LITERARY TECHNIQUES AND STORY DEVELOPMENT ONLINE

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1 COURSE SYLLABUS LITERARY TECHNIQUES AND STORY DEVELOPMENT ONLINE CONTACT INFORMATION Catalog Course Code: ECW 2123 Three-Letter Course Abbreviation: LTS-O Instructor: Michael Ferraro Telephone: ext ichat: AIM: csmferraro Hours: Hours vary is preferred COURSE DESCRIPTION The Literary Techniques and Story Development Course provides a broad spectrum and intensive study of authorial choices and literary techniques that bring meaning and direction to stories. By employing literary devices, authors play upon their readers conscious and unconscious experiences and archetypes, which in turn shapes the interpretation by and impact on the audience. COURSE MATERIALS y MacBook Pro y Microsoft Word y Final Draft y Firefox y Keynote y Adaptations: From Short Story to Big Screen: 35 Great Stories That Have Inspired Great Films, ed. Stephanie Harrison, Three Rivers Press y The Complete Maus: A Survivor s Tale, Art Spiegelman, Pantheon COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will accomplish these course objectives by completing the milestones specified: y Demonstrate an understanding of the creative elements, techniques, and conventions used in literature by writers in a variety of genres by using critical thinking to analyze and discuss selected works y Incorporate creative elements into their own creative works throughout the course y Display a strong comprehension of traditional literary terms, devices, and conventions y Recognize the role of plot in narrative storytelling y Discuss how symbolism and metaphor help enhance an artist s vision y Demonstrate an understanding of theme and the ways themes are integrated into works of literature y Discuss authorial choices y Discover methods writers use to convey information and compel the audience to keep reading y Communicate the ways perspective affects storytelling y Discuss the significance of the decisions a writer makes and how these decisions affect the audience s experience y Recognize how creative works are structured and how structure affects meaning y Understand the function of variations of story paradigms in narrative storytelling y Discover why sequencing in narrative is integral to the cohesiveness of the story y Learn to deconstruct narratives into the three-act dramatic structure and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of adhering to conventional structure y Analyze assigned works of literature and reading material y Identify literary techniques, conventions, and creative elements y Interpret themes, tone, and style y Codify the artistic design of the story into structural elements y Produce a creative masterwork project that incorporates literary techniques effectively y Begin creative work with an attention-grabbing hook y Illustrate how creative use of literary conventions enhances premise y Compel the reader to want to know what happens next

2 Literary Techniques and Story Development Online Course Outcomes Objectives y Complete work free of grammatical and formatting errors y Demonstrate comprehension of syntax and mechanics y Understand how grammatical issues can distract or confuse meaning y Display competence formatting for a variety of mediums COURSE OUTCOMES By the end of this course, students will be able to: y Add the Masterwork Final to their degree portfolio y Skillfully analyze and critique creative work y Understand a wide array of literary techniques and conventions y Incorporate literary devices into original creative work y Improve technical and creative writing skills GENERAL EDUCATION COMPONENT Students will enter this course after their basic writing skills are polished in English Composition I and their creative minds are honed in Creative Skills Development and Visual Thinking and Writing. The objective of effective writing is to communicate ideas with clarity. With so many outlets for creative work, a mastery of the written language can separate one writer with good ideas from the next. Learning to assess works by other successful writers is a valuable skill, and learning how to effectively implement this learning into all types of creative and professional writing in the evolving digital and new media world is essential. DEGREE CONNECTION Literary Techniques and Story Development is the fourth core course in the Creative Writing for Entertainment BFA program and supplements many of the competencies taught in previous core courses. This course will provide students with a vast array of techniques and methods used in literature that are also fundamental to creative writing for the entertainment industry. Concepts such as plot, theme, flashbacks, dramatic structure, and metaphor are just as integral to writing for film, narrative video games, television, and other forms of entertainment as they are to literature. Having a foundation rooted in these elements will aid students as they work on their own creative projects throughout the program. INDUSTRY CONNECTION The future of entertainment and new media in the digital age is exciting and boundless, and the entertainment industry continues to grow and push the limits of technology. The fundamentals of writing in the entertainment industry remain closely tied to the techniques and conventions of literature, which has had thousands of years to develop methods that work. After successful completion of this course, graduates will be able to employ these literary techniques and methods as they develop creative projects in the industry.

3 Literary Techniques and Story Development Online Research Component RESEARCH COMPONENT Beyond the comprehensive literary elements and resources provided in this course, each student will be encouraged to continue exploring as a reader and reading as a writer. The best writers are often the most prolific and most eclectic readers. A writer should have a deep well of creative work from which to draw and be inspired, an intimate knowledge of the form and function of his or her area of writing interest, and an insatiable desire to develop effective ways to express his or her ideas creatively. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES y Handbook of Literary Terms: Literature, Language, Theory, X.J. Kennedy, Dana Gioia, and Mark Bauerlein, Pearson Longman y MetaMaus: A Look Inside A Modern Classic, Maus, Art Spiegelman, Pantheon y TOPICS COVERED y Authorial Choices y Narrative Structure y Story and Plot y Linear and Nonlinear Storytelling y Backstory and Flashbacks y Point of View y Literary Metaphor y Symbolism y Subject and Theme y Deus ex Machina LEARNING ACTIVITIES Video Each week, students will view one brief video lesson. The video may provide definitions of glossary terms, an overview of the course s or week s objective, or instructions for completing weekly assignments. Reading Since this is a course devoted to literature, students will be assigned several reading assignments each week. These readings are crucial to the course objectives and essential to complete assignments. Students must read all assigned materials and be prepared to respond to the material via assignments and discussion-board postings. Discussion Board Discussion-board prompts must be answered thoroughly each week. The discussion boards are designed to foster high-level discourse about the reading assignments and themes of the course. Masterwork A Masterwork Creative Starter assignment will be due at the end of Week Two. The Creative Starter and the revised and expanded Masterwork Final due in Week Four must be original work for this course and must meet the specifications outlined in the assignment. No previously submitted works are permitted. GRADE WEIGHTS Discussions 42% Masterwork Creative Starter 18% Masterwork Final 30% GPS 10% Total 100% STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL LEARNING y Make time to read the assigned stories. Don t wait until the last minute and then scramble to read. These stories are best when digested slowly and even reread. y Contact your Course Director at least two days prior to an assignment s due date to ensure you receive a response. Some assignments are due over the weekend, and instructors do not work often on the weekends. y Meet deadlines. It is unprofessional to turn in work late or not at all. Not meeting deadlines will lower your grade. Let your grade be based on your achievements and hard work, not missed opportunities.

4 Literary Techniques and Story Development Online Course-Specific Rubrics COURSE-SPECIFIC RUBRICS Discussion Board Criteria Superior Above Average Average Below Average Failing Individual Input and Initiative Group Participation and Interaction Critical Thinking and Analysis Grammar, Mechanics, and Presentation Contributions enhance instructor s vision for the assignment Inspires rich responses from Surpasses typical expectations Follows instructions completely Participation fosters team spirit Brings life to group Shows respect for Insightful, creative, and stimulating Perspectives richly detailed Comprehensive Persuasive No significant errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, structure, or organization Presentation enhanced content Contributions accurately reflect instructor s intentions for the assignment Response affirms discussion s focus and direction Encourages and supports Diplomatic in disagreement Participation consistent and rewarding Perceptive Effectively detailed Logical and coherent Strong continuity Few or minor errors Presentation adequately conveys ideas Content avoids wordiness and awkward sentence construction Response appropriate to the subject Generally competent, though little sense of engagement Comments not integral to discussion (e.g., I agree with ) Courteous, but little rapport with Competent overall Perspective well stated but uninspired Adequate details and support Frequent or major errors that detract from ideas Presentation diminishes content Sentences not fluid Response displays little understanding of the subject Lack of compliance toward discussion goals No energy or enthusiasm conveyed Off topic Postings irrelevant or out of context Responses to lack courtesy and etiquette Responses do not reveal even a minimal grasp of the concepts Little analysis or demonstration of understanding Errors abound to point of distraction Tone disruptive Presentation defeated content

5 Literary Techniques and Story Development Online Course-Specific Rubrics Masterwork Assignments Criteria Superior Above Average Average Below Average Failing Individual Initiative Creativity and Inventiveness Grammar, Mechanics, and Presentation Enhances instructor s vision for the assignment Surpasses typical expectations Follows instructions completely Unique and original premise Work only the writer could have crafted Compelling to read Employs literary techniques perfectly No significant errors in spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, structure, and organization Story enhanced by language and metaphor Completely free of clichés Perfect formatting Accurately reflects instructor s intentions for the assignment Meets expectations Follows instructions Engaging premise Story conveyed effectively Employs literary techniques effectively Few or minor errors Presentation adequately conveys ideas Content avoids wordiness and awkward sentence construction Nearly free of clichés Adequate formatting Generally competent Does not follow instructions completely Problems with clarity Not compelling Literary techniques do not enhance work Frequent or major errors that detract from ideas Presentation diminishes story content Sentences not fluid Few clichés Problems with formatting Misses the goals of the assignment Does not follow instructions Not original Story confusing Literary techniques not used or ineffective Errors abound to point of distraction Tone or style disruptive Presentation or formatting defeat content