Poetry For Profit and Play

Poetry For Profit and Play

Full Description

This course is primarily designed to help the inexperienced poet write for profit or pleasure. Students learn basic forms of poetry such as: metrical, sonnet, rhyme, haiku and free verse. They are then given exercises designed to help them learn the various forms. Each student hands in samples of their work and is given detailed analysis of their work with suggestions for improvement. The objective for this class is to help students improve and or realize their writing abilities. Students learn valuable skills on how to solicit their work for profit.

Outcomes:

Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to: A.) Recognize the various forms of poetry B.) How to edit their work C.) How to solicit their work

Assessment:

1.) Students are evaluated to assess their current writing ability by providing a writing sample. 2.) Students learn various poetry forms and employ their knowledge by providing samples of each. 3.) Each student is given exercises designed to help them hone their writing and editing skills 4.) Students will draft a query letter. 5.) Students will send their work off to at least one publisher. 6.) Students select a particular type of poetry for which to submit for final grading.

Week 1 Students are introduced to various forms of poetry ranging from haiku to metrical. Students are given writing tests to assess where their current skill level is, suggestions and comments are made on how to improve their writing.

Week 2 Now that students realize what skill level they are functioning at students embark in a tailor made program designed specifically for them. Students decide whether their objective for taking this class is more for profit or pleasure. Depending on their focus, the program is amended to their directive. For students wanting to sell their work markets and query letters are addressed. For those students wanting to hone their craft, details to best obtain their goal is outlined.

Week 3 Students learn how to use the internet and other tools, such as writing resources and groups to further their interest. Students also learn about query letters, proper submission protocol and how to prepare to solicit some of their work. Week 4 Clips and credits are discussed as well as utilizing a personal method of keeping track of your submissions. Different forms of organizing submissions are addressed, from software to using a homemade method by the student. The benefits of using a system to track your submissions is addressed.

Week 5 Students participate in a series of exercises designed to help them hone their writing skills. These lessons are submitted to the instructor for an in-depth analysis of their work. Various markets are discussed, students evaluate their work to decide which market they want to submit to, such as free verse or rhyme, for example.

Week 6 Student exercises are returned, comments are discussed. Students submit a sample query and select a market they want to solicit some of their poetry to. Continuity of submissions is addressed. Week 7 Sample query letter is returned with comments. Student’s selected market is discussed with the student. Student prepares a complete submission packet that includes query, SASE, poems and clips or credits that is then submitted to the instructor for final criticism. Week 8 Student’s sample packet is returned with comments. Student is encouraged to send their submission out to their selected market. Any lingering questions are answered and addressed.

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SAMPLE LESSON WEEK 1
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Welcome to Poetry For Profit and Play. As your first written assignment we would like to know about you, your academic and professional background and your career objectives. The essay you should submit could be between 300-500 words long and should be in the first person. Information you should consider sharing with your writing instructor includes:

* Your name and address
* Your school and college information.
* Your current occupation and what you do on the job.
* What inspired you to choose your current occupation?
* How is this writing course relevant to your professional activity.
* Where do you see yourself five years down the road (in a professional context).
* Your interests and hobbies--things you like to do when you are not working or studying.

Although this is not an English writing assignment, your instructor would like you to submit the assignment carefully articulated, properly planned and well proof-read. Effective communication is an integral part of daily living. If you exceed the length requirement, it will not pose a problem.

Deadline: Seven (7) days from the date of the assignment.

Contact Hours: 32