Week 15 Theme

Before you read this I have to say up front that this is indeed a collage, all items were pulled from your comments and my comments throughout the semester. Well, maybe except for a word or two....

The Impossible Assignment:

Professor: I'm looking for a bigger perspective, very satisfying but not sappy, funny, weird, and interesting, not much spiritual or big-picture stuff. Handle the material very cleverly, it's the writer's job to recreate what a horror of boredom it is. force the reader to work with you, be A little manipulative of the reader's feelings. It starts better without the first sentence and ends better without the last sentence, sometimes it just fusses without adding anything in particular. use ordinary font and italics . you have the 300 pages! Go 4 it!

Student: This one is probably the most difficult writing assignment I've had so far. I'm not even sure I know what the assignment is?? Does it have to be on a particular topic?

Professor: the clothes, porn, turtle, dead dogs or abused women!

Student: I might be able to complete it by looking over the last 15 years, but even for that I will probably have to do a little research

Professor: Aw, cj--try to avoid research completely!

Student: It has to be in the form of a dialogue, set the scene somehow, and not be overly emotional?

Professor: Dialogue is probably a no-no

Student: One of the reasons I took this course was to get a better handle on how to tell the real life stories, the non-fiction. I know I'll get through this assignment but it does indeed feel a little like torture

Professor: We aim to please, cj!

Student: writers block is sitting comfortably beside me on the couch and doesn't show any indication of wanting to leave. Any ideas?

Professor: all I can say to mitigate the pain is that the only cure for writer's block is to goose the writer

Student: Yes, yes, and yes! You know it's funny, I read the first sentance or two and I'm drowning again! Help?!

Professor: Sorry, Even I don't think that makes a lot of sense but it's late enough in the semester that I can offer you vague half-thoughts

Student: I know I wanted a challenge, Not so sure I'll like this.

Professor: What you do here is not easy to do I'd say the important thing is make this much more than a description, a narrative that has no action, go in a direction that's not even a temptation.

Student: That little piece of knowledge makes it even more difficult. So the idea is leave out a lot more for greater impact? True??

Professor: my lie-detector is not currently hooked up did you really reconstruct that from lunatic point to lunatic point (all bogus of course). sounds more like cheap drugs or post-partem depression I agree I messed with the truth, more important is the piece you decide to write, Even if the man manages to adroitly turn into Barbie.

Student: Although probably a bit difficult it's all in the wording so it's not impossible. Am I getting warmer?

Professor: funny story, well told, plenty of suspense, all your words but fewer: not that I claim any expertise. Does that work for you or is too much gone?

Student: I would say it takes a straighter path to the truth of the piece while keeping the important analogies. I like it, thanks. every tidbit you add in gives you a greater chance of touching on something someone can identify with.

Professor: Impressive! The typical student can't tolerate too much truth.

Student: Is there anything else I should know?

Professor: I'm a very cheap date

Student: Wonderful! exactly what I would picture in a date with an English professor! Hahaha

Professor: You can see the thanks I get!