Final Post

With the final class of the semester hours away, it's times to reflect on the past several months. I have really enjoyed this class. Once I was able to break out of my nervous bubble, I was able to really find some creativity that I didn't think I had. Not only was this experience beneficial for getting used to public speaking, but I have also learned several cool methods of revision that I will be able to use in a wide-range of subjects for years-to-come.

The end of the semester projects have been fun. I really liked the way that circle's group journal, [fourteen]2, turned out. The cover we chose was neat, and Heather did a cool job of incorporating creativity throughout the various authors' poems. My role in the group, aside from the various formative details we decided as a group, was to edit. I enjoyed reading Charity Stowe's Poems and thought she did a good job of responding and editing her piece to the suggestions of an editor.

To conclude on what will be my last blog in this class, I have really enjoyed the material and have found several methods associated to the creative and revision processes helpful. I feel that the teacher's approach to use mimicking poetry in order to spark our own original creativity very helpful. I play the guitar and have always used sample riffs from various artists to come up with my own songs. In that same sense, we have learned our own poetry/short-story aesthetics through interpret and copying famous poets structure.

Final Blog

I cannot believe that the semester is coming to an end. This class really has taught me a whole lot. From words, to poems, to short stories, I have realized that words really do have a great significance. The way one uses his words can bring its meaning to life, and can have more of an overall inspiration on others around him. The tone and rhythm of one’s words can really make a difference in its meaning. It’s crazy how common everyday words can mean so much! It is the way words are arranged that make its meaning creative. I believe creativity is necessary to thrive, but every person is definitely creative in their own way. Reading a piece of work on paper can be completely different from listening to a person read the poem or story. Sounds of different writings can constantly change from person to person. The poem or story can be taken several ways. This proves that people can be creative without even being aware of actually doing so.

This week we continued revising and finished putting the lit journals together. Our group is still finishing the layout, which I am excited about. I have had a lot of fun in the process of putting it together. We have also been working on our own portfolios. I am currently finishing up my work. I can honestly say that I’ve had a lot of fun putting my portfolio together. In my opinion, it was definitely the most enjoyable part of this semester. At first, I found revising a bit challenging, but as we continued to revise I found it easier and easier. Seeing my own work improve is really nice. I love the feeling of accomplishment!

Week 14

Can't believe class is almost done! This semester flew by so quick! Well to get started I suppose throughout this semester the revision process all semester taught me that I'm the least creative person when it comes to writing! Also I learned that the way you say something can completely change a tone, or a meaning of what you're trying to say. For instance if 10 people wrote one sentence about how love makes them feel, you would have 10 very different sentences and some would probably include some cliches, some may be something you would have never thought of, and others could be very bland. it is all on how you interpret it.

Last week we talked about words and sounds and I personally thought it to be a tad tricky. I didn't really understand where we were getting at with the sound and mouth movement thing, and I didn't see much of a point to be honest. When we watched the videos, I get the performance and how the way you read your work can change they way people take the piece, but I guess I was just confused with the sounds.

I think creativity is very necessary to thrive, but not everyone is creative in the same way. One who is not the most creative writer could be a great painter or whatever there are lots of different ways to be creative. I personally think I lack creativity in writing, but I am creative in many other ways, I work in retail so I experience being creative with merchandising. I've noticed that pictures inspire my writing and I find it much easier to write when inspired by a picture!

The most enjoyable thing for me this semester was probably writing poem, even though I am not the most creative person, it was still nice to get out things you wanna say with poetry.

Final Blog

This semester has been a wild ride. I was so much busier than my first semester, and my grades have showed it. I think though, that I've learned a lot more this semester than I did the last. I've learned more about writing, more about being a student, and more about myself. Particularly as someone who writes in his spare time taking a class like A190 is a sort of measuring stick to let me know how comfortable I feel with where I'm at in my creative works. I also think that it's made me feel more secure in what I'm doing.

My favorite thing about this semester has been getting to read all the other cool pieces in class, and as we workshop see others either accept my ideas and edit their pieces or have them explain why they disagree and get a better understanding of what their works were all about. It is just really neat to be part of someone else's creative process. The hardest part was going back and doing that for myself. I find it much easier to view a piece critically when I'm doing it from an outside viewpoint rather than trying to look at my own work and edit it.

There's still lots to do this week for finals, but I'm glad to have the journal behind me and to work on my portfolio. After all the reading I've been doing lately I'm excited to go back and tear one or two more pieces apart and put them back together like Dr. Frankenstein!

Final Blog! Week 14

This semester has flown by, I cannot believe this is already our last class blog! This week was a busy week, trying to get our literary journal organized and ready to present to the other group, and also trying to get all my revisions done for my final portfolio. It's definitely been a stressful week for this class, and it's only going to become more stressful. For the lit journals, I was in the Circle Group, and was assigned to make the table of contents, and also edit three different pieces of writing, which wasn't bad at all; however, trying to also make sure that my writings are at their best for the other group meant a lot of time and effort went into this literary journal this week.

On Wednesday, we discussed the significance of words, which was actually really interesting! When I read anything, I never stop and actually break down the words, and try and hear all the different tones, pitches, etc., but I know realize that certain words are there for a reason, and without even one specific word, it can completely change the entire piece, which blows my mind! After learning about this, we were then told that we were going to have to basically do this to one of our own writings, whichever one we choose, and read it in front of other students on our last day of English, which I'm not too excited about doing.

The only major struggle that I've come across is with my final portfolio. It's difficult for me to make so many revisions to one piece of writing, having to change it, sometimes completely different from where I wanted it. Without the revising tips, I always become blank, so I have really been trying to use those tips as much as possible. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this class, and would definitely recommend this course to someone! I learned a lot of new things, and have certainly improved my writing skills!

Final Blog

This is the final blog as we reach the end of the semester. This week we continued with revision exercises and work on our Literary Journals. Our homework was to revise, revise, revise until we have sixteen little darlings for our portfolios. We also chose a piece of our work that we will read outloud on Wednesday the 7th and analized it for sounds and word patterns.

Revision, yuck! Ok it isn't the worst thing on earth, it just happens to be incredibly time consuming. I spent over fourteen hours working on just one revision. I suppose if I were a writer this would be useful but currently its just exhausting since I have a work life outside of school that is extremely demanding. I still feel a bit vague about the "significantly different" requirement so for the most part I'm writing almost entirely new pieces based off of a theme from the original or the opposite of the original. I understand what we are doing as exploring different ways to write poetry and short stories, sort of forcing us to work outside of our comfort areas. What I don't particulary care for in the end result is that I end up with sixteen things that all rough drafts. I never come to that one final work that is complete, amazing, and right. I want a finished piece! I've recognized how much I prefer to write Dr. Seuss style poems. Also, there is something almost druglike when a story grabs ahold of your mind as you are writing it and transports you inside the action. It's the feeling I get when I'm reading a Stephen King novel only generated purely from my own imagination

I'll finish with the most significant thing about the creative process which I've learned from this class. For me it is just sit down and write. Don't be afraid to put crap down on paper. It doesn't have to be perfect the first time. You may have an amazing new idea from something that was junk the first time around. .

Final Blog!

The final blog is already here! The semester has gone by so fast. Throughout the semester I've learned that the creative process can be somewhat difficult...or maybe that's just me. Coming up with the right idea and then finally writing it down can take forever, plus with revisions, it can take a long time.

I really did enjoy this class. At times I felt frustrated and dejected with my work and inspiration, but eventually I would work past the discouragement and all the praises or constructive criticism was worth the hair pulling in the end. I learned so much from this class about poetry and I'm truly glad, it has helped me grow as a writer.

I personally enjoy the written pieces because they are more private and personal, at least to me anyway. I'm not very comfortable with public speaking so writing my pieces were preferable because I could just show someone the poem or read it to them individually. But most of all of our writings and exercises were enjoyable and I learned a lot from all of them.