Metaficiton

Hello Students,

I think this week's assignment is fun, so I'd like you to think creatively, and literally follow the quote below from Banksy:

"Think outside the box, collapse the box, and take a (insert bad word) sharp knife to it." — Banksy

What you will be taking a knife to and sculpting are the Chain Writing Essays.   Think of them as a "story within a story," where you superimpose a character and situation on top of the "found object" in an "inception-like" way.  Does that make sense?  Probably not.

Likely, those Chain Writing stories are a bit off kilter, and make for an entertaining read.  So, do consider whimsically: If we were to pretend that a single person had actually written them seriously, who would that person be, and what inspired them to write what they'd written?  What was their creative process?  That's a start.  You could include the best parts of the story and write from the perspective of the writer.  OR, you could put yourselves in the shoes of someone who ends up finding/reading that work (a teacher, a mother, a publisher, or someone sitting on a bus).  What is their reaction?  How does the story within the story create or influence THEIR story?

Essentially, this writing exercise is literature's version of "found object."  Under the umbrella of found object  we have found footage, found audio, found sculpture, and even found poetry.  Basically, a "found object" is defined as finding something and reinventing it's context for artistic purposes.  For our purposes, we are taking collective group writing and supplanting it into hands of one writer (you) - who will then wrap a character(s) and situation(s) around that story.  A story within a story.

Think of this as a "mash up."  You can do whatever you want, include whatever you want, and splice it up like a film editor any way you want - so long as it has layers and explores "intertextuality."

Here are some helpful links:

Make sure you fully understand "metaficiton."

Reading that Wiki page, you will come across "story within a story."   It actually does exist as a literary device.

Furthermore, there is the "frame story," which is more directly what you will most likely fulfill.

Also consider "the fourth wall,"  which is basically described as "the imaginary boundary between any fictional work and its audience."

As a tiny clue I hope you won't read, I leave a link below to the absolute best example of metafiction written by an excellent student from the 16th wave.  Do I want you to read it?  No.  Because I want to see what you do without seeing a former example I like, which I hope you would not emulate (consciously or otherwise).  So..... no.  I won't include the link.







http://ej-lee.blogspot.kr/2011/11/metafiction.html

Assignment List

As mentioned, I'd like your blogs to be a place where you exercise your intellectual freedom, where you keep writing for the sake of writing, in a forum that is not limited to a single audience member (or just you and your teacher).  In my experience, some students love this and really run with it, and I'm happy to compensate your participation score and see your writing improve.  Other students may not enjoy it as much, but will still need to fulfill the mandatory fully-graded requirements of the course.  You are welcome to post work from other classes (as long as it's in English and something you are proud of), and this includes history, reading, or even creative writing you may have done for clubs etc.  You should be proud of your work and put it up for others to read.  However, please let me know what it is in the title, or briefly introduce it.  If it's something you wrote just for fun yesterday, make sure that's clear. 

So basically, I want to keep you writing - just like a coach wants to keep athletes in the gym.  You only develop muscle by exercising, and if some of you enjoy the gym I don't want you to wait for me to say "This is what you are supposed to write, and this is when I want it on my desk."  As I said before, towards the end of the semester I am going to holistically grade your blogs, which will be based on some of the following considerations:

• Class Participation:  Did the student stay active and fulfill the goals of assigned class work? Did they visit other blogs and leave comments?  Did they get things done on time?  Did they take pride in their work?
• Attention to Detail: Did the student make things look nice?  Did they embed videos, include pictures, and use links within their writing to show sources? Did they keep a close eye on spelling and grammar? 
• Creativity: Did the student try to produce original content, showing original thought and personality through a desire to write? 

As I have used blogs a lot in the past, and am just bringing it back into my class now after about two years of not using them, I am familiar with some of the strengths of the approach and some of the weaknesses.  Here are two things to absolutely avoid:

1) Quantity over Quality - Some students copy and paste - thinking only about quantity rather than quality.  Do you really need to share your middle school book reports? Probably not.  I'd rather see three quality essays written in KMLA than 15 things that I don't have time to read that seem outdated and irrelevant.

2) Plagiarism - Some students plagiarize - and basically ruin their reputations.  They copy and paste from somewhere on the internet, and think teachers either won't notice or find out.  This might be a book review, or something slightly altered with bits and pieces copied and pasted.  In any case - teachers know, and use programs developed by Stanford that determine if something is genuine or not.  Generally, it goes against the honor code at KMLA to plagiarize, even a little bit, so don't risk it.  American colleges have zero tolerance for this, and you can be expelled. 

So - if you are a person who wants to write, here are some things I wouldn't mind seeing on your blogs.  You can work at your own pace, and most of these won't have due dates, but they are set in order to some extent.  You can jump ahead if you want.   From time to time, we will "workshop" what you write in class, where your work will be read with feedback given.  In some cases I will ask what work you want reviewed, in others I may just choose in a way the benefits the class the most.

Most of our classes will be discussion based, and I want you guys to learn from each other to some extent - sharing your writing styles and approaches etc.

Assignments	Degree of Requirement
1. Personal Review of "Nosedive" - mixed with some academic reference.  More on that later.	Required
2. What's the best book you ever read? Why?  How did this book impact your life at the time of reading, and where did you read it?  What was the process?  Do you remember any moments while reading?  Notice I am not asking for a "book report," but more so a narrative on "the reading experience." Don't think this has to be an analysis of War and Peace by Tolstoy. If it's a Roald Dahl book you read in first grade, write about that instead.  Did you read it at home? In a library?  All in one shot?  What memories or learning experiences do you associate with this work?	Optional
3. A Review.  You are allowed to review anything you want – a book, movie, video, album, game,  restaurant, hotel…. Just about anything.  You should have personal experience with that thing, and supply factual data to dress up your writing (Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon, IMDB, and Metacritic etc).  React to opposing or supporting reviews that might add to your response.  You must include a rating system.  Stars, thumbs, out of ten or our of five, A- or C+ etc.	Required
4. Additional Reviews.  Is there an album you like?  Film you saw on the weekend? Write about it. Post a video.  Give it a score.	Optional
5.  Review a TED video of your choice, and include a minimum of 20 SAT words within your writing.  Underline them in bold. If you want to use more without sounding ridiculous, you are welcome to try.  Select them carefully before you write.  I assume you guys have a Word Smart book?  Discuss your interpretation of the video, include an embedded video, and discuss points you may or may not agree with, and why.	Required
6.  Reflective Essay about an experience you’ve had at KMLA.  You should weave in the theme of a “learning experience” and come to a resolution by the end.  Club activities, home mate experiences, how to deal with rules that are made to be broken etc. are all themes you might consider.  Be very aware that most of these essays are in danger of being cliche - so think carefully and compensate that somehow.	Required Writer’s Choice: Option 1.
7. Creative Essay about where you’ll be in life in either 10, 15, or 20 years from now.  Must be written in First Person narrative as if you are experiencing a particular day at that time.	Required Writer’s Choice Option 2.
8. Visit the University of Chicago's website, and find the "UChicago essay prompts."  Choose one from any year, and write an essay.	Required Writer's Choice Option 3.
9.  “Stuff Korean People Like” or “Stuff KMLA Students Like.”  You’ve seen the book in my classroom, and if you haven’t you can read the original source here. This is your chance to write satirically in a comical mode about something you should be familiar with.  Stuff KMLA Students like?  Quizzes.  Morning Exercise.  Elevators.  Pen twirling.	Optional
10.  “A Book I’d Write If I Had The Time.”  Referencing the Hero’s Journey, shape the plot of a book you’d love to write if you had the time.  Introduce us to the story, the characters, and then take us through what would happen.  I think we all have a story we’d love to write.  If only we had the time! Maybe you will find the time.  Now is your chance to discuss it.	Optional
11.  What if....  Write a reflective essay that uses the phrase "What if" 5 times.  Think about how and where you will use "what if."  There are no rules about what to write or how to write it.	Required

Assignment #1: Create your blog, introduce yourself

Please visit www.blogger.com and set up a blog.  While this is obviously a writing class, I encourage you to have fun tinkering with the colors, fonts, and background images etc. as if you were decorating your bedroom or creating a store front for your business.  Put some effort into conveying your personality, and try to give it a meaningful title other than "Steve's Blog."  For example, if you study Latin, why not something philosophical in Latin?  If you are a passionate Buddhist, why not something Zen-like with some Buddhist art?  Blogger is very personal and  you will receive extra points for style and presentation, and general readability. It is great to have your name in the title, but instead of "Steve's Blog" maybe "The Memory Palace of Steve" might have more creative ring to it.

When you have set it up, please make your first post where you briefly introduce who you are.  300 to 500 words not of biography but of "this is who I am."  I'm interested in your journey, your academic interests, personal quirks, and anything you want people to know about you but rarely have the opportunity to explain (because nobody asked).  For practice, I would also like you upload a picture in your first post.  This can be of anything - but it must mean something to you.  It can be a picture you took or a picture you are in, or a picture that represents a part of you.

This first blog post does not have to be considered an "essay" or a "assignment" and shouldn't take you hours.  This entire setting up and writing a first post, I think, should take less than one hour, so don't get overly focused on it.

As an example, I'll tell you a bit about me by sharing one of my "most memorable" photos that I took in 2005 when I decided to try and spend an entire year just travelling all over Asia.

The reason I like this picture more than most I've taken is that the colours and symmetry of the sheep drinking the water is meaningful.  And there's the man and boy watching over the seep as they drink this precious water, and it reminds me of how alien that desert world was waaaaay back in 2005 - on a camel for four days as a tourist in the Rajasthan.  What are the man and boy thinking?  What's it like to be a sheep in the desert?  Anyways, if you ever get a chance to go on a camel safari, do it.

Enjoy writing your first blog post.  Once you are done, please leave a comment below, complete with your Name and Blog Address and I'll add it to the right-side column.  Whenever you wish to read someone's blog you will find everyone's blog here, and as of now you are no longer writing JUST for one teacher on one piece of paper that will be lost, most likely ending up in a recycle bin.  What you post may or may not last here forever (as long as the internet exists), and perhaps you will write your college essay 12 months early (when you least expect it) or perhaps your future grandchildren will somehow end up here, wondering what their grandmother was like as a teenager.  For these reasons, I enjoy teaching writing through "blogging" and I hope you guys produce work you are proud of.

Have fun.