Week 15 Lab: Advice to Writers site

For my last story lab (and last assignment for this class!), I looked around Jon Winokur's Advice to Writers website! This site was very interesting and full of great tips and ideas.


My favorite thing I saw was a piece of advice from just a few days ago, on November 24th. A contributor named Stephen Sondheim had this to say:


"The last collaborator is your audience…when the audience comes in, it changes the temperature of what you’ve written. Things that seem to work well — work in a sense of carry the story forward and be integral to the piece — suddenly become a little less relevant or a little less functional or a little overlong or a little overweight or a little whatever. And so you start reshaping from an audience."


This advice struck me as a unique way to view the writing process as well as helpful advice. Considering one's audience is a crucial element of effective writing. Quality writing should affect the reader in some way. The reaction of the audience becomes part of the writing experience itself after you (as a writer) pen a finished product. Sondheim's idea of a "last collaborator" jumped out at me as an especially creative way to name this phenomenon. Ultimately, the best writers learn to adjust their work to the audience. This doesn't mean writing fluff to please an audience or letting potential readers guide your core ideas or style; it does, however, involve a consideration of how you can bet communicate your ideas and employ your style in a way that helps the audience rather than blurring your intended meaning. Writing can quickly become excessive and overly complicated. The best writers learn to resist this and focus on engaging their audience.


I've enjoyed this final story lab and this class in general! This will be my last post on this blog. I've gained a lot from making it, perhaps someone else will have gained something from reading it (at least my stories).

Looney Tunes, Warner Bros. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Inferno, Part B

More reading Notes for Week 15!

Bibliography: Notes are on the Dante's Inferno unit. Story source: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).

Last reading notes ever for this class! Wow! I've enjoyed doing these. I'll be focusing on powerful, strong, and beautiful sentences/chunks of writing again for Part B.

Near the middle of the second part of the unit, I came across this sentence, as Dante enters the third ring (which represents those who were violent against God): "O God's vengeance, how what was shown to my sight should be feared, by all who read!"

This sentence is a great example of engaging a reader in the action by referencing them. This exclamatory sentence alerts the reader to pay attention to this ring of hell, as it is particularly to "be feared." A sentence like this often indicates a new section of a story and can excite readers.

Another great example of a strong sentence came in canto 14, where Dante says that "We came, in silence, to the place where a little stream gushes from the wood, the redness of which still makes me shudder."

This sentence is a beautiful description of the setting. Dante describes his approach to the location before discussing the location itself. Not only is a description of the color given, but also how the color makes Dante feel. This type of sentence is a compelling piece of writing to weave into the broader action of a plot. 

Another powerful sentence appears under the subheading "Ulysses's last voyage" towards the end of the unit. The author writes that the "greater horn of the ancient flame started to shake itself, murmuring like a flame struggling in the wind."

The vivid detail included in this sentence demands a reaction from its readers. The use of "murmuring" as a a metaphorical action verb is interesting and original, as Dante paints an intense image in the minds of readers. I hope to use powerful language like this in my stories.

In my own writing, I want to master the use of symbolism and imagery like Dante. This was a great unit to end the class readings on! Hopefully I'll have the opportunity to take notes like these in other classes, focusing on my favorite parts and analyzing what made them work so well.

Gustave Doré's illustration to Inferno, Plate LXV: Canto XXXI: The titans and giants.

Originally from 1857. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Inferno, Part A

Reading Notes for Week 15!

Bibliography: Notes are on the Dante's Inferno unit. Story source: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).

Last week of reading notes, hard to believe! I'm going to focus on beautiful/strong sentences again this week.

Kline's translation of the famous beginning of Inferno starts like this: "In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself, in a dark wood, where the direct way was lost. It is a hard thing to speak of, how wild, harsh and impenetrable that wood was, so that thinking of it recreates the fear."

The idea of life being a journey is powerful. Dante finds himself in a "dark wood" without a clear direction of where to go. This resonates with me on a metaphorical level. The descriptive words in the second sentence ("wild, harsh, and impenetrable") give readers an idea of this intense setting. This is one of the most famous introductions to a tale in European literary history, and it's easy to see why with this powerful language and gripping imagery!

Another notable sentence also appears in "Canto 1: Dante and Virgil." Dante writes, "Then the fear that had settled in the lake of my heart through the night that I had spent so miserably became a little calmer."

Again, the imagery here is beautiful. This description of how fear feels to Dante is both relatable and captivating. This sentence helps readers sympathize with the protagonist even before he begins his journey through hell.

One additional standout sentence occurred in "Canto 3: The Gate of Hell," where Dante is now with his guide, Virgil: "And placing his hand on mine, with a calm expression that comforted me, he led me towards the hidden things."

Dante is understandably afraid of this hell, and Virgil proves to be a reassuring presence. Inferno is full of moving sentences that I hope to emulate in my own fiction! I have really enjoyed this week's readingsso far and am excited for part B.

Gustave Doré's illustration to Dante's Inferno. Plate VIII: Canto III.

Originally from 1857. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Ashliman, Part B

Bibliography: For this week I read the Ashliman version of Brothers Grimm unit. Story source: The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales translated by D. L. Ashliman (1998-2013).


One more round of notes this week, now for part B of the Grimm unit tales as translated by Ashliman.

I want to look at good starts to tales for these notes!

One beginning of a story that stuck out to me as effective was in the tale "The Little Lamb and the Little Fish." The story begins by saying: "Once upon a time were a little brother and a little sister who loved each other with all their hearts. Their own mother, however, was dead, and they had a stepmother who was not kind to them. She secretly did everything she could to hurt them." This start introdcues us to central characters and introduces the conflict that launches readers into the rest of the story. We are told about the mutual love between two sibilings, a source of pain in their mom dying, and the mean nature of their stepmother. This sets up the action of the plot very well.

Another example of a strong start to a story from this unit can be found in the story "Death's Messengers." This start has a very different feel from the last one that I analyzed: "In ancient times, a giant was wandering along the highway when suddenly a stranger jumped toward him and shouted, 'Stop! Not one step further!'" Although explanations and character introudctions can be helpful, another great way to begin a story is what we see here: jumping right into the action. We get introduced to the setting in a vague way ("In ancient times") that allows readers to create their own mental image of the scene. We then encounter an action word ("suddenly") and meet a "stranger." This start is fun and grabs attention in it's own way without a traditional set-up approach. The beginnings of these stories were unique and effective for differet reasons.

I enjoye the tales and stories in the Grimm unit! I hope to use some of these techniques for beginning stories, introducing characters, and jumping into the plot in my own story writing.

Painting of the Brothers Grimm from 1855 ("Deutsch: Doppelporträt der Brüder Jacob und Wilhelm 

Grimm/ Die Brüder Grimm") by Elisabeth Jerichau-Baumann. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Ashliman, Part A

Bibliography: For this week I read the Ashliman version of Brothers Grimm unit. Story source: The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales translated by D. L. Ashliman (1998-2013).

Another round of notes! I want to focus on strong/beautiful sentences again this week, my favorite type of story notes.

I enjoyed the story "The Seven Ravens." One sentence that stood out to me in that text was in the middle of the tale. After the man wishes that his sons would turn into Ravens, they do: "He had hardly spoken these words when he heard a whirring sound above his head and, looking up, he saw seven coal-black ravens flying up and away." This sentence conveys a tone of immediacy ("hardly spoken") and uses powerful descriptive language ("whirring sound" and "seven coal-black ravens"). Coming at a moment of intense rising action, this sentence launches the story into the conflict. In the context of this great tale, it certainly worked well. 

This unit also had a fantastic version of the famous Little Red Riding Hood story, called here "Little Red Cap." After the wolf has devoured the grandmother, Red finally arrives at the house. The author writes that "She walked into the parlor, and everything looked so strange that she thought, 'Oh, my God, why am I so afraid? I usually like it at grandmother's.'" The sense she has is such a great twist that often gets left out. She already can somehow tell by the environment that something is off, and this strangeness scares her. This sentence not only conveys her emotion, but sets up the next scene where Red encounters the Wolf disguised as her grandmother. Familiar stories can often become less exciting because we know what to expect. However, with vivid language and new ways of framing it,  new parts of stories can stand out to us. 

I enjoyed these European fairy tales/folk tales! I hope to incorporate some of this style of writing into my own folktales, especially creating powerful sentences to be placed at intense plot moments.

Little Red Riding Hood and the Wolf from "The Traditional Faëry Tales of Little Red Riding Hood, 

Beauty and the Beast, & Jack and the Beanstalk, 1845" Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland, Part B

Bibliography: all notes from stories in the Alice in Wonderland unit. Story source: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

Another round of notes for this week! I want to look at setting.

In Chapter 7, "A Mad Tea-Party," Carroll sets the scene well: "There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it and talking over its head." In fiction writing, being able to get your readers to see the picture in your mind is crucial if you want to communicate the story in your head. Carroll is specific in laying out this scene, which helps his audience visualize the scenario in this creative world. He uses details like "resting their elbows on it" to set up his chapter in a solid way.

Carroll also provides a great beginning to the eight chapter, "The Queen's Croquet-Ground." He writes that "A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red." Notice how he uses descriptors such as "large," "white," "three," and "red." These simple details help make everything feel more vivid as a reader. He also tells us the type of tree and includes an adverb to describe the manner in which the gardeners are painting. Especially when writing about a strange event or any scene that may be unfamiliar to your readers, these easy-to-grasp details can be extremely helpful in framing a scene.

Chapter 11 features a strong introduction as well: "The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when they arrived with a great crowd assembled about them — all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards: the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him, and near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand and a scroll of parchment in the other." Carroll again employs specific details to construct the scene for readers. His use of adjectives in subtle but helpful ways is something I want to emulate in my own storytelling.

I enjoyed the readings from this unit!

Another of John Tenniel's original engravings from 

Alice in Wonderland, 1865. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland, Part A

Bibliography: all notes from stories in the Alice in Wonderland unit. Story source: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

Here are this week's reading notes, part A!

I want to focus on beautiful/strong/interesting sentences for this week, one of my favorite ways to take notes for this class. 

In the first chapter of the book, "Down the Rabbit-Hole" (which is familiar to most of us), Carroll describes Alice after following the rabbit into the rabbit-hole: "In another moment down went Alice after it, never once considering how in the world she was to get out again." I love the concept of going somewhere on an impulse without considering how you might return home. This sentence highlights the reckless spirit of adventure that can be so fun to be captured by. 

Later on in the story, after Alice has made it down the rabbit-hole, Carroll pens another great sentence: "For, you see, so many out-of-the-way things had happened lately that Alice had begun to think that very few things indeed were really impossible." This imaginative world has been building and building, increasing in creativity and extraordinary features as the story progresses. This is an acknowledgement of the wildness of this creative world, which seems to be without limits. I enjoyed this sentence, as it indicates what Alice (or any of us!) would be thinking after those experiences.

In chapter five, called "Advice from a Caterpillar," Carroll writes, "The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice." This sentence sets a vivid scene instantly. Carroll helps us imagine this otherworldly scene and uses powerful adjectives to describe the tone of the caterpillar's voice. This type of sentence can help immerse readers in the world of a highly imaginative tale.

Buried in a fast-paced scene in the "Pig and Pepper" chapter, Carroll uses the voice of the duchess character to make an interesting observation: "'If everybody minded their own business,' the Duchess said in a hoarse growl, 'the world would go round a deal faster than it does.'" It's always a clever trick as a writer to use unlikely, non-central characters to make universal commentary. This instance is effective and stands out as a well-placed and sharp sentence.

This week's reading has been so far! Carroll is a fantastic writer.

John Tenniel's original engraving of the rabbit from 

Alice in Wonderland, 1865. Source: Wikimedia

Week 12 Lab: Writers Write website

For my story lab this week, I looked around the Writers Write website. I thought this website was fun and had some excellent writing advice. Although the whole website was interesting and helpful, the section I enjoyed the most was an article called "The 3 Best Tips For Writing Dialogue." Dialogue can be difficult to craft in a way that sounds realistic and is engaging. I've struggled at times to create quality dialogue in my stories.

The first tip on this article is simply to "read." This is an undervalued component of writing solid dialogue. Seeing both good and bad dialogue in stories can help you as a writer decide what types of dialgoue you want to include in your stories. Imitating good dialogue style is very doable!

The next tip was to "listen." Reading lines to yourself out loud can be a good way to catch lines that don't make sense or sound strange. Ear tests are helpful in determining how realistic dialogue sounds. This is a practical tip that applies to all sorts of dialogue.

The final tip in the article is to "watch." The author says to "Watch the scene play out in your head.
Make the actions of your characters follow their words. In this movie both of the actors are just sitting or standing, delivering these lines."
This advice is really interesting. Generating a movie scene in your mind allows you to visualize what would be happening and fix anything that would be out of place. This can also help you focus on the individual characters and their possible emotions in order to write lines that best reflect your conception (as a writer) of your own characters.

This writing website was great, I definitely have enjoyed the story lab for this week. Hopefully these tips about writing effective dialogue will help me craft compelling lines of dialogue in my stories during the rest of this course!

Ballpoint pen being used to write. 

From author Ildar Sagdejev. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales, Part B

NOTES

Bibliography: Stories from the Celtic Fairy Tales (1) unit. Story source: Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).

Week 12 notes continued! Still reading the Celtic Fairy Tales unit.

One element that stood out among these tales was effective openers. The story "King O'Toole and His Goose" begins like this: "OCH, I thought all the world, far and near, had heerd o' King O'Toole — well, well, but the darkness of mankind is untellable!
Well, sir, you must know, as you didn't hear it afore, that there was a king, called King O'Toole who was a fine old king in the old ancient times, long ago, and it was he that owned the churches in the early days."

The reader is left with several questions instantly. Why is King O'Toole so dark? Did he did do evil deeds? How did he become so notorious? Why did he own the churches? Does this connect to his bad  reputation? A good opener often serves as an effective launching point to the tensions of a story. Readers are not only drawn in by good writing, but also by questions that might naturally arise from a quality opener.

Another good beginning to a story can be found in the short tale "Beth Gellert." This story begins with descriptions and introductions: "PRINCE LLEWELYN had a favourite greyhound named Gellert that had been given to him by his father-in-law, King John. He was as gentle as a lamb at home, but a lion in the chase." We have (briefly) met three characters in the first sentence: the prince, the king, and the pet. The second sentence then helps us realize how important this greyhound must be, as the author chooses to describe the pet before the human characters. The description of "gentle as a lamb at home, but a lion in the chase" creates powerful images in the minds of readers. It suggests that the dog is likable and sweet around the family, but quite capable of being fierce in the hunt. In a short opener, establishing a character like this can set the tone for the rest of the story.

I had a lot of fun reading the Celtic Fairy Tales unit! The authors did a great job with openers, and I hope to incorporate some of their style into my own tales.

This beautiful depiction of a greyhound

is from artist Alfred Dedreux, a French

painter who lived in the 19th century.

Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales, Part A

NOTES

Bibliography: Stories from the Celtic Fairy Tales (1) unit. Story source: Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).

Week 12 notes! This week I am reading Celtic Fairy Tales.

One story I enjoyed was the "Field of Boliauns." In this tale, a man named Tom discovers a leprechaun. The little creature has with him a special kind of beer, which I thought was funny. Tom demands that the leprechaun show him to his gold. The leprechaun tricks Tom, and Tom leaves with no new riches. I enjoyed the pacing of this story and the lighthearted tone used by the author. It certainly made the tale fun to read. Lighthearted stories with magical elements make up some of the best folklore. I want to include more of this style of tone in my own writing going forward. 

Another interesting story in this unit was "The Shepherd of Myddvai." In this tale, a shepherd becomes enamored with a maiden from the sea. After passing a series of tests, she agrees to become his wife. However, she has a stipulation: she will leave him after three "blows" (which end up amounting to anything from light shoulder taps to rough touches). This eventually comes to pass, and the beautiful maiden returns to the lake. I found this tale interesting because of the strange agreement that the story is centered around. The man agreed to this deal, obviously not understanding what would constitute a "blow," simply because of his love for the maiden. She can be read as a cruel character with questionable motives. The tale was engaging, but left me with more questions than answers. Sometimes stories like this are very worthwhile though, as they challenge readers to make their own interpretations. Also, the aspect of trickery seems to be a recurring theme in some of these Celtic folktales and fairytales.

I enjoyed the first part of this unit and am excite to apply what I've seen to my own stories!

Ornamental Celtic knot design from a Wikimedia user: Source

Week 11 Story: The Woman and the Bear

The Woman and the Bear

Hundreds of years ago, in a small village in the Norwegian forest, a strong, wise old woman named Sylvi lived by herself in a cottage. Sylvi's neighbors helped take care of her by periodically bringing her food, as she was too old to fend for herself. One day the village hunters brought something else to her doorstep: a bear cub! "We found this cub far away from its mother and have no idea what to do," explained the leader of the village hunters. "The only idea we had was to bring it to you, oh wise Sylvi, and see if you wanted to take care of this young creature."

Sylvi quickly agreed. She was full of compassion and had never raised a child of her own. The bear filled an emotional void in her life. Sylvi named the bear Ruben and loved him deeply. For years she nurtured the cub and fed him as he grew bigger and bigger. "Look at how Sylvi loves that bear!" town villagers would remark.

After about four years, Sylvi suddenly grew sick with a fever. She could not leave her bed, and other villagers helped take care of the now fully-domesticated bear. At the same time, the hunters in the village had been struggling to find food. The village had become desperate and was beginning to starve. Some began to whisper, "We should kill Ruben and eat him."

Ruben could sense something was wrong with both his adopted mother and the village-people. He decided to do something. One day, Ruben snuck away from the village to look for food. As he was looking, Ruben noticed something strange: other bears! As he got closer, he began to communicate with them. He realized something amazing: these bears were his long-lost family! Ruben snuggled up to the bears with affection and explained what had happened over the last few years. He also told them about the current situation in the village. Upon hearing how kind Sylvi had been to Ruben, the bears agreed to help. They led Ruben to a secret lake, only known to bears and other woodland creatures. The lake was full of fish!

Ruben returned to the village the next day. Sylvi had been deeply worried about her bear, but had started to recover from her fever. However, hunger in the village had continued to worsen. Ruben communicated to the hunters that they needed to follow him. The kind bear led them to the secret lake full of fish. The village hunters caught hundreds of fish that day and returned to the village with joy. A great feast was held, and Ruben brought his bear family to the feast to meet Sylvi. Sylvi's kindness in raising Ruben had ultimately led to the saving of the entire village. Bears and humans continue to live in friendship in this region.

THE END

Author's Note: I started with the story "The Woman Who Had a Bear as a Foster-Son," which is part of the Eskimo Folk Tales unit. Story source: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen (1921). The story tells of an old woman who mothers a bear. I kept the basic premise the same, but changed the setting and created an entirely new plot with different events and a new ending.

Image Info: European Brown Bear. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Inuit (Eskimo) Folk Tales, Part B

More reading notes from this section of folk tales!'

Bibliography: The notes are on the Eskimo Folk Tales unit. Story source: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921).


One story I enjoyed from this section of reading was called "The Wife Who Lied." It starts in a startling and attention-grabbing manner: "NAVARÁNÂPALUK, men say, came of a tribe of man-eaters, but when she grew up, she was taken to wife by one of a tribe that did not eat men." Wow, what a way to introduce a character! This origin story here is pretty intense and definitely intriguing.  Then she proceeds to start a inter-tribal war for unclear motives. Characters who do dark things for vague reasons always add an interesting wrinkle to a story. As the tale progresses, there enters "one old woman among them" who "had a  strange dream." Prophetic characters can be fun additions to stories, I may look at adding one into one of my upcoming stories. Navaránâpaluk is murdered by men from the opposing tribe for lying. This was quite an adventure for such a short story, only around 500 words. I hope to work on packing in action like this into my short tales.

Another story I enjoyed was about a man named "ÂTÂRSSUAQ."  The story, like the last one I took notes on, starts in a compelling way: "ÂTÂRSSUAQ had many enemies. But his many enemies tried in vain to hurt him, and they could not kill him." Introducing characters can be difficult, but the Inuit/Eskimo authors have done a great job in these folktales. This description creates in my mind an image of a brave, strong warrior who has done things to generate some animosity towards himself.

One final introductory characterization that I thought was especially effective came in the story of "Tungujuluk and Saunikoq." This story begins strongly: "TUNGUJULUK and Saunikoq were men from one village. And both were wizards. When they heard a spirit calling, one would change into a bear, and the other into a walrus." These attributes are unique and help bring the reader into the story quickly. Wizards who can shape-shift are always fascinating characters.

I enjoyed these Inuit/Eskimo folktales, especially the characterizations found at the beginning of many of these stories!

From Source: "'Eskimo family and their igloo from Labrador, Seattle, A.Y.P.E.' Photograph shows two Inuit 

couples and two children, outside fake igloo at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition."

Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Inuit (Eskimo) Folk Tales, Part A

Bibliography: The notes are on the Eskimo Folk Tales unit. Story source: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921).

Here are my reading notes for this week!

One story that stuck out to me was "The Woman Who Had a Bear as a Foster-Son." This creative folk tale featured a great narrative of a relationship between a bear and a woman who raises the bear. I enjoyed the character of the woman, who nurtures the bear but is willing to let him go when he grows and the need arises. They model a compassionate understanding between human and animal. I am writing about Saint Francis's love for animals some in my storybook project, so this relationship could help serve as a guide when I am crafting my stories. The story also ends with a bit of mystical mystery, suggesting that the bear may still be alive. This was a fun twist and left the reader curious. I want to practice ending my own stories in ways that leave readers thinking and engaged. 

Another tale that I found interesting was "The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man." This story has a clever and funny opening: "THERE was once a wifeless man. Yes, that is the way a story always begins." This really made me laugh and seems to be true in a lot of stories! The man in this story is a bit of an outcast, rejected by society and dealing with chronic sleepiness. Things begin to turn around for him after he saves the life of a mysterious "noseless one" who was from "beneath the earth" and who blesses our main character. The girls in the town begin to like him and he becomes an impressive hunter/fisher. He marries a woman, but eventually tells her his secret to hunting and loses all he has: the ability, his wife, etc. The story ends in a strange way, but I was fascinated by this idea of losing all you have after exposing yourself. The reminded me of some modern book/movie plots. This story and others in the unit were told in engaging, easy to comprehend ways!

According to source, "Photograph of a book illustration of an Inuit village, Oopungnewing, 

near Frobisher Bay on Baffin Island in the mid-19th century." Originally from 

Arctic Researches and Life Among the Esquimaux: Being the Narrative of an Expedition in Search of Sir John 

Franklin in the Years 1860, 1861, and 1862 by Charles Francis Hall (1865). 

SOURCE: Wikimedia

Week 10 Lab: TED Talk videos

For this week, I chose the lab option and watched two TED talks about stories and storytelling.

In the first video, "The Danger of a Single Story" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Adichie tells of growing up in Nigeria and experiencing a lack of representation in children's books. She began writing, and her characters resembled the White American/British characters of the books she was reading. Eventually, she was able to read African literature. This helped her reframe her view of books. She then talked about the concept of a "single story" that leads many to misunderstand people from other parts of the world, including her college roommate in the United States. People may be well-meaning, but have a skewed perception of countries like Nigeria--just one country in the diverse, complex continent of Africa. "Single stories," framed by people in power, can paint entire people groups in one way repeatedly. Ultimately, Adichie concludes in the lecture that a single story "robs people of dignity." In the talk, she highlighted how stories can be used for both bad and good. I really enjoyed learning from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and hearing her powerful perspective on the importance of stories. It definitely changed how I conceptualize stories as a society-affecting tool.

The next talk, called "Imaginary Friends and Real-World Consequences," was given by Jennifer Barnes. Barnes is (or at least was at the time of the lecture) a professor and psychologist from right here at OU! She notes the massive amount of time and money that humans consistently spend on consuming fiction, whether books, TV shows, or movies. She also examines how fictional stories and fictional characters end up affecting us. The relationships between humans and fictional characters (or even real people in general that we only know from media) are called "parasocial relationships." She also discusses the philosophical concept of "alief," which I thought was fascinating. I learned a lot from this lecture! She also talked about the effects of having fictional friends being comparable to having real friends in some ways. Knowing how people engage with characters psychologically will help me in crafting stories and characters going forward in this course. 

Fan art representation of Lupin from the Harry Potter series, one of my favorite fiction characters. 

Artist:  Mademoiselle Ortie aka E. Tihange. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, Part B

Bibliography: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes unit. Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1914).

Reading notes for this unit of legends continued! I want to focus on character names in these stories.

One name that stuck out to me was from "The Worship of the Sun" story in the Un-Textbook. In the intro, readers meet a character with a great name: "an Ojibwa Indian and his wife lived on the shores of Lake Huron. They had one son, who was named 'O-na-wut-a-qui-o,' 'He-that-catches-the-clouds.'" In this story, the boy is taken to the "Sky-land" and is gone from his earthly home for a while. In this way, the name really fits what happens to the character. The naming in the introduction gives clues to the subsequent plot; rather than just being an interesting or beautiful name, it literally tells readers what the character will go on to do! This would be a fun way of using names in my stories.

In another short story, this one called the "Sun and Moon," I really enjoyed the name of the moon: "ONCE upon a time, Ke-so, the Sun, and his sister, Tipa-ke-so, the Moon, the 'last-night sun"."

The idea of the moon being called the "last-night sun" was creative and seemed conceptually interesting to me. The way this society associated the sun with the moon demonstrates a beautiful way of thinking about the natural world that I would enjoying implementing into my telling of stories.

A story called "The Lone Lightning" features a character named just that! However, he isn't given that name until the end of the tale. The author concludes the story by saying "Thus at once he changed the boy into Nazhik-a-wawa, the Lone Lightning." This name not only sounds cool, it really is the culmination of the story. It would be a great idea in one of my stories to have the plot build up to the giving of a significant name.

Names can be so powerful! Interesting, strong names are a great way to draw-in readers to a story. I enjoyed this unit on Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes stories.

Picture of Lake Huron "taken from east of Port Dolomite, MI 

in the upper peninsula." Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, Part A

For this week, I'm reading the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes unit!

Bibliography: Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes unit. Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1914).

These readings were enjoyable and interesting. For my notes, I want to focus on the character of the Creator in the Chitimaca tale of "Creation." 

The story begins with a fascinating, compelling description of the Creator: "THERE was a Creator of All Things. This Great Mystery understood all things. He had no eyes, yet he could see. He had no ears, yet he could hear. He had a body, but it could not be seen." The idea of an omniscient Creator reminded me of the Abrahamic religions. However, this creation account and Creator were unique, distinct from more well-known/widespread creation accounts. This creator creates fish first, which I thought was neat and likely connected to geographic and/or cultural realities. The account says that the Creator made the first humans at Natchez, grounding this account in a familiar, spatial location. 

An interesting etiology for tobacco can be found in this story: "He gave them laws but the people did not follow the laws. Therefore many troubles came, so that the Creator could not rest. Therefore the Creator made tobacco. Then men could become quiet and rest." The existence of tobacco is connected directly to human disobedience of the creator, which I thought was a fascinating explanation for something so popular in the region. 

The creator then makes women, "but at first they were like wood." We then see direct interaction between the Creator and the people, as he takes an active role in their world. The Creator teaches the women how to move normally and some additional valuable skills. He also teaches the people in general how to hunt and cook.

The characterization of the Creator depicts a benevolent, powerful deity who knows much and wants to help his created people. I found this account engaging and want to incorporate these types of meaningful characterizations in my own stories! Reading a creation account (and other stories) from a tradition that is largely unfamiliar to me was a worthwhile experience.

"Flag of the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw of Louisiana (formerly the Biloxi-Chitimacha Confederation of Muskogees)" 

made by Wikimedia user "Xasartha". Source: Wikimedia

Week 9 Story: The Secret Shapeshifter

The Secret Shapeshifter

I'll never forget one of the strangest events that ever occurred in my life. I'm just a normal man who lives in a rural area, but I'm not the important part of this story. One day I was walking around my property, just a few minutes off the highway in Arizona. Suddenly I saw him. A man, running quickly towards me. He was tall and bald with a large frame. As he got closer, I could tell he was distressed; his eyes, which were an almost otherworldly pale color, displayed great panic.

Arizona State Route 64 in Coconino County, Arizona.

Source: Wikimedia

Seeing me, he approached me and aggressively began to speak. "Can I hide?" he demanded to know.  "Please show me somewhere I can hide, evil people who want to do me much harm are chasing me."

Though I was confused and entirely unsure about this man, he had a childlike innocence about the way he asked for shelter. It proved very compelling, and I agreed to let him hide in my shed. Just a couple of minutes after he had locked himself inside of the shed, I noticed two men in dark suits and sunglasses sprinting towards me. They approached me and I could instantly discern their serious manner. One of the men began speaking to me.

"Sir, we need to know where this man is," he said, showing me a picture on his phone of the man hiding in my shed. "He likely convinced you to hide him."

"I don't know what you're talking about!" I exclaimed, feeling sympathetic towards the seemingly helpless man I was sheltering. "I've never seen him before in my life."

"Sir, he's a dangerous shapeshifter. At any moment he can take any form and cause great damage. We are with the U.S. government and need to know his location. You are not in trouble, but we need to know immediately This is imperative for the safety of you and your community."

Adequately convinced, I sheepishly pointed towards my shed and handed over my keys to unlock it. The men in suits opened the shed, and handcuffed the shapeshifter. They all suddenly vanished from my sight, and I never saw any of them again...



Author's Note: This story is loosely adpated from "The Flying Ogre" story in the Chinese Fairy Tales Unit. I changed the setting, turned the flying ogre woman into a shapeshifting man, changed the other characters completely, and told the story from the first-person perspective. What I kept was the story structure of hiding some stranger and then having to give them up after learning more about who they are.

Story source: The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Reading Notes: Chinese Fairy Tales, Part B

Another set of reading notes for this week, now Part B!


Bibliography: All readings are from the Chinese Fairy Tales unit in the Un-Textbook. Notes regard stories from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).


I'll be focusing on starting a story for this set of notes. Starting story is sometimes the hardest part, and it might be really helpful to consider how other writers have started their stories in these Chinese fairy tales.

The first story I read, The Little Hunting Dog, had an enjoyable start: "ONCE upon a time, in the city of Shansi, there lived a scholar who found the company of others too noisy for him. So he made his home in a Buddhist temple." This start engaged me instantly. I think a lot of us can relate to the feeling of being worn out by people and just wanting some peace and quite at times! This man withdraws from the busy world of society and creates his home in a tranquil setting, a temple. This start gives readers a good introduction to the character as well.

       Chinese Buddhist monastery. Gouache painting by a Chinese artist, ca. 1850. Source: Wikimedia

The next story that had a start that really grabbed my attention was The Night on the Battlefield. It began like this: "ONCE upon a time there was a merchant who was wandering toward Shantung with his wares, along the road from the South. At about the second watch of the night, a heavy storm blew up from the North." I enjoyed how it introduces a "wandering" character, on a road. Classic start! And then a problem quickly emerges: a storm. There is already an interesting character and potential for trouble. I liked the framing here.


Another story from the unit, The Flying Ogre, began like this: "THERE once lived in Sianfu an old Buddhist monk, who loved to wander in lonely places." This is a great character description. Some of the most captivating introductions are not detailed descriptions of the setting, but rather descriptions of a central character. The phrase "loved to wander in lonely places" stuck out as especially interesing and nostalgia-inducing.


These fairy tales had some excellent starts! The idea of beginning a story with character descriptions instead of just setting is an element I hope to work into my own tales.

Reading Notes: Chinese Fairy Tales, Part A

Another week of reading notes! This week is on Chinese Fairy Tales, and I will be using the "Beautiful Sentences" method of notetaking.

Bibliography: All readings are from the Chinese Fairy Tales unit in the Un-Textbook. Notes regard stories from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

I really enjoyed Part A of this week's reading. The first sentence that really struck me as particularly effective was in "Yang Oerlang." In describing a character who had become skilled in magic, the author said this: "He also knew how to empty out seas and remove mountains from one place to another." The imagery used here resonated with me as a reader. The ideas of emptying out seas and removing mountains are great word pictures that are original and fresh. In my own writing, I want to use more imagery like this rather than employing cliches and overused metaphors. This sentence gave me a strong idea of the character's power.

A second sentence that I enjoyed was from "The Lady of the Moon." A sorcerer is explaining something, and says this: "The cassia tree grows so luxuriantly that in the course of time it would overshadow all the moon’s radiance. " This sentence worked well in context, but even removed from its original story the language is powerful. The concept of overshadowing "all the moon's radiance" is bold and gripping. Much like the last sentence, the imagery here is beautiful.

Finally, I was captivated by this sentence spoken by a monk in "The God of War" story: "The monk folded his hands and said: 'While you lived you were upright and faithful, and in death you have become a wise god, and yet you do not understand fate!'." This sentence is better in context of the narrative, but the point that this monk is making proves powerful. Even successful and wise people can fail to understand the realities of life and its unpredictability.  

These tales were enjoyable and full of strong sentences! I'm excited to look for ways to incoporate better, more interesting imagery into my own storytelling during the rest of this course.

 Statue of Guan Yu in Jingzhou Park.

Source: Wikimedia

Week 8 Progress

I'm going to answer the progress questions!

1. Looking back. Are you happy with your progress so far? What are you most proud of? Do you have a good weekly routine? What are the class assignments that you enjoy the most? Are you using any of the extra credit options? How have things gone in terms of developing your blog and building your website? 

A: I am so far. I'm most proud of my storybook. I do have a solid weekly routine, and I enjoy the readings the most! Building my blog and website has gone well.

2. Looking forward. Are there any changes you want to make for the second half of the semester? Any pitfalls you want to avoid? Something new you want to try in your writing? Anything you want to change about your blog or your project website?

A: No changes I can think of! I want to avoid the pitfall of skipping assignments when I actually do have the time to finish them. I would love to try more dialogue in my writing.

3. Image. Find an image to motivate you for the big push through to the end of the semester!

The Nicholas Murray Butler Library, Columbia University (NYC).

Image from 2014. Source: Wikimedia

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

For the comments and feedback assignment, I'll go through the questions in the assignment and answer them!

1. Feedback in. Overall, how would you rate the quality of the comments and feedback you are receiving from other students in the class? What kinds of comments are you finding to be the most useful? 

A: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest quality, I would say that most comments range from a 6-8. Comments with insightful questions are always good. Comments that highlight what worked well in my story are also helpful so that I can replicate it.

 

2. Feedback out. Similarly, how would you rate the quality of the comments and feedback you are leaving for other students? Have you found some good strategies that help you give detailed feedback? Are you getting some good ideas for your own writing as you analyze other people's writing?

A: I think I've done a good job of giving comments for the most part! I try to compliment a specific detail of the writing and also ask a helpful question. Analyzing other people's writing has definitely helped me with my storytelling.

 

3. Blog comments. Do you have a sense of getting to know people by connecting with them at their blogs? Are you happy with how your Introduction post and how your blog in general provides a space where people can get to know you?

A: I think so! I am happy with those spaces and how they've worked so far.

 

4. Looking forward. What do you want/need to do differently to make the feedback assignments more useful for others and/or more useful for you? Do you want to make any changes to your Comment Wall and/or your Introduction?

A: I will continue to work on finding good questions and helpful critiques. I like my wall/intro how they are for now!

 

5. Image. Take a look through the "Feedback Cats" and "Feedback Infographics" to find one that expresses what you think is a really important aspect of the feedback process, and explain why you chose that image in particular.

A: I like this image because listening is important and undervalued. This infographic shows how we can be better listeners, which helps us give better feedback in life!

The sketchnote is by Tanmay Vora:

 Leadership and The Art of Effective Listening.

I found it on the Growth Mindset blog.

Week 8 Reading and Writing

For this assignment, I'm going to paste a series of questions from the assignment directions and then answer them!

Q: Overall, how well are the reading and writing assignments working for you?

A: I've really enjoyed the flow of the assignments! The readings are fun and not overwhelming. The writing assignments help me engage with the process of storytelling.

Q: Are you happy with your blog? With your project website?

A: Yes! I like how both look and are formatted, especially my project website.

Q: Are you satisfied with how the writing is going for your project? How about your story 

posts?

A: I am satisfied. I think the writing for my storybook is going really well so far. I like certain story posts better than others, but on the whole I have been satisfied with the products.

Q: What do you consider to be your biggest accomplishment(s) in your writing for this class? 

A: I think what I have in my storybook so far, including the layout, introduction, and first regular story, look really sharp and have taken a decent amount of time/effort to craft, so I'm proud of that.

Q: What has been your favorite reading so far?

A: My favorite reading has probably been the Gospel of Mark unit. To read it from a literary perspective and focus on storytelling elements was very enjoyable.

Q: Looking forward. Then, after you look back, look forward. Is there anything you want/need to do in order to get more out out of the reading and writing experiences in this class?

A: I don't think so! I'm getting a lot out of it and just need to stay on track!

Image: I chose this image because it related to a reading I really enjoyed from the Saints and Animals Un-Textbook Unit. The reading helped me decide to write my storybook project about Saint Francis, and I even have included this particular story (Saint Francis and the Wolf) in my storybook project as the story for this past week!

A depiction of Saint Francis and the wolf from Saint Francis of 

Assisi Church in San Francisco del Rincón, Guanajuato State, Mexico. 

Source: Wikimedia

Week 7 Story: The Old Man's Riddle

The Old Man's Riddle

There once was a remarkably affluent man who lived in London. As the rich man went on his daily stroll through his favorite area of the city, he encountered a disheveled, elderly man sitting on a bench. This man on the bench had a powerful presence despite his clear poverty. His eyes told thousands of tales, quietly revealing a fascinating life. The rich man, being more humble and open than most who have great wealth, felt compelled to pause his walk and strike up a conversation with the elderly man. Though short with his words at first, the old man asked the rich man if he would like to be challenged with a riddle. The rich man agreed to the game, and the old man smiled with great amusement.

"Once there was a brilliant, kind, and beautiful daughter of a wealthy king," he began the riddle. "The daughter was in no hurry to leave the house of her father or to get married. However, the daughter did say that if she ever decided to marry a man, it would be to either a wise man, a clever man, or a brave man. Soon after she said this, a man of great wisdom approached her father, asking to marry the daughter. The wise man told prophetic fortunes and explained complex proverbs to demonstrate his wisdom. The father agreed, impressed by his wisdom. A brave man approached the king moments later, also asking to marry the daughter. The brave man told of his impressive feats on behalf of the kingdom and the king marvelled at the man's valor. The king agreed to let this man marry the daughter as well. Finally, a clever man also approached the king. The clever man told the king a riddle and entertained him with magic tricks and jokes. The king, impressed for a third time, agreed to let this man marry his wonderful daughter. The king then went to his daughter and explained the situation, allowing her to choose any of the three men to marry."

The set-up to the riddle being explained, the old man then asked the rich man "So, who should the daughter choose?"

The rich man answered "The wise man, of course. Bravery fades and cleverness bring little practical value. Yet true wisdom can sustain any relationship."

"You have answered correctly," said the old man, "now go on and ponder this truth."

Photo of St. Dunstans Hill in the City of London, UK.

Source: Wikimedia

Author's Note: Though I have completely changed the frame story and altered the outcome of the riddle, the idea for the riddle and its structure are based upon the "Goblins: Brave, Wise, Clever" story from Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur W. Ryder. In this original story, the feats of the three men are described in more detail, other family members are involved, and the correct answer to who the daughter should marry is the brave man.

Bibliography: Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur W. Ryder

Reading Notes: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung, Part A

Bibliography: Notes are on stories from the The Monkey King unit. Story source: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Reading Notes

For this week I'll be reading about The Monkey King and taking notes! Though I enjoyed the entire reading, I'm going to focus in on the "starting a story" technique for today. I'll look at the start of this story unit and think about some ways that I can improve how I begin stories in my own writing.

The Monkey King unit (specifically, "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" story) begins like this: "FAR, far away to the East, in the midst of the Great Sea there is an island called the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits. And on this mountain there is a high rock."

The imagery here is absolutely beautiful. In just the first paragraph, the author has already drawn readers in with this description. The setting is detailed here as "far away," before we are told of a special island with a mountain in the middle of a "Great Sea." The authors has painted a somewhat mystical picture that hooks readers with its strong descriptive language. In my own stories, I will attempt to emulate this by creating strong scenery with intriguing descriptions.

Following this opening paragraph, that "high rock" is described and readers meet the main character! Take a look: "Now this rock, from the very beginning of the world, had absorbed all the hidden seed power of heaven and earth and sun and moon, which endowed it with supernatural creative gifts. One day the rock burst, and out came an egg of stone. And out of this stone egg a stone ape was hatched by magic power. When he broke the shell he bowed to all sides."

The rock clearly has amazing power, and the phrase "from the very beginning of the world" gives this scene a sort of eternal significance. Readers have to be greatly impressed by the rock, and then suddenly the rock is broken open! Whatever comes out of that rock has to be special is the clear signal being given to readers. And sure enough, the egg that emerges from the rock hatches (by "magic power" no less!) our main character. This vivid and impressive origin story gives the Monkey-King special standing in the eyes of readers from the very beginning. In my own writing, I can introduce major characters with fun and creative back-stories in order to quickly endear them to readers. This introduction was energetic and powerful. I hope to emulate this style of grabbing audience attention in my own stories for this course!

Japanese depiction of the Monkey-King by artist Yashima 

Gakutei from approx. 1824. Source: Wikimedia

By focusing on the intro this week, I have considered ways in which my own stories could start in more compelling, exciting ways. The Monkey-King unit had my attention from the beginning, and I hope to replicate that feeling in my own readers.

Week 6 Lab: TedEd Videos on Style

For this week's story lab, I watched the eight TedEd videos about creative writing and style. Here are some of my observations and key takeaways from my two favorites!

I really enjoyed the video on creative constraints. I learned about how some restrictions on tasks actually help us produce interesting things and help our brains better process what we want to do. In some subjects, like science and engineering, certain constraints are inevitable. These constraints can be especially useful though in helping humans achieve our goals and invent interesting devices. Constraints can guide our decision making in many critical ways. Many extraordinary scientific inventions that have impacted multiple fields were the product of facing creative constraints.

Another video that I especially enjoyed from the set was "What 'Orwellian' really means." I've heard this term a lot and read parts of George Orwell's book 1984, so I had some base knowledge before watching. I learned from the video that "George Orwell" was just a pen name for author Eric Blair. The video explains that reducing the term "Orwellian" to simply be a synonym or substitute for "authoritarian" doesn't fully capture the author's message in the classic 1984. In fact, the video asserts, lazy use of the concept "Orwellian" actually relates to a passion of Blair's: the use of words and how language can shape societal ideas. The state in 1984 dramatically alters the English language to discourage critical thinking, thus altering the populace's perceptions of reality. Orwell was concerned about a form of this occurring in not only authoritarian states, but also in democratic societies. The video also introduces the concept of immoral actions and evil concepts being disguised in complicated, scholarly language to obscure how bad they are. Even the language used in basic marketing ads and normal speeches by politicians are crafted to make us think certain things and in ways. Additionally, the urge to mindlessly regurgitate certain phrases and sentences we hear in modern media actually can discourage us from insightful critical thinking. The ability to communicate complex thoughts with clarity and sound structure is an essential component of mental freedom.

Headstone of Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell) in All Saints' parish 

churchyard, Sutton Courtenay, Oxfordshire. Source: Wikimedia

Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins, Part B

Here are my reading notes for Part B of the unit for this week!

Bibliography: Twenty-Two Goblins, translated from Sanskrit by Arthur W. Ryder, with illustrations by Perham W. Nahl (1917).

I want to keep focusing on interesting names for today's notes. In the first story for today's reading, the author tells us of a woman named "beautiful." The goblin telling the story remarks that "No doubt the Creator put together in her the priceless elements of charm and loveliness after his practice in making the nymphs of heaven." Many of these riddles by the goblin so far have revolved around love, romance choices, and attractive characters, so this name fits in with others that have occurred. However, this one is perhaps the most clear in what it signifies about the character.

A whole family is given interesting, descriptive names in the next short tale. The author describes a "merchant named Jewel....His wife was named Pleasing, and a daughter named Pearl was given to her prayers." The names of the family members signify wealth and happiness. The daughter's name and origin perhaps indicate her status as a special blessing. It seems that the wife, "pleasing," must be well-liked by her husband and/or others around them. The King of the city that this family lives is named "Hero-banner." This name suggests success and might. The names, which are all introduced early in this story, are rich and help frame the subsequent tale and riddle.

The next story features another merchant's daughter, this one "named Passion. Everyone who saw her fell in love and went mad with passion." This continues a consistent motif in the riddles of the goblin: a beautiful young girl who attracts multiple suitors. In this same story, there is a king named "Glorious," which is a name consistent with another recurring character archetype in Twenty-Two Goblins: the heroic, successful, mighty king. However, the name of the king in the following story isn't as praiseworthy. The author tells readers of "Earth-boar," whose name seemingly implies brute physical strength but a lack of intelligence, morals, refinement, and/or true heroism. Another interesting name in this story was a village named "Sacrifice." This could indicate many things, and I initially interpreted the name as a foreshadowing of something to come in the story. 

Multiple vibrant, strong names contributed to this frame story and the fun riddles within!

Illustration by Perham W. Nahl from 

Arthur W. Ryder's Twenty-Two Goblins (1917). 

Source: Wikimedia