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engl 450: advanced expository writing / course calendar; spring 2004 January Th 29 class: introduction;
a definition of nonfiction; current controversies; the genre's history
and future; the writing process; proving the adage "There's book in
every New York Times." February T 3 prep: make short list of five ideas for book project. class: presentation, discussion and evaluation of ideas
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Th 5 class: more presentation, discussion and evaluation of ideas; identifying and discovering a story in an avalanche of facts; introduction to research techniques. T 10 class: research exercise; class meets in DuBois Library in main lobby on first floor. Th 12 prep: none class: research
exercise; class meets in DuBois Library in main lobby on first floor. class: 1)
discussion of projects; 2) performing "people" research -- how to find
people; the yellow pages; friends of friends and "I don't know, but
think I know a guy who might"; interviewing by telephone, e-mail and
instant messenger programs. Th 19 prep: identify and interview one or two people who might assist your project; come to class prepared to describe and discuss your interviews. class: the problem of defining character; physical description of places and persons; publishing in popular magazines. |
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T 24 prep: prepare first draft of magazine/journal piece class: choosing
and maintaining a style; types of styles; journalistic understatement,
the "New Journalism"; workshop first drafts Th 26 prep: identify two or three popular magazines or more specialized journals for which your subject might be suitable; if you need ideas for journals, the search engine at Writer's Guidelines Directory; copy and bring submission guidelines to class class: mechanics of submission; workshop March T 2 prep: revise magazine/journal piece class: "long lead" magazine pieces; maintaining narrative drive; balancing fast-paced or smooth narrative flow with presentation of information; workshop magazine/journal pieces Th 4 prep: MAGAZINE/JOURNAL PIECE due class: finding book reviews: Book Review Digest, the New York Times Book Review, Publisher's Weekly, amazon.com. |
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T 9 prep: identify a book that 1) will assist research for your book proposal and 2) you intend to review class: the structure
of book reviews; presentation and discussion of books chosen prep: none, but you should be reading your book class: controversies in nonfiction publishing; outline workshop Spring Recess T 23 prep: none, but you should be reading your book class: presses; agents; how-to manuals; Writer's Digest Th 25 prep: BOOK REVIEW due class: informal presentations of book reviews T 30 prep: none class: more informal presentations of book reviews |
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April Th 1 prep: none class: the structure of a formal book proposal; Publishers' Weekly T 6 prep: begin sample chapter class: commercial and academic publishing; the state of the art; the state of the business Th 8 prep: continue work on sample chapter class: outline workshop T 13 prep: SAMPLE CHAPTER due class: outline workshop Th 15 prep: none, but you should be writing class: outline workshop T 20 prep: complete annotated table of contents class: outline workshop Th 22 no class -- Monday class schedule T 27 prep: FIRST DRAFT of entire proposal due class: outline workshop Th 29 prep: none, but ... class: outline workshop |
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May T 4 prep: none, but ... class: open workshop Th 6 prep: none, but ... class: open workshop T 11 prep: none, but ... class: open workshop Th 13 class: conclusions; evaluations. W 19 Final draft of BOOK PROPOSAL due in my mailbox in Bartlett (corridor outside the main offices on the first floor) before 4 PM. (reading period: May 14-15; exams: May 15-21) |