FEATURE ARTICLE WRITING/ ENG 3060 FH24A Spring ‘08
Prof. Roslyn Bernstein
Class: T/TH 9:30 AM-10:45 PM Classroom: VC 7-165
Office Hours: Tuesdays, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM by appointment
Office: 7th floor-270 VC Phone: 646-312-3930
roz_bernstein@baruch.cuny.edu
JAN 29 Introductory Class. What is a Feature?
Distinguishing hard news stories from features?
Discussion of reading and writing assignments, your journal,
Blackboard participation and Neighborhood Blog Postings
Class Focus: Neighborhoods
About Places and About Faces
Reading Assignment for 2/1:
American’s Best Newspaper Writing (ABNW):
The Craft of Writing Great Stories: Chapter 10-pp. 287-320.
Bring Wednesday’s NYT to class every Thursday.
JAN 31 Discussion of ABNW Chapter 10
Ingredients of a Feature Story
Reading Assignment for 2/5:
American’s Best Newspaper Writing:
Richard Wright, pp. 259-263; Marvel Cooke, pp. 270-277,
Meyer Berger, pp.280-284; Red Smith, pp. 276-280.
Bring NYT City Section (Sunday) to class 2/5
Writing Assignment for 2/5:
250 Words on Neighborhood of Your Choice
FEB. 5 Discussion of City Section (clippings) and ABNW Readings for 2/5
Discussion of Neighborhoods
FEB. 7 Neighborhood Research Workshop
Professor Stephen Francoeur
Writing Assignments:
1. Neighborhood Faces Query (250 Words) 2/14
(Describe the neighborhood person you wish to profile.
Possibilities include: cop on the beat, local teacher,
local activist, newspaper editor, long time resident, etc.)
2. Backgrounder on Your Neighborhood-500-750 Words.
(A Resource/Not a Paper) Due February 19
Include information on: a) Demographics b) Schools
c) Local Businesses d) Real Estate e) *Conflicts/hot button issues
Please make sure that you include relevant web resource links
Writing Assignment for 2/21: First Draft
Neighborhood Faces Story on Disk
FEB. 12 No Classes.
FEB 14 Discussion of Neighborhood Faces Query
Reading Assignment for 2/21 ASBN: Blaine Harden
FEB 19 Luke Waltzer: Writing NY BLOG
Discussion of Neighborhood Backgrounders
FEB. 21 In-class workshop Neighborhood Faces Story (disk)
Reading: ASBN: Blaine Harden
Writing Assignment for 2/26: Final Neighborhood Faces Story
Reading Assignment for 2/26:
ASBN: Mirta Ojito, pp. 180-185; David Finkel, pp. 186-195.
FEB 26 Reading Assignment: ASBN
Writing Assignment for 2/28:
Write two paragraphs on theme of Ben Katchor’s On the Human Lap (Print is hanging on the wall by 7th floor elevators).
Reading Assignment for 2/28: ASBN Ken Fuson
and Anthony Shadid
FEB 28 Reading: ASBN
Discussion of Katchor Paragraphs
Writing Assignment for 3/4
Neighborhood Places: Real Estate/Business Story
Proposal (250 words)
MARCH 4 Burrowing into the Boroughs
Discussion of Real Estate/Business Stories Proposals
Writing Assignment for 3/6:
Reporting Workshop Real Estate/Business Stories
Bring in source list, notes, ideas, and if possible your lead.
MARCH 6 Reporting/Writing Workshop Real Estate Business Stories
Writing Assignment for March 11: Final Real Estate Business
Stories Due: 750 Words.
MARCH 11 Presentations on Real Estate/Business Stories
Writing Assignment for 3/13
Proposal for Neighborhood Arts/Culture Feature (250-500 words)
Reading: Charles Simic (The Voice at 3:00 AM)
MARCH 13 Discussion of Neighborhood Arts/Culture Proposals
Arts/Culture Stories Due: March 20. (500-750 words)
The Poet’s Voice: Charles Simic
*MARCH 18 Harman Reading by Charles Simic
(Evening) Reception at 5 PM; Reading at 5:45 PM
Newsman Conference Center/Library Building/ 750
Writing Assignment for March 25:
Literary Face Profile: Charles Simic (500-750 words)
MARCH 20 Reading: Best American Magazine Writing (BAMW)
Ian Parker, He Knew He was Right, pp.137-168.
Discussion of Neighborhood Arts/ Culture Stories
MARCH 25 Discussion of Charles Simic Profiles
Blog Work
MARCH 27 Reading: BAMW
Andrew Corsello, The Other Side of Hate, pp. 195-228.
Writing Assignment 4/1: Conflict Story Proposal + Outline
APRIL 1 Discussion of Conflict Story Proposals/Outlines
APRIL 3 Conflict Story Proposals + Outlines Continued
Blog/Work and Reading BAMW
Janet Reitman, Inside Scientology, pp. 305-348.
APRIL 8 Leads/First Page/Conflict Story
Blog/Work and Reading:
BAMW: Eric Konigsberg, Prairie Fire, p. 235-273.
APRIL 10 Conflict Stories (Page One Revised)
APRIL 15 Workshop: Page 1 + 2 Conflict Stories
Blog Work
APRIL 17 Workshop: Page 1 + 2: Conflict Stories
APRIL 29 Lead and Page One Workshop Conflict Stories
Writing Assignment 5/1: Page One/Page Two Conflict Stories
MAY 1 Page One and Page Two Workshop Conflict Stories
Reading: BAMW
Tom Junod, The Love Ones, pp. 349-382.
Writing Assignment 5/3: First Draft Conflict Story
MAY 6 First Draft Conflict Story on Disk (1,000 to 1,200 words)
In-class rewrites
Writing Assignment 5/8: Second Draft Conflict Story
MAY 8 Second Draft Conflict Story on Disk (1,000 to 1,200 words)
MAY 13 Final Conflict Story Due (1,200 words)
PREDICTING THE FUTURE-
ORAL PRESENTATION ON IDEA FOR A FUTURE STORY.
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Required Reading/Books:
New York Times Metro Section (daily). (Bring Wednesday’s Metro to class on Thursday)
New York Times City Section, Sundays (Bring City Section to class on Tuesday)
America’s Best Newspaper Writing, Clark and Scanlan, Bedford St. Martin’s, 2006
Best American Magazine Writing 2007, Columbia University Press.
The Voice at 3:00 A. M. Selected Late and New Poems, by Charles Simic, Harcourt, 2003.
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOCUS:
This workshop course in FEATURE ARTICLE WRITING will focus on neighborhoods. During the semester, each of you will become an expert on your neighborhood by researching its demographics, attending local community board meetings, and, through interviewing, building a source list of contact people who may be community leaders, politicians, teachers, newspaper reporters, business owners, and/or residents-single or married, native-born or immigrant, young or old-all of whom contribute to the vibrancy of the community. What makes the neighborhood tick? What are its chief assets? What are its biggest problems? Who is in power? Who is left out?
Good feature writing is based on a solid command of structure, insightful reporting, research, observation, a feel for style and narrative, an appreciation (and grounding) in the writing of other fine writers, and significant re-writing. We will hone our feature writing skills through a number of in-class writing and editing assignments as well as several short feature-writing assignments (500 to 800 words maximum), one longer assignment (1000 to 1,200 words) and a thorough rewrite. Your skilled reporting, original research, and lively writing will yield feature stories that no one else has written before-little known stories about people, places and issues in neighborhoods that deserve to be told.
In addition to formal written assignments, the class will publish a neighborhood BLOG, which you will post to weekly as part of a community or borough team. The goal here is to share community coverage and, at the same time, give you practice writing for social media.
Classroom Guidelines:
1. ALL assignments are due on time; no late papers or assignments will be accepted unless agreed upon with me before the due date. You must meet all deadlines.
2. All rewrites are due one week from the date you receive them.
3. All papers must be double-spaced with name and e-mail address at the top.
4. Read NYT daily and City Section on Saturday.
5. Class session: Class begins at 9:30 AM, unless otherwise discussed. Much of our class activity will involve class discussion about your blog posts and in-class writing; therefore, timely attendance and participation are important. Two late arrivals equal one absence. Baruch attendance guidelines will be followed
6. Know the college’s policy on plagiarism. Go to the website: www.baruch.cuny.edu/academic_honesty.html. Evidence of plagiarism of any kind will result in sanctions that range from an F on the assignment to a failing grade in the course. A report of suspected academic dishonesty will be sent to the office of the Dean of Students. Any sources consulted MUST be attributed to those sources - websites, articles, books, etc., Ignorance of the policy is no excuse.
7. Grading and other class policies:
Breakdown of your final grade: Class participation and story queries (15 %);
BLOG posts (15 %); writing assignments (50%); and final
feature/conflict story (20 %).
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