I'm frustrated that I haven't posted on this blog for a while. Life has been busy and I haven't been able to spend enough time on my coursework. I'm glad Assignment 1 is not submitted for formal assessment! I felt that I rushed the first assignment. I wasn't able to meet my deadline and had … Continue reading Thoughts on Assignment 1
Category: Part 1
Project 2: Writing a screenplay
For this exercise I'm going to examine some of the techniques a writer uses to make a story more visual and dramatic. Project 2 touches on Brokeback Mountain, a short story from Annie Proulx's book Close Range: Wyoming Stories. Larry McMurty and Diana Ossana are screenwriters whom adapted Brokeback Mountain into the much acclaimed film. There … Continue reading Project 2: Writing a screenplay
Shark attack
I am galeophobic. In other words I'm scared shitless of sharks. So, you can imagine my distress on reading Exercise 1 in Scriptwriting: An introduction to screenwriting, that I have to watch that scene from Jaws: 'Police Chief Martin Brody is reluctantly feeding bait into the water. We see him smoking a cigarette and shooting dirty looks … Continue reading Shark attack
Making a Start
Now that I've had a chance to look at the course materials, I'm enthusiastic about starting The Art of Poetry. Whilst I'm not familiar with writing poetry, I'm eager to get cracking on the first assignment. So, with that in mind I have ordered two books from Amazon: Writing Poems by Peter Sansom and A … Continue reading Making a Start
Reflections on Assignment 1
Excitement soon turned to trepidation when I discovered that I’d have to write poetry, more so when I had to submit two poems for my first assignment. I love to read poetry. I’m in awe of people who spend hours creating mellifluous lines with hidden meanings and stand out metaphors. I, however, am not one … Continue reading Reflections on Assignment 1
Assignment 1
105th & Broadway Sky blue, interspersed with clouds goading easterly, coastal wind. Birds: a pair, fly and swoop; pigeons pecking, scattering. Buildings weathered but not beaten, red bricked ominous amongst the throng, high-rise, windows gaping shadows loom down from existing sun. Gum polluted pavements. Broadway. Flip flops, trainers, sandals walk. Cracks, uneven painted faces, parloured … Continue reading Assignment 1
Poetry in Motion
Poetry can't be that hard, I thought to myself. How wrong I was. I found this part of the course a struggle. My main problem was trying NOT to make it rhyme. I tried to pay attention to alliteration and assonance, hoping that I would transform my notes into beautifully mellifluous lines, but I'm not … Continue reading Poetry in Motion
Duly Noted
As I slowly progress through these exercises I realise that I should do a bit of reading. I've taken into account Alan Bennett's Writing Home and Virginia Woolf's A Writer's Diary but truthfully speaking I'm not sure I want to. I've tried writing journals before, indeed I spent three months faithfully doing Julia Cameron's The … Continue reading Duly Noted
I Dreamed A Dream
It's finally happened; I can dream on. After a couple of dreamless nights I've recorded a dream, albeit somewhat strange, in my trusty notebook to be the source of my first exercise. Hallelujah! I admit I was beginning to worry - the last dream I can remember featured Will Smith (??) and his son, Jaden … Continue reading I Dreamed A Dream
Writefully So... 