Homework Offered
Homework will be done individually by each student based on class discussion and notes from me on their short story. Depending on the level of development of the piece, students should expect to spend no less than two hours per week on homework. The exact amount depends on the desire and drive of the student.

Week 1 Homework:
Students will fill out a worksheet (provided by the teacher) detailing literary aspects of their piece. They will identify its protagonist, antagonist, plot, narrative arc, points of conflict, and POV (point-of-view). The student will make notes of any areas in their story that are missing or weak.

Week 2 Homework:
Students will focus on the story’s narrative arc and figure out how they will let it unfold plot-wise. The issues of rising tension and conflict should be addressed.

Week 3 Homework:
Students will work to create an impactful opening sentence, and a dynamic first paragraph. If there is still work to be done on bolstering their narrative arc, tension, and conflict, the student should continue to revise those aspects.

Week 4 Homework:
Students will examine their character development. They will look for strength of personality traits, interiority, and physical descriptions. They will revise the story as needed to bolster weak areas of the character.

Week 5 Homework:
Students will look critically at the dialogue in their story and work to make it natural and conversational while also working to further the narrative.

Week 6 Homework:
Students will look at the whole of their story, looking to make sure that their ending is resonant, completes the narrative arc, and ties up any subplots. They will also examine if their characters are dimensional, their dialogue organic, and that the story title is compelling.

In short, their narrative should be revised to the extent that it as strong as the student can possibly make it.

Week 7 Homework: 
Students will then go through the steps needed to call a story “finished.” This includes creating dynamic titles, proofreading for spelling and grammatical errors.

Students will be given resources that show how to format a short story, lists of sites that name journals that accept short fiction submissions, and proofreading and copy editing tips.
2 - 4 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered