Writing 17: Post-Workshop Memo

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Important Note

The guidelines that follow are exactly the same as for your previous post-workshop memo (Writing 10). I have only adjusted the deadlines.

What’s important to remember, though, is that this will be your last chance to get feedback from me before you prepare the final, to-be-graded version of your Essay Two. And so I urge you to approach this assignment thoughtfully and to compose a detailed memo. Help me help you. You stand to gain from doing so.

Post-Workshop Memo

After your workshop, I would like you to email me a memo detailing your plans for moving from Draft 1 to Draft 2. The subject line for your email should be Post-Workshop Memo. Your text should include three sections:

1) Summary of Feedback

• What feedback have you received to your writing so far? In your workshop? In written comments? From me? From other readers? Which parts of this feedback do you find most useful? Which do you have questions about?

2) Plans for Draft 2

Add

• What do you plan to add to your current draft? Where will these additions go? Be as exact and detailed as you can. For instance, rather than saying, “I plan to add more from Odell”, point to the specific passages from Odell that you plan to add. Or rather than saying, “I’m going to give more details about this exeprience”, explain what details you plan to add.

Cut

• What passages of your current draft do you plan to cut? Again, be specific. And bold. Don’t be content with bland paragraphs or sections. If something isn’t working, get rid of it.

Change

• Which parts of your essay do you plan to rework for style, voice, and clarity? What issues in your prose do want to address?

3) Questions for Me

• I will write a reply to your email. This will be my response to your first draft. What do you want to ask me before you prepare a version of your essay that will earn a letter grade?

My general rule is to write no more words in reply than you write to me in your memo. So the more detailed and specific your memo is, the more feedback you are likely to get from me in reply.

I must receive your Post-Workshop Memo by next Tuesday, November 17, at 4:00 pm. But I encourage you to send it to me earlier, so you can write with the memory of your workshop and your questions for me fresh in mind. I will try to respond to your memo as quickly as I can, so the sooner you are able to get it to me, the longer you’ll have to prepare your final draft. I will also be happy to talk more on Zoom with you about your essay after I’ve received your memo.

Deadlines

• Tues, 11/17, 4:00 pm (or earlier): Email me your Post-Workshop Memo (Writing 17).
• Tues, 12/01, 4:00 pm: Post the second and final draft of your essay to Medium.com. Email me the link.

Writings 15–17: Essay Two

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Since the process you’ll follow in writing Essay Two is pretty much the same as what you did in drafting and revising Essay One, I’ll only offer a quick outline and schedule here. But, as always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email me with them, or stop by during my Zoom Student Hours.

Please refer to the Essay Two assignment for a description of what I hope you will actually aim to achieve in your writing. I’m simply trying to clarify deadlines and other such details here.

Draft One (Writing 15)

Please post a full draft of your second essay to your Workshop Group Folder on Google Drive by 4:00 pm on Tuesday, 11/10. You’ll want to draft a piece of at least 1,200 words. As always, don’t worry if you write more. As before, please use this formula in naming your document: “First Name Last Initial E2D1”. Example: “Jenny O E2D1”.

Comments on Drafts (Writing 16)

Please write and post comments on drafts written by the other members of your group by 10:00 pm the evening before your workshop is scheduled. For example, if your Workshop is scheduled for Friday at 11:00 am, post your comments by Thursday at 10:00 pm. The point of this is to give the author the chance to read and think about the comments on their piece before the workshop.

As before, follow guidelines in Commenting on Drafts in writing your responses. When you save your comments on someone else’s draft, add your initials to the document title. Example: “Jenny O E2D1 jh”.

Post-Workshop Memo (Writing 17)

After your workshop, please email me a memo reporting on the responses you received to your draft and your plans for moving forward. The instructions for this memo are exactly the same as for Writing 10. Except, of course, for the deadline, which in this case is 4:00 pm on Tuesday, 11/17. You can always send me your memo earlier, and if you do, I will do my best to reply to you promptly.

Final Draft, Essay Two

And here is the one significant change in the process: Your second draft of Essay Two (not the third) will be the final graded version. As with your first essay, I will expect you to post this piece to Medium. The guidelines for doing so are exactly the same as for Essay One. Except, again for the deadline—which is 4:00 pm on Tuesday, 12/01. This will give you two weeks to revise and polish the final version of your piece.

Good luck! I look forward to reading your work and seeing how you’ve grown as a writer!