Thursday, October 1, 2009

October 1

Today we talked about truth, creative nonfiction & fiction - with a focus on the different kinds of truths writers tell within the two genres. We will be thinking in some more detail about expectations for CNF writers with respect to truth as you develop your next draft.

We then spent some time talking about O'Brien's "How to tell a true war story." It seems there is more than one way to tell the truth, that truth connects to experience, and some truths can be resistant to being put in words. There was much more to say - and hopefully I will get to read some of what you though about O'Brien on your blogs.

For Monday:
Blog 8: Post your draft for essay 1. Also - email your draft to me as an attachment. On the copy you send to me, write at the top: 1) your focus (the idea/focus/reflections you want your reader to come away with; 2) how your stories set up/connect to that focus; 3) what kind of feedback you want from me during your conference.

Read: Gutkind, "The creative nonfiction police" (in your textbook).

In class you will sign up for conferences on your drafts, do some more talking about truth, and get started on some ideas for your second shot at a creative nonfiction essay.

Have a good weekend.

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