Professor Luke Whisnant
Office: 2127 GC
Phone: 328-6516
Hours: 1-2 TTh, 1-5 W, & by appointment
E-mail: WhisnantL@mail.ecu.edu
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This class is a workshop designed to introduce writers to the various kinds of popular nonfiction pieces, including profile, interview, scenic, service, travel, how-to, personal essay, and others.  We will focus on magazine and newspaper publication, and we'll work on generating ideas, drafting, revising, copyediting, and MS preparation.
 
 

TEXTS AND MATERIALS
 

Terri Brooks, Words' Worth
USA Today, the News and Observer, and various magazines  (as needed)
Money for duplicating your MSS

RESPONSIBILITIES

The work in this class is not particularly hard, but there is a great deal of it.  Stay on top of it and you should be fine.

Come to class.  Three unexcused absences.  After that, your final grade drops one letter grade.  University policy: no missed quizzes or tests may be made up unless you supply an official university excuse in written form.

You are responsible for duplicating your work and meeting all deadlines.  You should come to each class prepared to give good, thoughtful, constructive criticism to your classmates' work.  There will occasionally be short reading quizzes, at my discretion.  Fair warning: Plagiarism in any form will result in an automatic F for the course, as will any other form of cheating, including turning in work written for another class or work written by someone else.
 
 

GRADING

This grading scale is tentative and subject to change (with class consent, of course).  I use a ten-point scale for determining letter grades.
 

Writing Grade (three workshop pieces)....... 72 points
Two optional pieces ............................  12 points
Quizzes and final  ...............................  10 points
Judgment...........................................  6 points

Judgment is based on attendance, participation, written comments on peers' MSS, extra work, revisions, etc.
 
 

REWRITES

You will receive a grade from 1-6 on each of your major pieces of writing. If you're not happy with the grade, you may have fourteen days to revise the piece.  If you fail to turn in your revision within this time limit, the original grade will stand.  You must turn in your graded draft with your rewrite so I can compare the two; otherwise I have no way to judge what you've changed.  Keep my graded copies of all assignments and rewrites.  At the end of the semester, you'll turn these in to me in a folder.
 
 

MS FORMAT FOR WORKSHOP PIECES

Make 18 copies of your story, and save your original.  Follow these requirements!:
 

1) leave one-inch margins so we can write comments; use doublespace or 1.5 space.
2) NUMBER PAGES!!!
3) type your name in the top corner of p. 1.  Title your piece.
4) staple pages.  Do not paperclip.
5) proofread!!!

SCHEDULE

Subject to change.  Since we use current newspapers and magazines for texts, I don't know yet which articles will be available for study; thus I'll assign the specific readings at each class meeting.  If you miss class, call me to check the assignment, and come by my office to pick up workshop stories (they'll be in an envelope on the office door).

Note well: Your workshop deadlines are listed below by color.  You must not miss your deadline.  If you are going to be absent for any reason, you must make arrangements for someone to deliver your copies to the class.  No exceptions!  We have a very tight schedule and will not be able to work you in later.  Meet your deadlines.
 

Aug 19  Introduction to the course; welcome

Aug 24  The art and craft of nonfiction writing; some basic terms
Aug 26  Service pieces (readings TBA)

Aug 31  More service pieces (TBA); techniques and brainstorming
Sep 02  Service pieces (TBA); Blue group deadline

Sep 07  Workshop; Red group deadline
Sep 09  Workshop; Green group deadline

Sep 14  Workshop; Yellow group deadline
Sep 16  Workshop; Purple group deadline

Sep 21  Workshop
Sep 23  People pieces (readings TBA)

Sep 28  More people pieces (TBA); techniques and brainstorming
Sep 30  More people pieces; Blue group deadline

Oct 05  Workshop; Red group deadline
Oct 07  Workshop; Green group deadline

Oct 12  Workshop; Yellow group deadline
Oct 14  Workshop; Purple group deadline

Oct 19  Fall Break: No class
Oct 21  Workshop; last day to turn in optional piece #1

Oct 26  Personal pieces (readings TBA)
Oct 28  More personal pieces (TBA); techniques and brainstorming

Nov 02  More personal pieces (TBA)
Nov 04  Style and mechanics; Blue deadline

Nov 09  Workshop; Red group deadline
Nov 11  Workshop; Green group deadline

Nov 16  Workshop; Yellow group deadline
Nov 18  Workshop; Purple group deadline

Nov 23  Workshop
Nov 25  Thanksgiving: No class

Dec 02  Revising, submitting work for publication
Dec 04  Last day to turn in optional piece #2

Dec 07  Mopping up; the State of the Art; Goodbyes

Dec 14  FINAL EXAM: 2:00 - 4:00.  Please note: According to university and departmental policy, we are required to meet, however briefly, during our regularly scheduled exam period.  Keep that in mind when you are making holiday travel plans.