Rev up to countdown

Half-term's almost over, one last run to go before it's all over for the year. You just have time to inspire your class to pull together work (or write new work) and publish a class booklet.

In fact, these days, you are probably remiss if you don't get your students exploring self-publication. Whether it is Smashwords, Lulu, Amazon, Kindle or whatever, anyone can e-publish these days. But will it be good? Get students, or perhaps small groups within the class (nothing like the competitive spirit) to decide on theme, content, length, format (just e? Print on Demand?)... or you set the theme/themes for them.

Even just asking students to browse the web and report (with print outs or screen show-n-tell) on poetry, flash fiction, fiction, memoir or whatever is a good practical exercise. If they don't rise to producing their own group collection at least this might inspire individuals eventually to go it alone.

Some other end-of-year ideas to be found under the label called that (see labels list at bottom). Strangely enough I like having a session on creating titles this time of year. Must be something about in our end is our beginning...

New creative term, new creative year

Ah, January, when we book -- or dream of -- holidays. But you are instead jumping into the next creative writing term. What a great excuse for looking through your postcards -- you do succumb to postcard temptation, don't you?

Travel Postcards, Surreal Postcards, Mythical, Animal... images are fantastic (I used that word purposely) stimulus. I have just put on the Matrix book website the how-to for using postcards/pictures in class exercises. It's a sneak-peek and free-for-you sampling with 4 subject categories and 3 methods with which to charm, bedazzle and encourage your students.

Treat your writers to a postcard exercise once a month -- that'll help you get through the term. The book, Creative Writing: the Matrix, has other tips on planning and running a course. Right here, this blog offers further exercises and support. See the post of 4 July 2011 where I listed particularly practical Labels like Exercises, Lesson Planning, Start of Term... or just go right to Labels and dip in.

I am now in re-revise stage of the epic docu-novel that is the story of the life of my great grand-father Ephraim M Epstein. It takes him from Belarus to Dakota Territory to the hills of West Virginia, through two marriages, ten children, careers as a missionary, a doctor, a university founder, a journalist, and back and forth between Judaism and Christianity. Because of this last my original title was Testing the Gods, but a recent discovery triggered a change of title to The Notorious Dr Epstein. Exciting! Last minute! Will it ever end? I am building a blog for him/it... but as all true writers know, I must first and foremost dedicate myself to finishing the book.

Still have some room to coach-buddy writers and creative writing tutors -- see column right. Meanwhile, treat yourself to an Artist's Date (thank you, Julia Cameron). Go out to a gallery or museum exhibition, then to its shop and indulge yourself in postcards that evoke a response in you.

Back to school -- creatively

So you are planning your creative writing course, or wondering what exercise to start with. You're experienced, confident... but would like some more ideas please. Or you are brand new and feeling panicky. There are 112 entries in this blog, archived, from my frontline teaching experience. They are an adjunct to my book, which has 95 exercises and 21 mini-lectures (see outline and a free sample on the the book's website).

But right here in this blog, see the 4th July 2011 post where I've listed Labels under various useful topics. Like... Exercises, Lesson Planning, Start of Term etc etc.

As for me, I have finished the epic that is Testing the Gods, The Story of the Life of Ephraim M Epstein. An epic in fact through the second half of the 19th c and taking us (and him, my great-grandfather) from Russia to the American Wild West. And epic in the writing -- years of my life! Now in final corrections and then... agent and/or self-publication.

I continue to coach-buddy writers and creative writing tutors; see column right.

And for you: enjoy your teaching!

Planning your course

There are 112 entries in this teaching creative writing blog and I am currently on a break. But do not despair! All the entries are in the archive -- especially see the 4th July 2011 blogpost which lists Labels to find practical, useful stuff. Or just go direct to the Labels, such as CREATIVE PROCESS, CRITIC WITHIN, DIFFICULT STUDENTS, ENDINGS, EXERCISES (24 entries!), FIRST CLASS, LESSON PLANNING (6 entries), START OF TERM, WORKSHOPPING etc etc.

Meanwhile I am 90,000 words into my great grandfather's dramatic life, Testing the Gods, which has turned into an epic sweeping through continents and history, and I am finally in the last section.

My new venture: coaching writers and creative writing tutors. See sidebar.

Tips, exercises & ideas

This is the 112th entry in the teaching creative writing blog and I'm going to take a break.

But do not despair if you have just found your way here, or indeed if you are a regular. At the bottom of this blog you will see Labels, lots of them, so you can find all sorts of tips, exercises and ideas -- three and a half years' worth!

It's a very long list, so here is a shorter list of the likeliest Labels to find Really Useful Goodies.

Assessment, Assessment Criteria
Creative Process, Creative Writing
Critic Within
Difficult Students
End of Year, Endings
Energy
Exercises (24 entries!)
Feedback
First Class (3)
Homework
How to Critique
Lesson Planning (6)
Pitching a Course (3 -- this is pitching it to an institution, not to students)
Questionnaires
Start of Term, Starting Term, Teacher as Host
Travel Writing
Warming the Class
Workshopping
Writing Residentials

Meanwhile, there's the book, Creative Writing: the Matrix, Exercises & Ideas for Creative Writing Teachers, now in its 2nd printing. Click here to go to my website to explore and order direct from me. Each term there's an exercise and teaching tip. The book's on Amazon too (click here), but costs you more.

So what will I be doing? Getting on with Testing the Gods, the story of my great-grandfather's life, now 60,000 words in. And I want to write a companion to the Matrix, exercises and ideas for teaching creative non-fiction (travel writing, articles, memoire...) -- interested?

Emails will still come through to me; if anything exciting or extra-creativewritingteaching-puzzling arises for you, talk to me!

Creative Writing & technology: the verdict

End of course and I asked my class to comment specifically on the use of PowerPoint, having told them this was the first time I'd incorporated it into the course. As well, of course, as my usual feedback queries:

- How have you journeyed as a writer on this course?
- What has been most useful? Least useful?

Well, this ol dog has learned the new PowerPoint trick. First, it improved my focus in prepping and delivering (see blog entry of 24 May). Second, here's the verdict from students. Out of 7 responses:

3 positively liked:
'I like having a visual focus so PowerPoint helps me.'
'Good, helped with focussing'
'Seemed to work well.'


2 neutral:
'OK, not necessarily needed.'
'Fine, but not essential.'


2 said nothing, too busy with their journey and other comments.


So, I'm converted. And actually, it's kinda fun.

Weird teaching moments

All my years of teaching creative writing and I have never bumped into this before... how to respond when a student submits, in effect, a dirty joke?

I was flummoxed and weirded out when I read it. The student is middle-aged, pleasant, well-meaning, innocent or even naive, a beginner at creative writing. From a tough blokish lad affecting cynicism I'd have been annoyed and angry, but not surprised. This left me perplexed and annoyed.

Had to ask myself -- am I just being a prude? It's a silly and fairly good 'dirty joke' -- so why do I feel sullied? I dunno -- I am surprised and insulted. Or maybe challenged (is someone testing or joking me? Oh no, I'm paranoid too!) It's not what I expect from any student and especially not from this one. It's simply totally out of context.

I just have to assume it is a matter of naivety. So, what did I do next? Treat it carefully and solemnly. I emailed (in reponse to the student's suggestion it could be read out in class and get feedback) to say we would not do this for two reasons:

Genre: the class is for prose fiction and non-fiction, and this piece is (self-described by student) comedy-drama. It is a joke, which is a different genre. I suggested trying a comedy writing course.

Content: the content is not appropriate in the context of this class. (This made me stop and weigh up -- why not?) In part, it's to do with genre. Writing in this (or any other) creative writing class may include strong language, references to sex and body parts and marital squabbling, but these would be set up in prose story-telling mode with more depth and meaning to the situation than given in this piece.

So that was to explain in advance, and then I did handwritten feedback with the work, as normal creative writing critique/feedback, based on the content and context of the course. Here I pointed out that the 'story' had two or possibly three elements but did not contain other key archetypal components. Testing this piece of writing against our Hero's Journey storytelling genre demonstrated that this piece was an entirely different genre, successful in its own terms as an entertaining joke.

By treating it in a respectful manner I thus managed to praise as well as criticise. Perhaps the student just meant it as a light-hearted tale... perhaps in analysing it closely for its archetypal quest elements I am a dry old academic... perhaps I am a po-faced prude!