Writing for Publication
Online Writing Course; Professor: Joel Comiskey with assistants, Jim Corley and Helen Barratta; Email: joelcomiskey@msn.com
May 19 to August 18, 2020
Basic Writing Course ($75.00)
8 hours of online, interactive instruction (all times are pacific times/California time)
May 19 : two hours (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. pacific time at http://zoom.us/j/9092607499);
Motivation for writing; Reading: Peter Elbow, Writing with Power
June 23: two hours (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. pacific time at http://zoom.us/j/9092607499); How to write well; Reading: William Zinsser, On Writing Well
July 21: two hours (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. pacific time at http://zoom.us/j/9092607499); Publishing what you’ve written; Reading: Jane Friedman, The Business of Being a Writer
August 18: two hours (4 p.m. to 6 p.m. pacific time at http://zoom.us/j/9092607499); Marketing what you’ve published; Reading: Pamela Hutchins, What Kind of Loser Indie Publishes
Two key requirements: book reading and attendance
Read all four writing books (all available on kindle) and discuss one during each zoom session
Attendance and participation in the zoom sessions Certificate for those who fulfill the above two requirements
Advanced Level below ($75.00 additional charge)
Personal zoom coaching session with Dr. Comiskey about writing
Graded assignments
Comparative Reflection
Personal Plan
-Writing Project #1
-Writing Project #2
Comparative Reflection
Compare the advice from the various textbooks, highlighting the similarities and differences of the author’s points of view, as well as what helped you most.
-This is a closed book essay question
-You have two hours to complete this assignment
-Suggested: minimum of four pages
Personal Plan
-The student’s 5 year plan for writing, working toward publication
Should include:
Type of publication you envision
-Book (s)
-Article (s)
-Blog (s)
Goals
-Long term goal (5-year)
Short term goals (1-year, 2-year, etc.)
How do you envision being published
-Large publisher, self-published
-Online published
Personal, practical writing plan
-Number of words per day? Month?
-Number of hours per day
Writing Project #1
-A proposal for a book
-A proposal for a series of articles that could become a book
-A proposal of a set of poems . . . .
-A proposal for a series of blogs . . .
-A proposal for a screenplay
Writing Project #2
-A chapter of a future book
-Blogs to be published on a site
-Article (s) to be published in a magazine or online
-Screenplay to be published (a couple of acts)
-[What I’m looking for is to complete one part of the greater whole]
Extra credit reading:
- Lerner, Betsy. The Forest for the Trees: An Editor’s Advice to Writers. New York: Riverhead Trade, 2001.
- Appelbaum, Judith. How to Get Happily Published. New York: Collins Reference,
- Ryken, Leland. The Christian Imagination: The Practice of Faith in Literature and Writing. Colorado: Shaw Books, 2002.
- Thoene, Bodie. Writer to Writer. Minnesota: Bethany House Publishers, 1990.