DAY 1

(3 hour class)

Introduction to Essay Writing Presentation (1 hour): 

• Topics to avoid - cliche story vehicles and common essay traps

• How find a story that is a vehicle for the quality we want to present

• What is the “micro” theme of the story and how does it play into the “macro”

• Grabbing the reader’s attention (…who’ve been reading essays all day)

• Brainstorming in 3-person groups (1 hour)

  • Weighing in on the ideas at hand 

  • Discovering a unique entry point to proposed stories

• Outlining and Structuring (1 hour)

• Planning the transformation in the story

  • Good storytelling

1 hour of personalized essay notes/ideas/revisions by Robert or Marissa

DAY 2

(3 hour class)

Writing Workshop:

• How to Rewrite/Enhance Presentation (30 min)

• Enhancing Structure

• Rewriting and Polishing (2 hours)

• Final in-class notes (30 minutes)

After class

• 2 hours of personalized revisions of drafts - 1 hour each by both Robert and Marissa

• 1 hour of final grammar check