In writing, things go in and out of style. Take the exclamation point. Back in the day, a reader could find a couple per paragraph. Now no one wants to see them. They say,"Stop shouting at me!"
And so it goes with dialogue tags. In this day and age, we only want to see said. Not exclaimed. Not retorted. Not pleaded! Dialogue should speak for itself.
My students, however, don't want to be saddled with using one word over and over again. It gets boring, they insist. To which I respond, do you feel the same way about the period? It's at the end of the majority of sentences.
Until you start writing, you don't think about dialogue tags. Truly, you don't notice them, and that is the point. As the reader makes her way through a story, she doesn't read said, just as she doesn't read the periods. Both act as visual cues. Said, along with a character's name or pronoun, helps the reader keep track of who is talking. Just as period gives the reader pause and let's her know she's reached the end of a thought.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Friday, August 9, 2013
Subject to Change
Welcome to Workshopping the Workshop.
As we prepare to start teaching for the fall semester (some of us may be back already), we're thinking about syllabi.
When creating my syllabus, I always list at the top of the schedule page SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Teaching Creative Writing is a fluid process. Each class you teach has a different dynamic. Each student has a different approach to writing. As you get to know your students, you'll gauge how much time you need to spend on feedback, reviewing the work of the Masters, and/or writing and sharing exercises. You'll learn what works for your class. You'll revise your reading list to suit their interests and needs.
It's always a smart idea to plan ahead, but with Creative Writing you must be prepared to get creative.
Do you have any syllabus tips? How do you engage your students on the first day? Be sure to leave a comment. If you're interested in contributing a blog post, check out the Contact Page.
Have a great semester!
As we prepare to start teaching for the fall semester (some of us may be back already), we're thinking about syllabi.
When creating my syllabus, I always list at the top of the schedule page SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Teaching Creative Writing is a fluid process. Each class you teach has a different dynamic. Each student has a different approach to writing. As you get to know your students, you'll gauge how much time you need to spend on feedback, reviewing the work of the Masters, and/or writing and sharing exercises. You'll learn what works for your class. You'll revise your reading list to suit their interests and needs.
It's always a smart idea to plan ahead, but with Creative Writing you must be prepared to get creative.
Do you have any syllabus tips? How do you engage your students on the first day? Be sure to leave a comment. If you're interested in contributing a blog post, check out the Contact Page.
Have a great semester!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)