Session I 9:00-10:30
Writing Effective Letters of Application
Lynn Alexander
Do you sometimes struggle figuring out
what to say in a letter of application? Are
you worried about what should go in for a
scholarship, summer program, or university
application? In this workshop we will talk
about what the people who read these letters
are looking for—and how to make your letter
stand out from the rest (without florescent
paper). We will also take the time to do a little
writing so that you have some practice before
you try out our ideas for real. And finally, we
will end with the information you need to give
your references so that they can write a letter
that will make a difference.
So...What's the Story You Want to Tell?
Jenna Wright
That question generates this session on writing plots for short stories. Kurt Vonnegut said, "I guarantee you that no modern story scheme, even plotlessness, will give a reader genuine satisfaction, unless one of those old fashioned plots is smuggled in somewhere." We'll discuss not only how to catch the reader's attention with plot but also just how long a writer has to get that attention. We'll explore the structure of plotting, the number of plots that roam "out there," and what really comprises the "heart" of all stories. WE'll hear a personal account of one writer's struggle with "What's the Story You Want to Tell?" and how that question quided her novel. Finally, we'll create some plots of our own. Ah...yes, "the plot thickens" in this session. Join Us.
Thinking, Feeling, and Writing about a Place: The New Martin Luther King Memorial
Tim Hacker
A visitor to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
in Washington, DC, will learn nothing
about the war in Vietnam. There is no
map to locate Vietnam in the world; no
names or dates of battles; no information
about the military units that served there,
and when. Yet the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial is spectacularly successful. Why?
As architecture critic Robert Campbell
says, "the purpose of a memorial isn't
memory; memory we can get from books.
It's catharsis"—the emotional jolt we get
from art. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial
teaches us to feel something new about
the war.
This presentation will use computer
technology, especially still photographs,
video clips, and animations, to learn
how the design of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial—which is, after all, "one simple,
single, unforgettable thing"—creates a
sense of catharsis in the visitor. Then we'll
apply what we've learned—first by talking
then by writing—to the brand new Martin
Luther King Memorial.
Collaborative Revision and Peer Response
Tiffany Emerson Olassunloye
Often we have what we believe is a great
piece of writing, yet we are not sure if the
piece is effective to potential readers. That
is when the input of our peers can be useful.
In this workshop, participants will have an
opportunity to write a creative personal
piece and get an opportunity to learn how
to look at others' writing in peer revision
for clarity and interest and to give feedback
Workshops5
as a reader. They will practice these skills
so that they can develop techniques of
revising their own works as well as giving
constructive criticism to fellow writers.
VisPo
Jeff Stumpo
What is an O? We say "oh," but we see
a hole. Or a halo. Or a mouth breathing
out on a cold day. Or a balloon. This
workshop will serve as an introduction to
visual poetry. We'll look at many examples
of visual poetry from the ancient to the
contemporary, and we'll try our hands
at creating several kinds of visual poems
from the very simple to the fairly complex.
Students should bring an existing poem of
theirs that they wish to turn into a visual
poem.
What Can You Really Say About a Poem, Anyway?
John Glass
Have you finished reading a powm and been left wondering how to make sense of
it—only to hear someone else say it was
about something that had never crossed
your mind? Is the chance to read and write
about poetry a chance for you to runDQG hide
yourself away? Put your fears of the poetic
behind you! This workshop will focus on
how to take hold of a poem and produce
a clear analysis of it. Students will read a
selection of short pieces, talk about how to
make sense of poetry's compact language,
and finally produce theri own analyses to
be models for the next time poetry rears
its head.
Session II -- 10:45-12:15
Oh Taste and See: Writing the Senses in Tennessee
Marilyn Kallet
We'll study poems that revel in sensory
detail, and we'll write praise poems to the
details all around us. Some small bon bons
will add to the sensory experience--good
chocolate never hurts! We'll play with
some collaborative praise poems as well.
The students will leave with a repertoire
of accessible, joyful poems, some of which
will be of their own making. They'll learn
strategies for playful composition as well,
some of which are Dadaist and Surrealist
at heart.
Courting the Muse: A Songwriter’s Workshop
David Carithers
This session will explore the ingredients
of a great song, with a focus on lyrics and
structure. Carithers will briefly share one of his
original songs, discuss his creative influences,
and offer advice to aspiring songwriters. Then
participants will have time to create new
songs or revise material they are working on
and share with the group. Since the focus is
on the written and spoken word, no musical
background is required. If you like poetry,
songs, and writing, and would like time to
create/revise some of your own and share
with a supportive audience, you will enjoy
this session. A limited number of instruments
will be available (i.e., one or two guitars, a
tambourine, etc.), so students are encouraged
to bring their own.
Connecting with the Big Cheese: Writing to a Public Official in Five Easy Steps
Trisha Capansky
Some of you have sent letters or emails to
your mayor and city council, asking them
to build a skate park or to re-open the
swimming pool. If so, good for you! You
have already achieved something that most
people never do, namely because they
either don't know how, or lack confidence
in their communication skills. By acquiring
a few key tips for communicating with
public officials now, you won't find yourself
faced with this situation in the future. The
tools that you'll receive in this workshop
will help you to build a clear, concise
argument that is aimed at setting your
message apart from the others. You will learn to write what you mean, and mean
what you write.
“We Wrote it Together”: A Collaborative-writing Exploration
Heidi Huse
Everyone hates collaborative projects. Well,
let’s have some fun writing with other writers
for a change, to see how merging your
own creative genius with others’ words can
sometimes soar beyond what you might have
crafted individually. You’ll have a chance to
write with classmates, friends, or teachers, as
well as with total strangers. And the sky’s the
limit for what you can write with others in this
workshop: poetry, a short story, a persuasive
essay or great speech, and/or even a one-act
screen play! Then you and your artistic cocreator(
s) will have the opportunity to share
your work together at the open-mike session
after lunch.
Writing a Narrative of Chivalry: Arthur and All Those Knights
Daniel Pigg
What makes up a compelling story about
knights and their actions? Using a series
of motifs and statements about the world
of medieval knights, we will talk about
how to construct a chivalric narrative that
"goes somewhere," while at the same time
avoiding an overt didacticism. Using what
they have learned about this medieval
literary tradition, students will draft their
own chivalric narratives and will be invited
to share what they have written. They
will also be invited to discuss the writing
process, addressing questions such as:
What were you thinking as you were
composing your narrative? How did you
make your decisions on plot? Did you find
the experience liberating or too constricting
or somewhere else along the line?
The Bindery
Mattie Davenport and Colt Lemons
Having your work bound in book form is something any writer appreciates. The pages, the cover, the stitching that holds it together— all are part of the millennia-old tradition of book binding. In this workshop, we will explore the parts of a book, how a book is put together, and what choices bookmakers have for making a book unique. You will learn about the modern-day chapbook, a form of hand-made book that is cost-efficient and as easy or complicated as the writer chooses. You will also create your own personalized journal using a common binding technique. Instead of waiting for a publisher to print your book, why not learn how to make unique, hand-made treasures with your work for as little as the cost of printing and paper?
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