I completed my first assignment yesterday for Wendy Call's Nonfiction Creative Writing Class, a ten-week class with Writers.com. I am taking this class to assist with my motivation and my ability to complete my Peace Corps memoir.
Assignment #1: Create five story ideas, summarize with a short paragraph, write a question the reader might ask and write a question you as the writer might ask.
The process was easier than I thought it would be - I am now motivated to complete my Peace Corps memoir.
We had reading assignments and I will share one snippet with you.
In Telling True Stories edited by Mark Kramer and Wendy Call, one essay by Jan Winburn, titled "Finding Good Topics," encourages the writer to take the reader down a different path than one would traditionally assume.
For example, one of my story ideas is the farewell party the school gave for me shortly before my departure. A lovely gift, a large beautifully painted Genghis Khan image on leather as a wall hanging, sends me down the path of writing about Genghis Khan and his still respected position in Mongolian culture. What kind of man was he and why do the Mongolians "worship" him?
This is a twist in what could be a rather boring chapter, a party of goodbyes.
Another chapter is my trip to Hustai National Park where the wild horses run free. The DNA of these horses is unique and instead of reporting about my weekend with the museum workers, not particularly tension filled, I would like to elaborate on these unusual horses.
How and why were they "reincarnated" into Mongolia?
There are so many ways to tell a tale - I hope to invigorate the reader.
No comments:
Post a Comment