Partial Spring 2003 Assignment Schedule

January and early February

Journalism 61C

Beginning Magazine Writing

Section 1, MW, 10:30 a.m., DBH 213

We will write in class almost every day. The exact writing assignments are not included in this schedule. Occasionally, in lieu of a class writing assignment, I will talk about specific styles and structures of magazine and feature writing. You will be writing in class and writing and researching out of class. This schedule could be changed.

SCHEDULE

Wednesday, Jan. 22 Roll call, general outline of the course, brief autobiography and interview

Monday, Jan. 22: Roll call, writing, descriptive/anecdotal leads, interview.

Wednesday, Jan. 29 Roll call, writing

Assignment: Go to an eating place – a diner, coffee shop, cafeteria or restaurant – and observe the motion of someone eating or drinking. Start your 300-word description with the eating or drinking of your subject. Look for specific detail. Quick? Slow? Color of cup? And so forth. Describe the details you observe. Then segue into larger description of the person and the motions of this person and details of the environment so that the reader gets to visually see this little slice of life. Due Monday, Feb. 3.

Monday, Feb. 3: writing, read portions of observation aloud

Begin thinking about a profile subject. It will be the biggest project of the semester.

Assignment: Rewrite observation No. 1. (Due Wednesday. Feb. 5)

Assignment: Find someone who's had a defining moment that changed his or her life -- an epiphany. A personal moment only. This assignment is not about a huge societal upheaval or event that affected people over years, such as the Persian Gulf War or the Vietnam War. This assignment is about a personal moment that happens to some people where their lives take a different direction afterwards.

You may have to ask a number of people before you find one who knows what you are talking about. But you will find one. Those who have had such a moment usually vividly remember it. When you find that person who's willing to share it with you, start asking questions, starting with, "Tell me about it" or "What happened?"

I want you to describe that person's moment. What happened? What did it feel like? What were they thinking or feeling? What led up to it? What were they doing? Where were they? What was their life situation at that moment? How did the moment change them and/or their situation? Details – what do they remember? Were they at home? What town/state? In a room? Where, exactly? Describe the room or place. In a chair? Describe the chair. Cold day? Hot day? Spring? Winter? Summer? Fall? Drinking coffee? Describe the drinking of the coffee. Eating? If so, what? Have them describe the moment itself, first. Then start gently digging up the details. Sitting, standing, sights, smells? Ask them if any details of the setting stick out in their minds. And so forth. Do they remember what they were wearing? How old were they – do they remember? (I'm using "them" and "their" because his/her is so awkward.)

Then write it up as a 600-word article using a descriptive or an anecdotal lead. Due Feb. 17. It will require very tight writing to get such a profound moment into such a little space.

Wednesday, Feb. 5 writing, read observation

Rewrite observation No. 1

Assignment: Read John Hersey's "Hiroshima" by this time next week. We will discuss this little book in class. Select a four-page section you especially like and type it out exactly and turn into me Feb. 12.

Next observation – a person standing in line in cafeteria or at campus ATM -- Don't lurk. – Due Feb. 19.

Monday, Feb. 10: writing

Read final draft of observation.

Wednesday, Feb. 12: copy editing of Olympic piece to shorten/improve

bring four pages of Hersey chapter

Assignment: You will reduce by 30 percent your four pages of a Hersey chapter. You will do this without changing the style and voice of the author and with as little loss of information as is possible. Turn in Feb. 24.

Monday, Feb. 17 turn in the "defining moment" piece

discuss profile subjects and get started

Observation No. 2 – person standing in line – is due next class period

Wednesday, Feb. 19 writing

read portions of observation No. 2: person standing in line, and turn in.