Let's clean out the barn and put on a play!

“To translate knowledge and information into experience: that seems to be the function of literature and art.” 

                            ― Joseph Campbell, The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life & Work

The Hero’s Adventure Basic Recipe

Here is a basic recipe to demonstrate how the Hero’s Adventure plays out. This is a template you can apply to your own work-in-progress—you might be surprised by how closely it matches elements you already have in play.

• A messenger comes. The messenger might be human, or a message might come from an experience—like a brush with death or a dream. At any rate, something has gone wrong; the natural order of the world has been disturbed.
• A problem is presented. Perhaps something has been taken away from the tribe, or some misfortune or malfeasance has occurred.
• Someone is marked out as the person to solve this problem. She is chosen according to some past deed of her parents or by her own reputation or happenstance. This person, of course, emerges as the hero at the end.
• A challenge takes shape. The challenge may be refused, at first. “No way, I’m not going to risk my neck for that!”
• A refusal, often. But eventually the hero decides to accept the challenge. She might even be forced to accept it by circumstances.
• The challenge is accepted. The adventure begins.
• The hero leaves the familiar world. And she sets off into another world. It’s dangerous. The hero could use some help, and very often …
• Helpers materialize. A helper might have special skills the hero doesn’t have, or he might have special insights or wisdom, in which case he takes the form of a mentor.
• Setbacks occur. The hero is tested, she makes gains, she endures setbacks, she fights for what is right, she resists evil. The going’s tough!
• The hero regroups and gains some ground again. Maybe she needs another visit to a mentor, or maybe she makes a personal breakthrough and overcomes a great inner obstacle, perhaps her own fear.
• The foe is vanquished or the elixir is seized. Eventually she defeats the foe or comes into possession of something that will restore the natural order—a cure, or new knowledge that will bring justice or the return of prosperity.
• The hero returns to the familiar world. And the problem is fixed, or justice is done. The natural order is restored.

The person who accepts the challenge and prevails is elevated to a special position, somewhere above human, somewhere below god. She is the hero.

The Hero’s Adventure at Work

Famous stories from King Arthur and Excalibur to The Wonderful Wizard of Oz to The Little Engine That Could to Harry Potter are based on the Hero’s Adventure. Let’s look at a concrete example from a well-known source: the Sherlock Holmes story “The Adventure of the Speckled Band” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

• A messenger comes. Holmes and Watson are hanging out in the familiar world of 221B Baker St. when a young lady comes calling.
• A problem is presented. The young lady tells Holmes that her sister has died under strange circumstances, and she now fears for her own life.
• Someone is marked out as the person to solve this problem. Knowing of Holmes’ reputation, the young lady asks him for help.
• A challenge takes shape. Holmes asks many questions, and perceives the seriousness of the situation.
• A refusal, often. Holmes rarely refuses a challenge, though he has been known to be reluctant at times. In this case, Holmes senses great urgency, so he doesn’t waffle.
• The challenge is accepted. The adventure begins.
• The hero leaves the familiar world. Holmes sets off from 221B Baker St. and enters the busy, raucous streets of London, thence to a creepy old mansion in the country. It’s dangerous. The hero could use some assistance.
• Helpers materialize. And guess what? He’s got Watson at his side! Much investigation occurs, with progress, and then …
• Setbacks occur. Things go wrong, problems turn out to be more difficult than anticipated.
• The hero regroups and gains some ground again. After a nail-biting, death-defying climax, Holmes prevails, discovering a deadly plot and a bizarre method of murder. The perpetrator is killed by the very method he had used to kill another.
• The foe is vanquished or the elixir is seized. Holmes and Watson wrap up the case for the local police and return to their flat in London.
• the Hero returns to the familiar world. And we feel secure because we know justice has been done; the killer cannot kill again. The natural order
  is restored.

Read or watch practically any good, successful story you will find similar story bones. This is not by accident. Good writers have instincts for such things. We sharpen our instincts by studying and by writing, which you’ve been doing all along.

Now we will choose one of the moments from the Hero's Journey to make into a two-person, maybe three-person scene. 

And how do we format a scene? 

Here is a style guide from the City Theater in Pittsburgh

Here are some one-act play resources:

This is long but really worth staying with it

Stan Lee - think butts in seats rather than turing pages

Like he says, "You just have to keep interesting yourself while you are writing it."

Read and watch to be inspired. Christopher and Jessi, if you have any suggestions feel free to send them to the class. Here are some of mine:

Take a Seat (he's channeling his inner Woody Allen.)

You can also Google "Family 2.0" and see a variety of interpretations of this short play. Here is a high school one that I like - but there are many, many variations on the YouTube

Writing practice

Pick an object at random and write about it. Dive into your sense memories and associations surrounding the object. Anything goes, as long as it is sense-bound. 

Write freely. No rhythm, no rhyme. No need for complete sentences. Use all seven senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, organic, and kinesthetic.

Travel Writing

Elements of Good Travel Writing

Travel writing:

• centers on a key event.
  
• uses background information that builds up to this event.
  
• may incorporate research to enhance the background information— even if the writer didn’t know the information things at the time of the trip.
  
• clearly describes the location and focuses on elements that are key to the story or experience.
  
• clearly describes any important people so that readers feel as if they know them a little.
  
• uses dialogue where possible to help the story“happen”for the reader .
  
• mixes reflections on the experience with the retelling to help the reader see the importance of the experience. 
  

Okay, now I want you to read some of the writing from the site Best Travel Writing. Take a look around the site and read at least three of the 10 stories on the "Great Stories" page. Use the analysis questions below to look at the stories to see what you like and what you think works. Start to think about some of those elements for your assignment. 

Analysis of Travel Writing

1. How does the author attempt to get the reader’s attention? Do you think this method is effective? Why or why not?

2. What kind of background information does the author give? Why is it necessary? Is there anything that you feel the author left out?

3. Does the author describe the setting? What kinds of details does he or she give? Why? Is there anything you wish the author had mentioned but didn’t?

4. Does the author describe any people? What kinds of details does he or she give about the people? Compare details about people with the way the author describes the location. What similar elements are provided? What different elements?
5. Does the author use any dialogue? If so, what does dialogue add to the writing? If not, where could the author make the story more lively?
6. What is the main event in the story? How do you know?
7. Are there any images or photos in the article? What do they add to the reading experience? 

Also check out these sites.
WorldHum
Smithsonian (This is a great article about the challenges of travel writing.)

Your assignment: 
TBA in class

Workshopping

When you have your writing "workshopped" you sit in the room as if you don't exist. The reader experiences your work the same as if they read it online or bought it in a bookstore. You are not there to defend the work, explain the work, interpret the work. To workshop is for you to see your words speak for themselves - and for some writers are surprised at what the work is really saying to someone.

Don’t make vague statements like “it’s good.” Rather than simply stating what you think, explain why. Think in terms of whether something “works” rather than in terms of “good” or “bad.”

Focus on strengths first, but don’t hide your constructive ideas about areas that could improve. Be sensitive but honest. The point is to help the writer consider ways to improve the work. Don’t be afraid to politely express your true reactions to the piece.

As you read each other's stories ask the text the following questions:

What is this story about?
What is the most important thing it is trying to say?
What works and what needs work?
How could the piece improve overall?
What aspects of the piece do you really like?
How did the piece affect you? What sort of impact does it have, if any?

Initial stage: Does the opening of the piece make you want to keep reading?
Setting: Is the setting apparent? Are there details about the time/ place/location? Does the setting play an important role?
Senses: Are you captivated by the writing in terms of senses/ does the writing make you taste, feel, see, smell, and hear in your imagination?
Language: Is the writing exciting? Strange? Too simple? Would you need a dictionary to understand what’s happening?
Predictability: Is the writing too predictable? Is it so unpredictable that it leaves too many loose ties at the end?
Distractions: Is there anything in the writing that takes away from its depth?

Dialogue: Does it blend well with the writing? Are the dialogue lines “normal” or too “forced”? Would you actually overhear people talking like that?
Characters: Are they well-developed? Can you imagine them being actual people?
Scenes and Scene Transitions: Can you tell when the scenes change? Can you keep track of the time//location throughout the story?
Pace: Are there parts of the story that are “too slow” and could perhaps be more exciting or cut? Is there too much action and not enough “thinking time” in the piece?
Believability: Are aspects of the story just too impossible?
Conflict(s): Is there an apparent issue in the story that is attended to and resolved?
Resolution: Does it appropriately tie up the issue? Is it too farfetched or cliched?

  Be sensitive but honest. The point is to help the writer consider ways to improve the work. You may say something like

“The dialogue in the opening scene is an effective idea–I feel like it captures interest right off the bat–but it starts to get confusing towards the end of the opening scene...I’m not making all the connections between the characters’ lines...maybe the writer has those connections in his mind, but needs to give more direction to us readers so that we can make those same connections.”

Flash Fiction

This is the best information on Flash Fiction

For Monday

Hi Gang,
I have to have an emergency meeting with Dean Coker at 2 p.m.

HAVE CLASS WITHOUT ME
1. Spend Friday's class reading through the blog and the suggestions about writing short stories.
2. Spend the weekend writing the first scene for the short story that should be based (even loosely) on the story poem you have been working on. This scene needs to start with action right away. Drop the reader in the middle of some chaos.
3. In Monday's class Dr. RT Goode is going to take us through a guided meditation to help us with our writing practice. Monday is the only day he can come to our class. Have your scene written but be ready to have the meditation practice influence what happens in the scene next.

Any questions?
Email me
Text me
Call me
and
Write
Write
Write

Telling the short story

Kurt Vonnegut

Here are some short stories to read for free (Yeah!)
Here is a list of "Best short stories of all time" (Also free)
Yellow Wallpaper is a favorite of mine

If the link is broken or you can't find it look on Project Guttenberg

They include biographical essays which you will also write in this class.
Read in order to write.
Read in order to write.
Read in order to write.

We will go over this list of things that make a short story and other kinds of storytelling work.