Interactive Fiction & Goodbye!

See the previous post and from our handouts last class for details on this writing activity.

Use the time in the lab today to work on your interactive fiction.

Alternatively, you may go next door and play card games or stay in the lab and find things on the internet.

Thank you all for your participation in this class this year. Next year, we'll pick it up again with Playwriting/Film and Contemporary Writers. Have a great summer!

Portfolios and grades will be sent to you in the mail. Please realize that because some people did not read Martian Chronicles (or turn in a story draft based on the decade project) or complete a portfolio, the 6th marking period grade may be lower than Mr. Ludwig's grades for the 5th marking period. We didn't have many assignments to do this marking period, so if you missed these...uh oh.

All FINAL grades are an average of all 6 marking periods.

Good luck during finals week!

Documentary Projects

If you have made films this year and would like to submit them to the Rochester Teen Film Festival, please open this link and submit TODAY! (Tuesday, June 10) is the deadline! Here's the application link.

Please return any books you still have to the library!

Final Exam; Portfolio

Please complete your reflective essays and turn in your portfolios by the end of today's class.

If you finish early, have some fun with interactive fiction writing:

Choose your own adventure books began to arrive in the late 1970's (particularly from Bantam Books) to entice younger readers. The role-playing industry was just getting started. For more history on fantasy role playing games, check here. More information about Choose Your Own Adventure books can be found here.

Before you create one, it's a good idea to read what these games are like to get the hang of it. If you haven't yet tried one, please do. You can find a bunch of them here at this link. You can usually get clues and hints by typing "help" in the text box.

Most CYOA books took place in exotic locations, in fantasy worlds, outer space, or somewhere appropriate for the genre in question. Popular genres are usually fantasy, science fiction, horror, adventure, and similar styles, but any literary genre can be used. For a list of genre options, check here.

Once you've settled on a genre, you should start your story by creating a setting and a starting situation. Remember that you are writing in 2nd Person POV (so use the pronoun 'you') for full effect.

The hardest part (apart from organizing, planning, and writing your story) is learning the software. You can choose either twine or quest software. Both are linked below. Instructions are found online or as copied handouts given to you in class.

Twine
Quest Program (a little more advanced than twine)

You may work with one other writer for your text based story. Students who create a story and turn in the URL or game draft will gain extra credit. If this is over your head, spend your time reading the sample CYOA texts (see links below) or the games.

• Storygames
• Journey Under the Sea by R.A. Montgomery (requires free login info)
• Interactive Fiction
• More for some summer reading...

HOMEWORK: None.

The Last Hurrah: Final Portfolio

After screening the completed films, please complete the following tasks today:

1. Look through your portfolio. Remove any hand-written and homework assignments from it. Gather your fiction together, gather your poetry together, and gather your script drafts together.
2. If you have it, take out and read your letter to "The Enemies of the Writing Process." How'd you do against your old enemy? Procrastinators: do not avoid this next step!
3. Reflect on your progress as a writer this year. In a 2-4 page reflection (double spaced) reflect on what you did well, what you need more work or help on, and your overall growth that you feel you made this year. You may reference your English and Journalism classes as well. If you participated in any extra curricular activities, reflect on these as well (particularly how they helped or hindered your progress as a writer).

Your portfolio (with reflection) is due as your FINAL EXAM on Monday, June 9.

HOMEWORK: Bring your portfolios to class. Return books to the library.