SIP Requirements

Writing Creative STORY IN PROGRESS Requirements 2019

Writers usually work on a manuscript over a long period of time, continually making revisions and changes. In the spirit of growing as writers and developing our revision and editing skills, this semester you will be working on what we will call a “Story In Progress” or “SIP”.

This “SIP” will be a text that you will continue to write and edit throughout the unit. It can be in any form: poetry, short story, script, novel, novella, essay, memoir, etc. This is a work that is supposed to remain unfinished.  “Unfinished” doesn’t necessarily mean that the story does not have an ending. It means that you are continually evaluating, reevaluating and revising the story. You will need to demonstrate changes made in the story.  Just as the title indicates this assignment should be IN PROGRESS.  While the end result is important, for this assignment you will be graded on the process of writing and your reflections on this process.

 I expect that you will complete the following with your SIP:

1)     Begin a new story or extrapolate a story from your already completed assignments (including the Nano).

2)     Create a brainstorm or summary of where you want to go with your story

3)     Write on your SIP at least 1 time per week. This needs to be a set time every week for a specific length of time. For example, Mondays at 8 am I will write for 50 minutes.

4)     SIP should follow the narrative form and requirements in regards to character development, plot, literary elements (flashback, foreshadowing, symbolism, framing, etc),  dialogue formatted appropriate to narrative form, vivid and sensory description, concrete and significant details, prose rhythm appropriate to narrative, narrator distance, appropriate point of view, etc.

5)     A first draft of the story (that does not get edited).  This will serve as your “home” base/original copy.

6)     Multiple drafts and or log of changes made to the story. (I recommend using the Review tab in Microsoft word or a log within Google docs that shows the changes.)

7)     A final reflection on the process of this SIP. This reflection should show what you changed, what you liked/disliked about the story, how this exercise/assignment has helped you grow as a writer, what skills/ideas you will take away from this assignment, how this assignments’ skills can be useful in life outside of high school or in other academic classes.

8)     A creation of a blog on a blog program (Blogger.com is recommended. Mrs. Walker’s Blog: PV's Writing Creative SIP Blog Link [please provide me with your blog web address]). You will be asked to post a short reflection of 1 paragraph every week until the end of the year. This reflection should reflect on the process of this assignment, and discuss what you have accomplished that week and what you will accomplish the following week on your SIP.  Each WEEKLY reflection post should be written as if you are talking to your SIP’s audience.

9)     Your SIP will be graded on its adherence to the above guidelines and a rubric to be provided.