Thursday, December 20, 2012

Ch. 6 and 7 Prayer for the Dying

Agenda:

Discuss Ch. 6 and 7

Continue work on 2nd person short story--finish stories?

Happy Holidays--finish A Prayer for the Dying over break and your short story

CONTESTS!!

Coming in January: Into the Beautiful North?

Friday, December 14, 2012

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Scholastic writing categories

Writing Categories

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ALL WRITING CATEGORIES
• Font: 12 pt. Times New Roman or Arial
• Titles: Titles at the top of the first page only. Do not use a separate title page. Poems should be titled individually.
• Do Not Use Real Names: Real names should not be used. Winning work is displayed publicly and the identities of real people must be protected.
• No Name: The student’s name should NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript.
• No Images: No illustrations, photographs or graphics.
• Sources: Sources must be cited. Footnotes/works cited are not considered part of the word count.
• Collaboration: Collaborative works are not allowed in any writing categories.
Frequently Asked Questions | Back to Top

Dramatic Script

Category Description
Writing that uses dialogue, action and stage direction to tell a story, including scripts for television, film, or stage.
Special Instructions
Maximum 30 pages.
Excerpts can be submitted.
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Flash Fiction

Category Description
A highly-focused story characterized by its brevity. A short form of storytelling.
Special Instructions
Maximum 1,300 words.
Please note word length for Flash Fiction compared to Short Story. Stories in which humor or science fiction/fantasy are key elements should be submitted in those respective categories.
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Humor

Category Description
Writing that uses satire, parody or humorous anecdote.
600 – 3,000 words.
Work in any genre in which humor is the key element should be submitted in this category.
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Journalism

Category Description
Writing that informs and educates about newsworthy topics or current events.
Examples (including but not limited to)
Writing intended for publication in newspapers, magazines or online media and characterized by a presentation of facts or description of events.
Special Instructions
Grades 7–8: 400–2,000 words.
Grades 9–12: 500–3,000 words.
This category includes nonfiction work only. Fictional essays should be submitted in the Short Story or Flash Fiction categories.
Sources must be cited. Works cited are not considered part of the word count.
Frequently Asked Questions | Back to Top

Novel Writing

Special Instructions
Include an outline (up to two pages) for the entire novel.
The outline is meant to provide readers with a full understanding of the scope of your novel. It does not count toward the maximum page limit.
The outline should include:
• A plot overview summarizing your complete story.
• A brief summary of each chapter (one or two sentences per chapter).
• A brief character development summary for each of your main characters (one or two sentences per character).
Submit an excerpt of up to 50 pages of your manuscript (not including outline). Please note the following.
• Submissions must be uploaded online AND printed and mailed to the address below, along with the submission form.
• Printed work must be double-spaced in 12-point font with one-inch margins (does not apply for work entered in the text editor online).
• The title of the work should appear at the top of the first page only. Do not use a separate title page.
• The student’s name and school must NOT appear anywhere on the manuscript itself.
• Adaptations of or sequels to existing published series are not accepted.
• Due to the large volume of submissions, we’re unable to give feedback on manuscripts.
Deadline
Novel Writing submissions are judged in New York. The same deadline applies for Novel Writing as for all other Writing categories. Submission forms for Novel Writing should be mailed directly to:
Alliance for Young Artists & Writers
Attn: Novel Writing Submission
557 Broadway
New York, NY 10012
Novel winners will be notified in May 2013.
Email info@artandwriting.org if you have questions.
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Personal Essay / Memoir

Category Description
A self-revelatory work dealing with individual experience.
Special Instructions
Grades 7–8: 500–3,000 words.
Grades 9–12: 750–3,000 words.
This category includes nonfiction work only. Fictional essays should be submitted in the Short Story or Flash Fiction categories.
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Persuasive Writing

Category Description
Writing that makes an argument to support a particular point of view or position. The writer presents a clear stand or opinion, and then provides facts and data to support it. Examples of persuasive writing include: editorials, position papers, essays prepared for debate or speech.
Special Instructions
Grades 7–8: 400–2,000 words.
Grades 9–12: 500–3,000 words.
Sources must be cited. Footnotes/works cited are not considered part of the word count.
Frequently Asked Questions | Back to Top

Poetry

Category Description
Writing in verse. May include but is not limited to prose poetry, free verse, structured poetry, song lyrics, and spoken word.
Special Instructions
Grades 7-8: 20–100 lines (total for the entire collection).
Grades 9–12: 30–200 lines (total for the entire collection).
Each submission consists of 1–5 poems to be considered as a collection. Each collection of 1–5 poems counts as one submission. Students may submit more than one collection, but must register each as a separate collection.
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Science Fiction / Fantasy

Category Description
Writing that uses supernatural, magical, futuristic, scientific and technological themes as a key element of the plot.
Special Instructions
600–3,000 words.
Work in any genre in which science fiction/fantasy is the key element should be submitted in this category. Do not base characters or plots on already published works (books, movies, comics, etc.).
Frequently Asked Questions | Back to Top

Short Story

Category Description
A fictional narrative written in prose.
Special Instructions
1,300–3,000 words.
Please note word length limits for Flash Fiction compared to Short Story.
Short Stories in which humor or science fiction/fantasy are key elements should be submitted in those respective categories.
Frequently Asked Questions | Back to Top

Writing Portfolio

(For Graduating Seniors Only)
Category Description
Writing Portfolios must include 4-8 different works from varying categories (outlined above) or from the same category.
Novels may not be submitted as part of a Writing Portfolio.
Special Instructions
The word count for each piece submitted in a writing portfolio should adhere to the length limits listed in each individual category. The maximum length for a writing portfolio is 24,000 words (not including the table of contents or writer’s statement). Please do a word count before submitting work.
• The Writing Portfolio must include a writer’s statement. The statement should be 300-750 words and answer the following questions:
Why did you select the work you submitted for your Writing Portfolio?
How do you hope people will react when they read your work?
What role does writing play in your life?
• Students may submit individual pieces in their portfolios to be considered for individual awards. However, for a piece to be considered for an individual award, it must be separately registered in that category.
• Seniors may resubmit writing works submitted in a previous Scholastic Awards competition as part of their Writing Portfolio, but should note the previous title and award.
Graduating Seniors are allowed one Writing Portfolio per student.
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Writing prompts ala Natalie Goldberg

For 10 minutes, write about anything and everything that does not concern you. Air out your brain.

Write about a place you haven't lived.

Write about a place you are most afraid to go to.

What have you held onto too long? Write about it 10 minutes--go.

Write about your aches--not just physical--emotional as well. Goldberg: "How trees ache and trucks, how history, country, mountain, war ache. How bicycles ache, how roads ache, how you ache for a town and a sea, and how the sea and town also ache for you. How you know there is something else, somewhere else, someone else. how you also know it' right here and you can't touch it. How the very earth is groaning, reaching out to the sun."

Monday, December 10, 2012

writing in the Second Person

Here's an interesting article with examples of writing in the second person:

http://www.chuffedbuffbooks.com/writing-in-second-person-atwood-to-tolstoy/

Until Gwen Dennis Lehane

UNTIL GWEN--Dennis Lehane

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lXthgpRBoM

Click on this link and read (saving paper):

adlibris.com/se/images/UntilGwen.pdf

What does this picture say about the story?

An interview with Dennis Lehane

theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2004/05/hookers-guns-and-money/3125/

Until Gwen Response
What about "Until Gwen" sticks out the most to you? You could focus on a scene, an image, a character, the style, the point of view, a theme--anything really. Write a perfect paragraph of 5-7 sentences in response.

Also:

"Until Gwen"
Use the title "Until Gwen" in a sentence about the main character of this story: "Until Gwen, he ______. During Gwen, he ______. After Gwen, he ______." Do the same with the main character's father: "Until Gwen, his father ______. During Gwen, his father ______. After Gwen, his father ______." Describe the lasting impact Gwen had on these two men. Are there similarities?

At the story's end, the main character has all the means to completely re-invent himself. Financially he is secure. On paper he has no past. He is able to completely start somewhere new where no one knows him. If you could write an epilogue to this story, one year later, where would he be?

Post your comments!

Continue reading A Prayer for the Dying.

Current Contests: Sokol--a poem and/or story
Gannon--1-3 poems
https://www.gannon.edu/NewsDetail.aspx?id=8589940409
Lelia Tupper Scholarship---essay, and creative writing variety, (up to 12 pages total--4 essay and 8 creative writing)
Scholastic --Jan 6

Contemporary Writers SOTA 2019-2020