A Remote-Learning experience for Writers ages 12-15
Weekly Writing Seminar
Everyone wants to have a say. But finding the words and putting the words in the best order takes effort.
That doesn’t mean we can’t have fun along the way.
We meet once a week to explore topics and read examples of strong writing.
We write, we evaluate each other’s writing, then we revise. Then we evaluate some more.
(Lots of talking in here)
Every participant participates. You write and you talk.
Your guide, BRE, provides oral and written feedback.
Click Here to Email
Brett Reeves, Educator
to Register for This Course
Our Topics
Identity–What Makes Me Who I Am
Responding to Art
Embarrassment and Shame
Food Memoir–We Are What We Eat
Making Ethical Decisions
Satire–Making Fun of Family
Schedule and Cost
Enrollment is limited to 6 participants per cohort.
Sessions run 60 minutes on Google Meet.
We meet once weekly for 13 weeks.
Cost is $120 prepaid or 3 payments of $45 each.
No books to buy! All texts are supplied digitally by the instructor.
COHORT meets Mondays 11am – 12pm CST (Feb 1 – May 3)
* No Meetings during Spring Break, March 14-20*
Click Here to Email
Brett Reeves, Educator
to Register for This Course
Our Weekly Activities
Meeting 1 Who Am I? Who Are You? Who Cares?
Introduce Ourselves & the Course
Read & Discuss the following poems:
HOMEWORK: Write in the Voice of a Character: “Who Am I? What Do I Do? What Do I Want to Do? What’s Important to Me? Who’s Important to Me?”. Imitate one of the poems we read, or take your own direction. You may write poetry or prose or a dramatic monologue. 200-300 words
Meeting 2 What’s Going On Here?
Review “Who Am I?” submissions
Describe and Interpret “PandaDragon” painting:
Panda Dragon Painting
HOMEWORK: Revise “Who Am I?” based on discussion and comments. Think about ways you can make your writing grab and impress your reader.
Meeting 3 What’s That Again?
Review Panda Dragon Painting, then describe and interpret from memory
Explore WRITING ABOUT ART Handbook. What is Ekphrasis?
HOMEWORK: Choose a work of art and write either an analysis or an ekphrasis. Include an image of the art in your essay. You may write poetry or prose or drama. 300-500 words
Meeting 4 Why Does This Work?
Review Analyses and Ekphrases
Explore WRITING ABOUT ART Handbook
HOMEWORK: Revise Analyses and Ekphrases based on discussion and comments.
Meeting 5 Blush
Review Analyses and Ekphrases
Read and Discuss “Big Boy”
“Big Boy” by David Sedaris
Read and Discuss “Shame”
“Shame” by Dick Gregory
HOMEWORK: Write about an embarrassing or discomfiting moment, yours or someone else’s. 1-2 pp.
Meeting 6 Oh No!
Review Embarrassing/Discomfiting essays
HOMEWORK: Revise Embarrassing essays. Think about ways to make your reader feel in the moment.
Meeting 7 Smells Good
Introduce “My Cultural Recipe”: Describe your personality or heritage through food.
Review other writers’ Cultural Recipes:
Down Home Southern Cooking
A Live Chicken for a Wedding Present
Russian Tea Cakes
HOMEWORK: Draft “My Cultural Recipe”
See Guide for the “My Cultural Recipe”–Instructions and Details
Meeting 8 What’s Cooking?
Review “My Cultural Recipe” Drafts
Review other writers’ Cultural Recipes
Practice Sentence Structure
HOMEWORK: Revise “My Cultural Recipe”
See Guide for the “My Cultural Recipe”–Instructions and Details
Meeting 9 Write and Wrong
Read “Is It Safe to Keep My Cleaning Lady?”
Problem Inquiry–The Case of the Cleaning Lady
Read Roxane Gay’s response to “Cleaning Lady” and selected responses to Gay
Problem Inquiry, Response: NYT, May 29, 2020
Practice Vocabulary, Distinctions among Synonyms
HOMEWORK: Choose an ethical inquiry and write your own response.
Ethical Inquiry, Choices for Writing
Meeting 10 It’s All Good
Review Ethical Inquiry Responses
Practice Reading Comprehension and Analysis
HOMEWORK: Respond to a classmate’s Ethical Inquiry
Meeting 11 Dad Is Fat
Review Ethical Inquiry Responses
Read “Toddlerhood” from Dad Is Fat
HOMEWORK: Draft a satirical look at family
Meeting 12 Duck!
Review Satire
Read “Newbornland” from Dad Is Fat
HOMEWORK: Revise your satire
Meeting 13 Survival
Present satires
Assess our progress as individual writers and as a collective
Onward…!
Click Here to Email
Brett Reeves, Educator
to Register for This Course
ABOUT BRETT REEVES
I center my classes around the exchange of ideas, a back-and-forth that requires and rewards participation. My participants tell me they enjoy the boldness of my curriculum choices, the gusto of my presentation, and the understanding they gain. We use and produce multimedia projects, including photos, video, music, and theater in our work together.
I’ve been a writer, editor, and educator for over 30 years. My published work includes journalism, textbooks, academic writing, advertising, historical nonfiction, poetry, and music. I’ve written and recorded my own songs and co-written songs with other artists. As an educator, I specialize in Writing, Literature, and the Liberal Arts. I focus on the participants, who they are and how they can benefit from our time together.
I know that anyone who cares about learning can learn.