ word sketch that shows this character interacting in a common or familiar place for this character with or without others. The goal is to be able to show the values and personality traits of this character in this sketch but never directly TELLING the audience. You may use more than one location if you think it is appropriate. Please change the name of the character.

**Writing Exercises for "Show v. Tell"**- The first two scenarios were done in class and the last one was assigned for homework. Write 4 -10 sentences showing the character Jack, 17 years old, being arrogrant as he is talking with some classmates at the end of the school day next to his car. Write 4 -10 sentences showing the character Jack, 17 years old, being irresponsible as he is at the Mall of America with some buddies. Write 4 -10 sentences showing the character Jack, 17 years old, being RESPONSIBLE as he and his friends are about to do something at the Mall of America on a Saturday afternoon. **Resolution to the "Mary Catherine" story**- Starting with Mary Catherine (Kate) at her locker with Jake, bring the story to an end. What discussion will take place? Will Kate go with Jake or Not? Will Jake convince Kate everything will be fine if she does skip? Write the ending in 300+ words and SHOW the ending to the reader. You must write using the third person limited narrator (meaning that you should always refer to Kate by using her name or a pronoun like her or she. You may write about what Kate's feeling, doing, seeing, hearing, tasting, or touching, but you can not tell us what Jake is feeling or what any other character is feeling inside of his or her mind. Have fun with it.

**"Mary Catherine" story**- Mary Catherine is a senior at a private high school. She transferred into the school last year when he father (a naval recruiter of 36 years) was transferred to this smaller town in New Mexico. Kate (she prefers this name over "Mary Catherine") had trouble fitting into the school her junior year, but this fall she seems to have made inroads into finding her niche. She has always enjoyed acting and singing, so she is extra excited about getting a lead role in the high school musical "Cinerella" which will be performed in two weeks. Also, Jake ( a love interest) who she hopes will ask her to the Fall Formal at the end of this month, has included her with some of his friends. While she is not "totally" a part of this group, Jake's acceptance of her has paved the way for her to become somewhat accepted into this group. The plot gets complicated when Jake's friend what to do their once-a-semester "Lunch Out at Taco Bell" which involves them secretly skipping out of their lunch period and the two other lunch periods where they are supposed to be in classes. Jake is to meet Kate at her locker at the beginning of 4th period and help her skip quietly out of the builiding and out to Taco Bell. ASSIGNMENT: Before we reach this scene, create a scene where you SHOW ONE of THE FOLLOWING about Kate's character: 1) impressing Jake is very imprtant to Kate 2) earning Kate's parents' approval is important 3) Kate wants to be considered a part of this new group of friends that Jake has opened up to her 4) Kate's interest in acting and being a part of the play is truly important to her and/or her parents. Use dialogue, descriptive words, figurative language, use the "snapshot" technique to SHOW the reader one of these characteristics of Kate. DO NOT TELL THE AUDIENCE.

**"Eight-Oared Crew" question**- Kip Grant is faced with a question of whether to jump or not jump from his shell at the climax of this story. Please given any and all the evidence from what you have read in the story or know about Kip from reading the story that makes you think he would not jump. Then given any and all the evidence from what you have read in the story or know about Kip from reading the story that makes you think he WOULD jump.

**"SNAPSHOT" Revision Technique**- Follow the instructions on the Snapshot handout by doing #1,2,3, on a separate sheet of paper. Write the new parts (direction #4) into your neighborhood story. Make sure the new parts are in bold, so I can see where you have revised the orginal 350-500 word story about a neighborhood experience.

**"Neighborhood story" Assignment**- Write a 350-500 word story about some incident you remember from growing up in your neighborhood. Limit your story to describing a moment in time not an event that took place over days or years. To get you thinking try and complete this sentence: I"ll never forget tyhe time when ...(Chances are whatever completes that sentence could be the story you could write). Remember keep it in good taste and change the names if you must in order to protect the "innocent". Enjoy.

**"description of place" Assignment**- Select 1 of the places given: 1) a busy mall entrance 2) an unoccupied lake cabin 3) an elementary school on the start of the first day of school. Write 200 words or more that will convey either a positive mood or a negative mood about this place. Your description should not convey both moods. The figures of speech, the word choice, and the details you choose to mention should all contribute in creating a positive mood or negative mood about this place. As we talked about in class, avoid using the verb "be" in your writing for those types of sentences are using "telling" the reader instead of "showing" the reader.

**"showing vs telling" Assignment**- Select 3 sentences from the list. Then write a 5 or more sentence paragraph that shows the scene of what is happening in the sentence vs telling the audience. In the paragraph you are to avoid using the same adjective or "telling" word used in the original sentence. For instance, if the sentence was "She was tired after the overtime loss," you may not use tired, exhausted, weary, or any other synonym like that in your paragraph.
 * "Questions of Character" Article**- read and take notes about the main points for tomorrow's quiz. Any notes taken may be used when taking the quiz.

**Steven King Article**- "Everything you need to know about writing successfully - in ten minutes". read and take notes about the main points for tomorrow's quiz. Any notes taken may be used when taking the quiz.