Monologue

I try to think of monologues as moments in a play that are like songs in a musical.  Something within the character or the situation gets to such a fever pitch that the character must open up and speak.  They have to get something off their chest, or have to think their way through a problem.  A key thing to remember is the speaker is speaking for a reason.  The character is using this speech as a tool.  Either to arrive at self knowledge, or to think their way through a problem, or to convince another character to do something, or to think some new way.

AND, the monologue should be as short as possible.  As soon as the character has solved the problem that prompts the speaking the monologue is over and the rest of the play continues.

Thanks, again, for letting me work with that class.  You've created a wonderfully safe, creative space for them to be in.  And they are all marvelously talented, diligent, supportive artists.

Dr. Steven Totland

Reflect on 1st Quarter

End of 1^st Quarter Reflective Writing

Due: Thu. October 31 2013
Self-reflective writing about the works you wrote this semester and the journey you’ve been on to write more and be more creative. Also, what do you envision for second semester, a longer work, more fiction, screenplays, stage plays, or poetry?
Write about a page of clear, thoughtful writing. Address both sentence level writing and your own voice (or your narrator's) as it comes through to the reader and also your journey in terms of creativity and vision and storytelling. 
  Finally, envision where your writing is going, not just the next project, but where you'd like to end up at year's end or beyond. How would you like your writing and creativity to evolve? How do you envision your sentence level writing evolving? Name two projects that you'd like to tackle next.

SAMPLE REFLECTION: I’ve learned to hone my creativity in my writing. I feel like I’ve come a long ways in my prose, and that’s definitely a feat for me. This class has been so encouraging. Specifically, though, I’ve learned how to compose odes, experiment with dialogue poems, juxtapose poems, write creative nonfiction, manipulate writer’s block, present to a crowd full of people, dream up a scenario for utter strangers, create six word memoirs, and delve into majestic wordplay. A strength I think I possess is seeing a big picture idea and then executing it. I really like having the “outlier” thoughts that are a little risky (but in a good way). 

Plays

Every morning we were in Dr. Totland's space creating plays and workshoping them.

Sunrise Creative Writing

Revising Dr. Totland student plays

Dr Totland does 90% revision and only 10% drafting when he is writing plays
1. Revise a short scene of dialogue by adding lines or 'business' or pauses or reactions or even characters
2. Or extend your play by writing what happens next
3. Add a monologue of one player speaking alone or with another listening.

	Characters
Thelma	Alice & Mom
Maria	Sarah & Jack
Sibella	X & Z
Natalya	Em & Dad
Billy	Rabbi & Chris
Gaby	Millie & Mom
Imogen	Sebastian, Jane, Liz
Livia	John & Ivy
Stephanie	Stella & Mom

email Work in Progress as an attachment, due by the morning of the last day of 1st quarter, Oct. 31.

Your Blogs

Fridays: read aloud and email all works in progress
Four times a week:
-Add something to your blog
-Update "What I'm reading" (even poems, plays, or musicals)
-Keep adding to FineLines
   (lines you admire that you've written, as well)
-Have some substantial chunk of writing to turn in Oct. 11
          (even if it's rough)
 -Starting Oct. 14, meet in Dr. Totland's room

Make sure to beautify your blog:

-Fine Lines page with top tabs

-add fine lines that you admire weekly, from pros and from your own work

-What I'm Reading

  -gadget

  -Not just what you're reading but also a plan for reading adventurously (to be able to write adventurously)

-Link (gadget) to main class website (and to a few other students' blogs) http://creativewritingbuckley.blogspot.com/

-Learn how to embed links to other blogs and websites

-Post your creativity and writings several times a week

-Beautify your blog with photos or drawings or art

-Make the design your own

-Once a month, write a reflection on what you have been writing and what is pleasing and frustrating you

-Keep working on your blog all year long so that it reflects your creative writing journey