ROW80-3 check in 8/22 - more courses
August 23, 2012
My current course, Fantasy and Science Fiction, is chugging along. We start the Hawthorne/Poe Unit today, a mixed bag apparently. I've enjoyed the readings so far, and some of the forum discussion, as well as the essay writing process. Peer evaluation - not so good. We assess form (how well it's written) and content (how good is the thesis and argument itself) as 1-3, low, medium, or high. The quality of the essays I see is mixed, with most missing the mark with form and/or content. We get info each week showing how our marking relates to the average over the others - several thousand of them. The class average, and the course's target, has 60-65% getting average, rest skewed a little to the low end. Mine so far is similar for form - maybe a few more low marks. Content - most are getting a 1, either because is confusing, or no support, or is plagiarized. This is a non-credit course, and anonymous - why plagiarize?
I do like this concept of free online courses, and the way Coursera is working to make them interactive. Already signed up for more courses - all intro level. Astronomy in December, Philosophy in January, Sociology in February. Some overlap but the estimated work load on the sites, and reading list, all look OK. I see all these as part of being a writer or fantasy and science fiction - for us to write 'what-if's about different things and peoples, we have to learn about what's around us.
So - how went the last few days? A bit of editing, caught up somewhat on blogs I follow, and read a fantasy book. A Knight of the Word, by Terry Brooks. Second of three, almost stopped in the middle when Brooks started sermonizing, but glad I hung in. Rest of my time was reading, analyzing, writing, editing, and discussing Frankenstein.
Oh - I also did a Flash Fiction about returning to school. A little sad.
Next few days? Finish videos for Dracula unit, watch new ones for Frankenstein, and start reading Hawthorne and Poe. Write a Flash Fiction for Friday. And start getting all my short stories reading for submitting!
Just for reference, my overall objectives for this ROW (which I never expect to meet all at the same time):
- Writer (8) - writing for fun, but also working to become a better writer. Writing every day, editing. Reading about writing, books and blogs, as well as networking.
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- Editing (1) - this will be a fixed early task. 2 hrs ?? 10 pages/day
- Due North. First pass pencil edit done. Now do online. Approx 315 double-spaced pages, starting at page 81.
- Due North 2 - sequel. About 260 pages. TBD – cleanup scenes synopsis and notes, print, revise, type in.
- Writing (1) - Flash Fiction stories. 2/wk, 3 hrs each, so an hour.
- Publishing (1/2) -nothing like rejection/acceptance to hone your skills
- Short Stories (1/4) – Flash fiction. New, or edit existing. Take from blog while submitting. Use market survey from Flash Fiction Chronicles, aim to send in one a week.
- Fairy Tale Folk (1/4)- pull them together into collection. Start with a spreadsheet – story, characters, their traits, their development, good for ongoing stories too. Edit if time. Not a high priority this round.
- Editing (1) - this will be a fixed early task. 2 hrs ?? 10 pages/day
- Learning/sharing (5 1/2)
- Blogs (1) - maybe too many subscriptions. Track them all for a week and rate them.
- Facebook (1) - ROW80 group, Ottawa Writers, Creative Writing Circle, and NaNoWriMo Ottawa.
- Podcasts (.5) - have set up a few, mostly on writing. Can follow these while walking or cooking.
- Reading (1) - non-fiction, to entertain and learn.
- Reading (0) - fiction, to entertain and learn (part of course now).
- Course –(2) Fantasy and Science Fiction. Reading, writing, critiques, videos
- Health (2 1/2) - not a lot of time, but needs to be a main item.
- Walking (1) - can be an evening activity too. With podcasts. Will aim for 10,000 steps.
- Exercise/sports (1/2) -Short morning yoga session. Floor exercises? Bike?
- Diet – Better food, less alcohol (healthier and cheaper).
- Schedule - hopefully this will be healthy addition too.
- Friends and family (1) - just to make sure don't get stuck inside doing all these tasks
- Chores (2) - the boring stuff. Cleaning, laundry, shopping. And taxes.
- TV (1)
- Total 13.5
Oh! Poe and Hawthorne--I'm rather jealous of your course readings. I might have to pull out some of my old, tattered copies and re-read a bit. And more courses? Yay! The astronomy one is tempting.
And how exciting to be getting your stories ready for submitting! Good luck, and have fun.
Posted by: Kim | August 23, 2012 at 06:14 PM