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Nature Writing (10 Weeks)
Human nature. Wild nature. Domesticated nature. The nature of life, of living, of loving, of living in and loving the world we all share. However you define it, we all share in the experience of Nature in its manifold manifestations. But why write about nature? There are perhaps as many answers to that question as there are definitions of "nature": celebration, exploration, personal insight, shared experience, activism, persuasion, reflection, education, or even just the challenge of trying to capture in words one's own personal experience in this universal field of play that is Nature.
Whatever your reason for wanting to tackle the task and challenge of rendering and reflecting on Nature in words, Nature writing presents its own unique challenges, pitfalls, strategies and rewards. How does a writer bridge the chasm between her or his personal experience and perspectives, and saying something engaging and meaningful to another person about something that is both so universal and so individual?
That is the world we will navigate together in this 10-week course on Nature Writing. Beginning with the raw ore of each of our senses of what "Nature" is and means, we will practice and develop skills and strategies for effectively rendering Nature as we perceive it and for articulating the values we discover in it. In this course, each writer will construct his or her own toolbox of note-taking strategies, suited to both the particular challenges of Nature Writing and each person's goals and proclivities. We will also develop individual strategies to sculpt those notes into essays that capture both the message and spirit of our insights into the meaning and value of Nature, and then discuss how to further hone those pieces into marketable messages that will speak to those who share our interest, curiosity, affection, and inspiration in the many forms of Nature we all find.
Class Outline
The course will follow the full writing cycle for an essay, from the taking of field notes and outlining the seeds of thematic ideas; to draft creation, shaping, and workshopping; through the honing and polishing of audience- and market-targeted pieces. By following this process, students should each end up with at least one essay ready for submission by the end of the course. The course will also be threaded with ongoing conversations that address issues and challenges particular to Nature Writing as a distinct genre. Each week of the course will begin with emailed "lectures" that will serve not as dogma, but as thinking-prompts to launch conversations, explorations and activities. Specific exercises will also encourage students to experiment with writing techniques and strategies, and then share their discoveries and suggestions. Workshopping methods will also be explored and practiced, providing students with meaningful diagnostic feedback on their essays-in-progress.
Week 1:
Nature Writing? What's that?? And why do it?
Asst: Write a short personal narrative showing and explaining to the others in the class why you want to practice Nature Writing. Students will read each other's narratives and offer brief reactions and questions for each writer.
Week 2:
In the field: Note-taking for the busy thinker!
Asst: Experiment with several note-taking exercises, tba, to be exchanged among the class for critical-reader feedback toward reworking and elaboration.
Week 3:
Life B.C.: Before the computer.
Asst: Outline "reflection" and "universalization" themes for a potential essay. These will be read by classmates for questions and expansion ideas.
Week 4:
Facing that computer screen: from notes to rough draft, and back again.
Asst: Flesh out the rough draft of an essay.
Week 5:
Dangerous waters: Issues in Nature Writing.
Asst: Critically dissect both a good and a weak published nature essay, and outline a list of personal "do's and don't's" based on those analyses. These "reviews" will be shared among the class, following which a class list of Nature Writing Guidelines will be compiled.
Week 6:
Forging a real "first draft."
Asst: Generate a quality draft of an essay. These will be distributed among classmates for "reader"-style feedback.
Week 7:
Help! Seeking and offering meaningful and helpful writer's feedback.
Asst: Workshop classmate essays, applying workshop guidelines toward "writer's diagnostic feedback."
Week 8:
Stalking Nature Writing's habitat in the media wilderness!
Asst: Report on a potential nature writing market, and share class reports.
Week 9:
Polishing your product.
Asst: Hone a market-targeted essay, with analysis of how it is suited to chosen market. These will be shared for "editor-style" feedback from other students.
Week 10:
The submission package.
Asst: Create a complete submission package. This is the equivalent of the course's "final," and will be shared with students for their enjoyment!
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Complete List of Writers.com Classes
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Complete List of Writers.com Classes
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