Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Graphic Novels (con't)

Please refer to Ms. Jordon's blog for the daily agenda.

Materials for the unit can be found below.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Comic Book Script Format

Sample comic book script pages (note that there are two standard types, either one is correct):


1. Header; 2. Page #; 3.-5. Panel description; 6. Caption & information; 7. Character & dialogue; etc.


SCRIPT FORMAT AND SPECIFICATIONS. Please create your scripts as follows:

TITLE PAGE: 

WRITER’S NAME (name, address, and phone should appear only on the first page of your script) Street Address City, 
State and Zip 
Phone Number 
(sometimes email)

HEADER: Book Title, Issue # • Writer’s Name (should appear at the top of each page after the title page) page number, etc. 

PAGE ONE (# of panels) (Begin each new story page on a new sheet of paper, label it, and indicate how many panels make up that page.)

Panel 1. Number your panels. Panel descriptions should be typed in standard upper and lower case. Please do not use tabs, alternate fonts, or any other formatting.

CHARACTER: The “attribution” (the name of the character speaking) should appear in all caps on a separate line from their dialogue. It used to be that all comics were lettered by hand. These days, much of the lettering is done on computer.

OTHER CHARACTER: Typing the dialogue in standard upper- and lowercase, flush-left, with no tabs or other formatting makes it easy for dialogue to be copied and pasted onto the comics page.
Panel 2. There is no set limit for how much or how little information should be included in each panel description; generally a sentence or two is enough. If there are specific character traits, objects, or placement of either that you need, make sure you tell the artist. The most important thing to remember: if it isn’t in the script, don’t expect to see it in the art. You’ll get best results if you list characters in your panel descriptions in the order (left to right) that they need to speak in the panel.

SFX: Sound effects are indicated just like dialogue.

CAP: Captions are indicated the same way. All dialogue, sound effects, and captions should be listed in the order in which they should be read in the final art.

CHARACTER (thought): Thought balloons are indicated in this fashion. Captions and dialogue should be limited to approximately 25 words per balloon, and about 50 words per panel, max.

Panel 3. Exact panel layout is usually left to the artist, but if you have something specific in mind, put it in your description. If absolutely necessary, you can draw a sketch of what you want.

CHARACTER (OP): Characters speaking from off-panel are indicated this way.

OTHER CHARACTER (whisper): If a character is whispering, the letterer needs to know. Other common indications for modified lettering or word balloons are (small), (burst), and (weak).

Panel 4. For action sequences, you’ll get best results if you limit yourself to three or four panels per page. Remember: the more spectacular your action description, the less room you’ll have for other panels on that page. In comics, space is your major limiting factor. If you have two characters speaking to one another in a panel on a page containing five or more panels, chances are there won’t be room to show something happening simultaneously in the background. Also, except in rare cases, the most “back-and-forth” dialogue that will comfortably fit in a panel is a comment, a response, and a counter-response.

CHARACTER: [comment] Dialogue that carries over from one balloon, or from one panel to another is indicated by double dashes at the end of the first dialogue section --

OTHER CHARACTER: [response] -- and another set at the beginning of the next. Interestingly, long dashes and semi- colons are not used in comics punctuation. Colons are used only on rare occasions.

CHARACTER: [counter-response] Double dashes can also be used to indicate a speech that is cut-off by events in the story --

Panel 5. For non-action scenes, you can have more panels per page, but keep in mind how many characters and props are necessary in a scene as you’re writing. The more panels on a page, the smaller each of them will have to be. Trying to cram too much information into small panels will result in a comic that’s difficult to read and visually uninteresting.

CAP/CHARACTER “-- a caption can be used to carry over dialogue from a previous scene to a new setting by placing the speech in quotation marks.”

NEW CHARACTER: underline words that you want to emphasize. Ellipses (three periods) indicate a pause between ... sections of a speech, or a speech that trails off.

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Second Semester; Graphic Novels; Ms. Jordan

Welcome to the second semester!

Some writing advice from Marking Period 2 (and before):

1. Schedule writing at least 1 page of creative work per week--this can be done in the lab or at home, or during an advisement period. The more you write, the better practice it is. There will, of course, be required assignments during the course, but if you really want to write a poem or a short story and we're working on a script, feel free to write a story or a poem. Writers write. To be successful in class, to improve your writing, and to raise a grade in a portfolio, I should see writing of various kinds and types in your portfolio.

2. In ficion primarily, but in other genres as well: focus on a protagonist dealing with a conflict. This is your story. Don't avoid conflict in your stories. It's the element that makes a story interesting. It reveals your character. You need it. Stories are about a character dealing with a situation (usually a problem or situation out of their control, or at best because of a poor decision). Use models of our reading and see this truth in every successful story we read: a main character must overcome a conflict that threatens his/her way of life.
  • In drafts that do not have a central character, create a central character. Ask yourself: Who's story is this?
  • In drafts that do not have an important or significant conflict, add conflict. What does your character want to avoid in his/her life? Once you answer, make this happen to your character.
3. Remove dialogue that does not further the story. It's not filler. It should advance your plot, provide necessary details or insight. It's not supposed to be real speech or conversation where nothing important is said. Dialogue can help develop character. Let it.

4. Build your ideas from earlier drafts. You wrote a story or a poem because you had to. Whatever you wrote, develop your ideas. If you are stuck, use the writing process to help you. Generate ideas. Outline. Mind map. Brainstorm. Use "writing assignments" as first drafts, but feel free to revise (see #5 below!)

5. Revise. Actually re-see your original drafts. Attempt to turn a 10-line poem into a short story of at least 1,000 words in length. Turn a play scene into a poem, or rewrite a homework assignment as a how-to manual.

6. Use imagery. That means visual imagery. That means metaphors, similes, allusions to famous or well-known myths or historical events, figurative language, symbols, etc. Learn the poetic devices we've been teaching you since 9th grade and USE them.

7. Risk. Write something that scares you because it's not like your normal writing. Walk the ledge and at the edge: jump.

8. Learn dialogue punctuation rules.

9. Learn sentence punctuation. Use punctuation in POETRY! Breaking grammar rules in poetry--you are NOT e.e. cummings. Not yet.

10. Write from your soul, not from your apathy or disinterest. Surprise yourself by enjoying the creative process. Try to fall in love with writing again. It's trying to get back with you.

Until March 15, Ms. Jordan will be working with you. While she is under my direction as regards curriculum, she is learning how to instruct high school students and will be directing and writing her own lessons. Please use the link below to check her blog for our course.

Ms. Jordan's Blog:
http://craftofwritingjordan.blogspot.com/

Friday, January 23, 2015

Portfolio & Midterm

All due today!

HOMEWORK: None.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Portfolio; Study for Mid-term Exam; Gannon & Sokol Writing Contests

Today, please use lab time to complete the following:

1. Use the blog post below this one to study for your mid-term.
2. Use the blog post below this one to work on your reflection and setting up your portfolio. Note that you should also use time to REVISE and EDIT your writing (the 3rd and 4th steps of the writing process!)
3. The deadline for submitting to SOKOL (poetry, creative non-fiction, fiction/prose) and Gannon University's poetry contest (poetry only) is next week (Jan. 30 and Feb. 1). If you'd like to kill two rocs with one writing stone, consider these prompts:

A. Write a "Where I'm From" poem, but instead of YOU as the subject, choose a real person you know, a historical figure, or a fictional person you make up and write about THIER life.
ex. You are from the hills of Santa Fe...; You come from hard labor and log cabins...; I called you grandma, but you were born an orphan girl...; etc.

B. Make a list of technical terms and use this list to describe a person or a common event.
Science technical terms: check here for some ideas...
Here's a list of poetry terminology...
Medical terminology sample poems...

C. Choose a picture or graphic. Describe the "feeling" or sense of the portrait with diction that addresses tone. Here's an example of the form...

These poems tend to win contests because they are:
1. Universal.
2. Creative.
3. Not about the teenage writer specifically.
4. Show a broader interest than just teenage interests...
5. Show that a poet is specific and knows something more than the average student submitting...
6. Tend to show humans overcoming adversity, not complaining or being negative about the subject...

Fiction advice:
1. Winners of fiction often have a story that is at least 1,000 words (about 3 pages) with the better ones being more like 3,000-5,000 words (5-7 pages).
2. Include a theme about common human experience (usually overcoming adversity)
3. Tend to be realistic, as opposed to Sci-fi/fantasy or other sub-genres
4. Use a variety of sentence structures and fiction conventions (includes a little dialogue, but not too much...includes a turning point in the plot, ends with a specific and memorable image, centers around an interesting voice or character.)

Friday, January 16, 2015

Portfolio & Final Exam Review

In the lab, please begin to gather material you have written this semester in your portfolio. Finish writing drafts (for example, the 10-minute play script you are working on, or the collaborative script, that old poem you can't stop tinkering with, etc.)

1. Examine your work collected in your portfolio. (You may print out anything you haven't yet printed out and place a copy in your portfolio). If it's a new draft, indicate the new draft number on the copy.

2. Revise:
• Nouns: Nouns should be specific and concrete; avoid blatant abstract or vague nouns always in your writing.
 One way to make an abstract concept (like love or death or pain or sadness) concrete is by creating a metaphor or simile. (Ex. Love is a blind dove fluttering at your window)--use metaphor and simile in your writing to strengthen abstraction and turn it into concrete and specific writing! 
 If you can’t hold it in your hand, touch it, smell it, taste it, hear it, then it’s not concrete. If you can’t see it or touch it, it’s not specific.
• Verbs: Verbs should be active.
 Do not write in the passive voice – let your subject do the action.
 Avoid excessive use of the verb TO BE. Instead, use strong active verbs
 Do not shift tense. Make sure all your verbs are either in the past or present. Try not to switch between tenses.
• Modifiers: Adjectives, prepositions, adverbs, conjunctions, interjections. These parts of speech help describe your characters, settings, and plot events.
 The thing to remember about modifiers is that they are not necessary. Overusing them is a great mistake in writing! Be concise!
 Make sure your stories and poems describe the images you expect the reader to see. Don’t forget about WHERE your characters are or WHAT they are doing while they are talking or acting.
 Adverbs should be used sparingly.
 Try to avoid overusing conjunctions. This is a sure sign of a run-on sentence.
• Plot, character, setting, conflict, theme, dialogue, form: Find places in your stories, plays, and poems to expand your ideas. Complicate your plots, make them longer, more character driven, more descriptive. Use dialogue to develop your characters histories and backgrounds. Choose your words with care. Try to make a point. Remember your reader!
• Spell check and proofread your work! Reading your work out loud can help!
• It is sometimes helpful to get feedback from friends, teacher, or enemies about your writing.

Remember: this is a writing portfolio (and you have taken Grammar and Style), so you should check and correct any grammar or formatting errors in your work. I need to see your growth CRAFTING your writing. Remember the writing process includes generating ideas or prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Not everything in your portfolio needs to be publishable, but there should be a few works that you have succeeded on.

3. After you review and revise your portfolio, write a 1-3 page typed reflection essay about your progress this far in your creative writing course. Answer the questions below somewhere in your reflective response. In your essay, you should:
 Talk about the work you include in your portfolio:
What pieces did you most enjoy, which were difficult for you and why? Which pieces show off your talent? What did writing these pieces help you understand in writing? 
 Talk about your strengths and weaknesses as a writer: what are you still doing well? what do you still need help or assistance with in regards to your writing?
 Talk about the reading/viewing we did and your skill at being a reader/viewer. What pieces did you most enjoy/which pieces or texts were difficult for you? Why? 
 Talk about specific writing problems you have faced (and overcome) 
NOTE: do not complain for the sake of complaining, but actively examine what you felt you did and learned in this class in the past semester regarding fiction, poetry, play scripts, film, writing, etc. 
 Make a goal. What would you like to work on in the next semester? 
Use the lab today to complete this work. If you do not finish today in class, please complete by January 23, next Friday.

MIDTERM REVIEW

Your mid-term in The Craft of Writing will be held on Friday, next week, Jan. 23. Please study for this exam. Look over old tests/quizzes, re-read the blog and handouts on this material.

The exam will cover the following material and literary terms/vocabulary:

The complete writing process, techniques to avoid writers block, theme, the four common themes in literature, techniques and tips about writing poetry, fiction, and plays.

Poetry: verse, line breaks, stanza forms, sound devices, diction, tone, voice, caesura, enjambment, cadence groups, onomatopoeia, assonance, alliteration, consonance, euphony, cacophony, rhyme, diction, texture, imagery (visual imagery, auditory imagery, gustatory imagery, tactile imagery, kinesthetic imagery, olfactory imagery), figurative language, metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, symbol, allegory, meter, iamb (iambic), trochee (trochaic), dactyl (dactylic), anapest (anapestic), spondee (spondaic), couplet, tercet or triplet, quatrain, sestet, octave, tetrameter, pentameter, hexameter, Terza Rima, Shakespearean sonnet form, haiku, free verse, prose, persona, moral or message.

Fiction: prose; plot; plot structure: exposition, inciting incident, rising action, crisis or turning point, climax, denouement or resolution; conflict; the different types of conflict; linear versus non-linear plots; setting; setting (artificial or manufactured and natural); exterior versus interior settings; locale; functions of setting; regional writers; POV; the different types of point of view; omniscience; multiple-viewpoint; skeptical POV; objective 3rd person POV; choosing a point of view; hamartia; round versus flat characters; characterization; character types; portraying a character; persona; description (particularly using description to characterize a character); character key terms; ways to develop a character; structuring a story and techniques to structure a story; ideas for fiction; genres; Stephen King's advice to writers; narration, description, dialogue; Sherman Alexie: The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Sudden Fiction, etc.

Drama: script format; how plays differ from films and novels; the use of conflict in script writing; Loraine Hansberry; A Raisin in the Sun; David Ives; Sure Thing, Variations on the Death of Trotsky; setting: interior/exterior; plot: cause and effect; tips about what makes a play effective; premise; 10-minute play form; flat/round characters; proper play script format; tips when writing a play script; the unities; how to turn ideas into plays; advice on how to start a play; film terms: close up, long shot, medium shot, high angle, low angle, bird's-eye angle; how film makers create tone and POV in film.
  • Diction: word choice. (see notes below)
  • Tone: the overall effect of the diction in a piece of writing, including the choice of subject, imagery, and design or structure (humorous, pedantic, suspenseful, mysterious, melancholy, pleasant, happy, etc.)
  • Voice: the agent speaking in the poem or story
  • Persona: the voice or speaker of a poem
  • Connotation: the attached or assumed meaning of a word, apart from its dictionary or literal meaning 
  • Denotation: the literal meaning of a word 
  • Negative Capability: a poet should be open with or empathetic to his/her subject.
  • Lyric poem: a short, emotive poem (60 lines or fewer)
  • Narrative poem: a poem that tells a story (may have fictional/narrative qualities, such as dialogue, chapter headings, etc.)
  • Long poem: lengthy poems that have a central idea, digressions, and multiple perspective (longer than 60 lines)
  • Prose poem: often blocky or written as a paragraph or two, this is a short, short story that has poetic language and careful word choice (diction) to create an effect
  • Poetic diction: tired, stale language often found in bad poetry (ex. rhyming unnecessarily, using elision, cliché, or inversion, etc.) 
  • The cliche: Overused or common idioms used instead of creative writing
  • Inversion: Reversing word order in a line of poetry (ex. Yoda speak: "A poem you are reading; Inversion it is.")
  • Formal or informational language: overly technical language unsuitable to poetry; usually has a cold, dispassionate, or distant tone
  • Syntax: word order in a sentence. May also refer to grammar and punctuation use. In English word order is usually NOUN + VERB + DIRECT OBJECT.
  • Foil: A character that contrasts or compares to the protagonist to illuminate certain traits.
  • Antihero: a normal, ordinary character.
  • Hero: The main character of a story, usually has qualities or traits that make this person extraordinary.
  • Stereotype: characters generally recognized as a type--or unoriginal, flat characters.
  • Dynamic: A character who changes significantly through the story.
  • Regional writer: a writer who sets his/her stories in a specific place and time--Stephen King is a regional writer, as is Sherman Alexie, Loraine Hansberry, and August Wilson. Writers often write about their region or familiar locations.
Literary terms to know concerning fiction:
  • Plot/narrative structure: linear, circular, open-ended, chronological, multiple perspective, frame, flashback/flashforward, epistolary, summary, etc.
  • Plot terms: exposition, rising action, complication, crisis/turning point, climax, falling action, denouement/resolution
  • Point of View: narrator, objective, subjective, reliable/unreliable narrator, stream of consciousness, 1st person, 2nd person, 3rd person limited, 3rd person omniscient, etc.
  • Character: characterization, dynamic, static, stock/stereotypical character, flat versus round character, major/minor characters, antihero, foil, allegorical character, villain, hero, protagonist, antagonist, etc.
  • Setting: time, locale, regional writer, mood, theme, etc.
  • Tone: diction, setting, suspense, irony: verbal irony, dramatic irony, situational irony, cosmic irony or irony of fate, etc.
  • Style: bildungsroman, naturalistic, symbolic, journalistic, parody, minimalistic, etc.
  • Theme: message, moral, genre, meaning, etc.
  • Imagery: description, verisimilitude, figurative language, symbol, allegory, representation, etc.
HOMEWORK: Study. 

Wednesday, January 14, 2015

A Raisin in the Sun: Acts 2 & 3

Today we will watch the rest of the film A Raisin in the Sun. If you did not already do so, please turn in your homework from two class periods ago. (see post below for details)

After the film, take a moment to reflect and critique the play. What situations/plot points, characters, etc. made the play worth watching? What important lessons about life does Hansberry provide us with? What did you learn about script writing from reading/watching this play/film?

Take 2-3 minutes and share your opinions with another student.

Any time remaining, please go to the lab and continue working on your portfolio or play script project from last class. See previous post for details.

HOMEWORK: None. 

About this course!

This course stresses understanding the characteristics & techniques in the literary genres of fiction, poetry, and dramatic writing. This course will continue to build on students’ reading and writing skills begun in previous creative writing classes. Readings and discussions of works by major writers in the field will be examined as inspiration and models of fine writing. This educational blog is designed for the use of the students at the School of the Arts in Rochester, NY.