Tripping lightly through Chapter 11

My highlighter came to rest on just two passages in Chapter 11, "Nonfiction as Literature:"

"The preponderance of what writers now write and sell, what book and magazine publishers publish and what readers demand is nonfiction."

I find that encouraging, and I've never worried much about whether non-fiction is considered literary or not. I've been inspired by words and thoughts that have been embedded in novels, short stories, poems, all forms of non-fiction and, yes, journalism. It especially did my heart good to read this from Zinsser: "I have no patience with the snobbery that says nonfiction is only journalism by another name and that journalism by any name is a dirty word."

I may have stayed too long in journalism, as Larry said Tuesday night, but I'd have to say that "a good time was had by all," as the old society stories used to end.

Two of your classmates are blogging away

After I read in your bios that some of your had blogs, I wanted to visit them of course and to invite your classmates to do likewise. Two people so far have responded to my invitation to share the URL of their blog.

Samantha writes about single parenthood at "Travels with OWL," and Renata talks about art at "outer perspective." (That's where I got that pretty artwork with this.)

If you have a blog and want to share it, please message me with the URL.

Where my highlighter went in Chapter 10

In “On Writing Well,” William Zinsser calls Chapter 10 “Bits and Pieces." But he could have called it “Details Make the Difference” as far as I’m concerned. He covers everything from punctuation to paragraph lengths (“Keep your paragraphs short”). While I don't consider this the absolute guide on punctuation (I like the appendix in the AP Stylebook), it does give good general advice on the most used marks.

Here are my favorite lines in the chapter:

“Verbs are the most important of all your tools. They push the sentence forward and give it momentum. Active verbs push hard; passive verbs tug fitfully.”

As some of you pointed out Tuesday night, there are good reasons for using passive verbs – when you don’t know who is doing the action and for variety in sentence structure, two of the reasons you gave. Another good reason came from “Writing Tools” this past week on Page 24 where Roy Peter Clark points out that using the passive verb calls attention to the receiver of the action, effective especially when you are writing about a victim. Still, active verbs should be the dominant choice if you want your writing to move forward.

“Most adverbs are unnecessary . . . Most adjectives are also unnecessary.” Zinsser says in many places that everything in your writing should be doing work. Qualifiers are no exception: “Make your adjective do work that needs to be done.” If you use an adverb or adjective, ask yourself what function it is performing in your sentence. Is the describing/qualifying necessary to understanding? Does it tie in with something else in the writing?

Here’s a point I repeated several times Tuesday, but probably never made it as well as Zinsser does: “Always make sure your readers are oriented. Always ask yourself where you left them in the previous sentence.”

No non-fiction writing class should go very long without a reminder of how important accuracy is. Why is the smallest detail so important? Here’s Zinsser’s answer: “If the reader catches you in just one bogus statement that you are trying to pass off as true, everything you write thereafter will be suspect.”

And one final point that you’ll probably get tired of hearing me say. But I think it is where the emphasis needs to be in the writing process: “Rewriting is the essence of writing well; it’s where the game is won or lost.”

Couple reminders on assignments: Read chapters 12 and 13 in “Economical Writing.” In "Writing Tools," read No. 5 on adverbs and apply Exercises 2, 3, and 4 to the writing you should now be doing on your 700-word assignment due on Nov. 16.

Link to the NYT article and "Economical" assignments

I dug out the link to the New York Times article I was reading from last night. There is also a New England Journal of Medicine article about Dr. Pou and a video interview with the author of the NYT article.

Also, the reading assignment in "Economical Writing" is chapters 12 and 13.

I've had a couple of questions on the gaps in the reading in "On Writing Well." I skipped the chapters Zinsser devotes to particular writing genres (travel, business, memoirs, etc.). They are worth reading, especially if you are interested in one of those subjects for your writing. But I figured you had enough to read and that Zinsser's more general writing on writing was more important, which is why I only assigned those chapters.

If you have not sent me questions for Kathy and Bob, please do so today. I'll be compiling the questions and sending them to Kathy and Bob tonight.

Here' Cheryl's 2009 slideshow; update pending

Another change in our schedule

I need to make another change in the class schedule because the library can't do our workshop until Tuesday, Nov. 23. So that night we will meet in the the Suzzallo Instruction Lab at 6:15.

The lab does not have a room number. But it is on the first floor of the library immediately to your left if you come in the main entrance from Red Square (pictured). It is directly across from Suzzallo Espresso.

How this has worked before is the librarian does about an hour of introduction to the resources available and then stays to help with individual research. I know this date is late in what should be the research phase of your work on the final project, but bring those loose strings that you need help tying up. I'm going to ask the librarian to stay the full three hours, so I want it to be worth his or her time.

This means we will discuss online writing on Nov. 9 and I will make the blogging assignments then. The rest of the assignment due dates will not change. I will update this on the class UW website.

"Just put the words in a different order"

Some of you may be feeling like the writer in this cartoon, hearing that the words she wrote were fine but the editor would like them all in a completely different order. I have returned all the bios that you wrote, some of them with my notes asking that the words be put in a different order.

If you don't agree, let me know or let's throw it open to the class.

My intention is to edit your writing as if I were getting it ready for publication. My editing mind is back in my Seattle Times newsroom chair thinking, "How can I make this the most engaging story possible for our readers?"

Which should not be interpreted as my trying to hammer all of your writing into a daily journalism mold. I'd like to think I can expand my horizons enough to encompass other writing forms -- and that's what I will be doing with your longer pieces.

I also try to give you as much feedback as possible. If I just handed back your papers with a note that all was "fine," I don't think I'd be earning my pay or that you would be getting your money's worth.

I don't want anyone asking for a refund at the end of the quarter. See you Tuesday night.

Information on audio-to-text software

Viv mentioned last week software that converts audio to text. I asked if she could provide the class with that information and here it is. Thanks, Viv.

"In regards to the digital recording to text - I am just going to paste in my notes from a recent call to Nuance/MacSpeech. These are notes I took in Evernote. If you do not know about Evernote, I encourage you to check it out. It is a phenomenal program for "remembering everything." http://www.evernote.com/ You can use it for free but the bells and whistles you get with the pro version are well worth the $45/year subscription. Very good program for collecting research too!

"Nuance - for what I want to do I would need to get both Dragon Dictate & MacScribe
MacScribe http://www.macspeech.com/pages.php?pID=181

"As long as you get 2 minutes contiguous speech you can train MacScribe to the interviewee's voice

"Set up a Profile for each interviewee. Then interviewee's voice will be recorded most accurately and interviewer's voice will have more errors.

"Works best with a mic; like a lapel mic
3 digital recorders recommended:

"Olympic digital recorders http://www.macspeech.com/pages.php?pID=67
Recommended headsets there, too.

"Dragon Dictate http://www.macspeech.com/pages.php?pID=143
2.0 just released on 9/20; just started shipping this week.
Stock on shelves is old version.
If you buy the old version within 30 days of 9/20 you can upgrade for free.

"Nuance recently bought the MacSpeech company
They offered a bundled package for a while - but sounds like they were doing that to get rid of MacSpeech product before the Dragon Dictate release.

"There is an education discount. UW Bookstore Tech sells the products.
800.654.1187 Nuance Customer Service (Guess I called MacSpeech customer service. Spoke with Jason.)"

Viv

My highlighter is back for another year

I'm going to get out my highlighter soon and start in where I left off last year in pointing out what I think are the most important parts of "On Writing Well."

I'd hate for you to join me in the middle of the movie, so I have provided the links here to the blog entries in which I comment on the parts of the book you are reading now.

If you don't read anything else before next Tuesday's class, please read the entry from Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009. It should help you as you formulate what you are going to attempt for your final project in this class.

Here are the links:
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009
Friday, Oct. 9, 2009
Monday, Oct. 12, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009
Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009 (read this one before next week)
Monday, Nov. 2, 2009

Here are the assignments for Oct. 26

In case you missed it last night in class, here are the assignments for Oct. 26:

-- Come prepared to talk about your idea for your final project (the 800-word one);
-- Read chapters 8 and 11 in "Economical Writing;"
-- Read the two articles in Pacific Northwest magazine (URLs are below or there are links to them from the class blog);
-- Read Writing Tool No. 4 and do exercises 1 through 4;
-- Read pages 231 through 280 in "On Writing Well;"
-- check to see whether or not you can go with us to the National Archives and Records Administration on Saturday, Nov. 13 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and whether you will be staying to do research after that (we'll have a sign up sheet in class).

Seen your story subject with wet hair?

I can't say that I've ever been able to answer yes to all 13 of these questions when doing a profile of a person -- or that I'd even want to. But here is one reporter's measure of how well he has become acquainted with the subject of his story. And there's video, too.

Read these magazine articles before next week

An editor and a reporter from The Seattle Times Pacific Northwest magazine will be visiting us on Nov. 2. Please read these two articles by the reporter and e-mail to me the questions you would like to ask the reporter and editor. I will deliver those questions to The Times people so they have time to give them some thought.

The first article has to do with chicks in the city, and the second one is about a champion for immigration reform.

Due dates for assignments have been changed

Here is the new schedule for the class and the due dates for assignments. These have also been updated on the UW site in the syllabus:

Oct. 19: Cheryl Phillips, assignment editor at The Seattle Times, will talk to us about public documents and databases –sources for the raw material of non-fiction writing. She will also discuss how to evaluate the reliability of information.

In this class we will also learn more about interviewing – another essential source of information.

Discuss your work on Writing Tool No. 3.

Writing assignment: If you were to Twitter the most important thing you heard from Cheryl tonight, what would you say in those 140 characters? Send it to me in an e-mail.

What is your 800-word writing project due at the end of this course? Be prepared to present that idea to the class on Oct. 26.

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 4.

Reading assignment: “On Writing Well,” pp. 231 – 280.

Articles in Pacific Northwest magazine. E-mail questions for writer and editor of the article to me by Oct. 26.

Oct. 26: Presentation and discussion of your ideas for writing projects for this class.

We’ll talk about magazine writing, narrative technique and where it fits in non-fiction writing.

Discuss your work on Writing Tool No. 4 (we’ll do this in every class session – whether I have it listed here or not).

Writing assignment: Prepare an outline of your 800-word writing project. Due to me on Nov. 23 along with the first draft of your final project.

Complete the assigned exercises on Writing Tool No. 4.

Reading assignment: “On Writing Well,” 295-303

Nov. 2: Kathleen Triesch Saul and Bob Young will talk to us about magazine writing. The two pieces we will read were written by the same reporter and edited by the same editor. But they are vastly different in subject matter, voice and style. Think about the adjustments the writer and editor have to make in framing these pieces, writing and editing them and get ready to fire questions at our guests and strip mine them for as much advice and information as possible.
We’ll also discuss literary techniques in non-fiction writing (chapters, plotting, building suspense, etc.).

Writing assignment: A 700-word essay due Nov. 16. This piece must show evidence that you have conducted an interview with a source for your story (not your mother or a classmate . . .)

If you were to Twitter the most important thing you heard from Kathleen and Bob, what would you say in those 140 characters? E-mail it to me. Make it sing.

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 5.

Reading assignment: Finish “The Indifferent Stars Above.” Questions for the author due to me by Nov. 9.


Nov. 9: A visit to the UW library to learn about resources available for research.
Writing assignment: Visit and read the website of Daniel James Brown and listen to the podcast of his interview with KUOW..

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 6

Your 700-word essay is due Nov. 16.

Nov. 16: Daniel James Brown will discuss his book “The Indifferent Stars Above” and answer our questions on his research, the writing process and book publishing.

We’ll also assign workshop dates, which start on Nov. 30. During the workshops, other members of the class will critique your work. A week before your assigned workshop date, you will need to have a copy of what you have written to give to all your classmates.

Writing assignment: Outline and first draft of your 800-word writing project are due to me by Nov. 23. Students whose work is being critiqued on Nov. 30 should have copies to give to classmates on Nov. 23.

If you were to Twitter the most important thing you heard from Daniel James Brown, what would you say in those 140 characters? E-mail it to me. Make me want to read your next Tweet on this subject.

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 7.

Reading assignment: Handout on writing for online.

Nov. 23: Writing for online: How is it different? What works?

Writing assignment: Up until now, I have been updating the class blog. For the rest of the quarter, you will take over writing the blog entries. We’ll assign blog duties for each of the weeks remaining with each student required to do at least one entry during the week they are assigned (this can be a shared writing project with others assigned to the same week).

Outline and first drafts of your final project are due to me by Nov. 30.

Students whose work is being critiqued on Nov. 30 should have copies to give to classmates during the Nov. 23 class time.

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 8.

Nov. 30: We’ll begin our workshops. Please come to class prepared to discuss the writing that is being critiqued on this date.

Writing assignment: The final version of the 800-word final project is due on Dec. 14. By now you should have received comments from me on your outline and first draft. Some of you will have the benefit of hearing what your classmates have to say about your writing. It’s time to self-edit, revise and rewrite.

Students whose work is being critiqued on Dec. 7 should have copies to give to classmates.

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 9.

Dec. 7: More workshops. Please come to class prepared to discuss the writing that is being critiqued on this date.

If we have students whose work will be critiqued on Dec. 14, they should have copies to give to classmates tonight.

Writing assignment: Final projects due in one week. I will edit as many rewrites as you want to send me. Take advantage of that.

Complete the assigned exercises for Writing Tool No. 10.

Dec. 14: We’ll critique any work that did not fit into the previous two weeks, you’ll hear some final works from me and I’ll collect those final projects. Students whose work was critiqued tonight will be given extra time to incorporate any changes they want to make resulting from the workshop session. Don’t take advantage of me on this one.

Watch a novel being written -- only hours left

This comes from Bill Thorness, an editing instructor in the program. This is a project in fiction-writing, but it's worth a look for those of us in non-fiction as well. I highly recommend it to your attention:


Have you ever wanted to get inside an author’s head – while they’re writing? You can do it this week with The Novel – Live! It’s a crazy, first-of-its-kind experiment and fundraising project put on by some author friends here in Seattle, and I’ve been helping out a bit.

It’s great fun to sit in the bistro at Hugo House, our literary gathering place, and see the novelist on stage for two hours, madly typing amid the din of people eating, drinking, and bidding on auction items. His or her words are projected live on screen as they’re typed, and they’re also streaming on a website. The site also has a webcam of the author and a chat room (yesterday during our auction a woman from New Jersey bought the “naming rights” to a character for a $420 donation!).

Last night Garth Stein wrote 4200 words in two hours as he built the story to its climax. The novel is now up to about 60,000 words, and by Saturday night when the 36th author types her last word, it’ll be over 70,000. The novel will be published in print and as an e-book, after it’s been edited, so you can see it now in its raw stage, then see how it’s been changed for publication.

But it’s not just authors writing a novel live, in person and on the web. School classes are following it and doing writing workshops based on a lesson plan provided on the site. Classes are visiting Hugo House on field trips. The authors are getting to know each other, and having a friendly competition. Editors and publisher reps are stopping by the House to check it out and meet people. And it’s raising money for two great youth literacy organizations: 826 Seattle and Writers in the Schools.

You have today to check it out. Click on the link now… they’re writing.

Bill

We are underway for the 2010-2011 class

Greetings to all of you who were either at the class last night or will be joining us soon. For those in the latter category, please note that the class goes from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 on Tuesday nights -- which caught me by surprise last night.

I changed one of the assignments on the syllabus and added another. Here is the change:

In "Writing Tools," read Tool 3 and do Workshops 1 through 4 on Page 22. Use the 300-word profile of your neighbor that you are writing as the writing you will review. For those of you absent from last night's class, please write a 300-word bio of yourself and then use it as the writing sample for Workshops 1 through 4.

Here is the new assignment: Read chapters 2 and 4 in "Economical Writing." You are welcome to read all of the chapters in this little book, but we will certainly be discussing aspects of the chapters that I assign.