Author: Mr. Write Coach

Stuart Warner can help you become a better writer. Warner has developed a national reputation as an editor and journalism teacher. He has written or edited three Pulitzer Prize-winning entries and edited three other Pulitzer finalists As the writing coach at The Plain Dealer in Cleveland, he edited stories than won more than 50 national awards. Currently, Warner teaches journalism at Case Western Reserve University and is a regular contributor to AOL.com. He has been honored numerous times for his own writing. He has also been invited to speak on writing at the Nieman narrative conference at Harvard, the Let’s Do It Better conference at Columbia University, the National Writers Workshop sponsored by the Poynter Institute, the IRE’s national Computer Assisted Reporting workshop and at Capitolbeat, the national seminar for state government reporters. He has also worked with the writers at a number of companies, including Politifact, Key Bank, Signal Cleveland, the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Jewish News, Akron General Hospital and also taught at Cleveland State University.

Syllabus for ENG 306

SYLLABUS
CREATIVE NONFICTION – Literary journalism
ENG 306 Fall 2009
WEDNESDAYS 4 p.m.-6:30 GUILFORD 323
Lecturer: Stuart Warner

 Office hours: Guilford 316
Mondays & Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m.
and by appointment
E-Mail: warnercorn@msn.com
Web page: thewritecoachonline.com

blog: www. thewritecoach.wordpress.com

office phone: 216-368-2371

COURSE OUTLINE

This is a course for serious nonfiction writers. Literary journalism combines the writing techniques of fiction with the rigorous demands of accuracy in journalism. I’m leery of the term creative nonfiction because that seems to imply that writers can be creative with the facts. Not in this class. Reporting is the backbone of all good writing and you will be expected to report your stories with the same attention to detail as any newspaper journalist. Fine writing is expected, but you will also be expected to understand the techniques that make this writing resonate with readers. This class will focus on the disciplines of literary journalism that has produced award-winning series at The Plain Dealer such as The Burden of Innocence, Beyond Rape, The Inheritance, Johanna: Facing Forward and Bernard’s Story as well as such nationally reknown stories as Seabiscuit, The Soloist and Mrs. Kelly’s Monster. But we will also review narratives produced by college students while they were working as interns with me. The class will be directed to help you produce a 3,000-word narrative that would be worthy of publication. I am confident that working together we can do that.
 

READINGS (PARTIAL LIST)

Elements of Style, Strunk and White (recommended but not required)
Writing for Story, Jon Franklin
Seabiscuit: An American Legend, Laura Hillenbrand
The Soloist, Steve Lopez
Other assigned readings provided by instructor

GRADING
Grades will generally be based on the following scale
Final paper (3,000 words) – 35 percent
Other assigned writings – 25 percent
Mid-term exam on narrative terms – 25 percent
Class participation – 10 percent
Journals – 5 percent

RULES OF THE CLASS

Deadlines cannot be compromised. Assignments turned in late without a doctor’s excuse will not be accepted. Students will be held to professional standards with regard to spelling and factual errors, both of which will result in grade reductions. Students will also be expected to adhere to the grammatical rules outlined in Elements of Style. Plagiarism, fabrication or any other egregious ethical breach of professional standards shall be dealt with most severely.

 

SCHOOL POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

All forms of academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and obstruction are violations of academic integrity standards. Cheating includes copying from another’s work, falsifying problem solutions or laboratory reports, or using unauthorized sources, notes or computer programs. Plagiarism includes the presentation, without proper attribution, of another’s words or ideas from printed or electronic sources. It is also plagiarism to submit, without the instructor’s consent, an assignment in one class previously submitted in another. Misrepresentation includes forgery of official academic documents, the presentation of altered or falsified documents or testimony to a university office or official, taking an exam for another student, or lying about personal circumstances to postpone tests or assignments. Obstruction occurs when a student engages in unreasonable conduct that interferes with another’s ability to conduct scholarly activity. Destroying a student’s computer file, stealing a student’s notebook, and stealing a book on reserve in the library are examples of obstruction.

 

OVERVIEW
This is a rough outline of the topics will be covered and subject to change. Individual reading assignments will be updated weekly . And once again, there will be a current events or reading quiz at every class.

Week 1 – Introduction: What is literary journalism and opening the writer’s vein.
Week 2 – Narrative by the numbers – the terminology of literary journalism. .
Week 3 – The reported essay. Discussion with Pulitzer winning columnist Connie Schultz (Subject to speaker’s availability..
Week 4 – Seminars on writing that I give to professional writers: Be Your Own Coach and The Writing Process (focusing on Bernard’s Story). .
Week 5 – First writing assignment due; read aloud. Discussion of story present and back story (Frank Sinatra Has a Cold).
Week 6 – Analyzing the Narrative: Mrs. Kelly’s Monster. Organization..
Week 7 – Scene construction; getting inside characters head, dialogue vs. quotes. Assignment due on reporting a scene. Review of terms.
Week 8 – Test on applying narrative terms. Discussion of topics for final paper..
Weej 9. Reporting the narrative. Discussion of Seabiscuit
Week 10 – More reporting the narrative … Beyond Rape. (pending speaker availability). Outlines due for final paper.
Week 11 – The Personal Story. The Soloist. Getting into a character’s head..
Week 12 – The finer points; point of insight, foreshadowing, reconstruction.
Week 13 – Reporting and writing time for final papers
Week 14 – Schedule office time to review draft of final papers. Draft must be completed.
Week 15 – Revising time
Week 16 – Final papers due.

Syllabus for ENG 204

INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM
ENG 204 Fall 2009
MONDAYS 4 p.m.-6:30 GUILFORD 323
Lecturer: Stuart Warner

 Office hours: Guilford 318
Mondays & Wednesdays, 1-3 p.m.
and by appointment

E-Mail: warnercorn@msn.com

Web page: www.thewritecoachonline.com

office phone:  216-368-2371

 

COURSE OUTLINE

Journalism is changing as rapidly as I write this syllabus. A newspaper closes. A hundred new bloggers began reporting the news. This course will not focus on the traditional platforms of presenting the news, i.e., newspapers, radio, TV, magazines. Instead, the focus will be on journalism, why what it was and what it might be. The goal of the class to to help students begin developing tools that journalists will need — good reporting and writing, objectivity, ethics – no matter what the medium. The heaviest emphasis will be on writing skills. Maybe more importantly, by the end of the semesters, students should become better-informed consumers of news. To that end, students will be quizzed every class either on current events or on reading assignments. Students who miss class without a doctor’s excuse must arrange for make-up quizzes. More than two unexcused absences will result in a lowered grade. Class participation will also factor heavily in grades. Journalists, whatever medium, must be curious and learn to ask direct questions.

READINGS (PARTIAL LIST)
 

Elements of Style, Strunk and White
Journalism: Who What When Where Why and How, James Stovall
A Writer’s Coach, Jack Hart
Sunday New York Times (subscription or online)
Other assigned readings

GRADING
Grades will generally be based on the following scale
Final story (1,500 words) – 25 percent
Other assigned writings – 35 percent
Quizzes – 20 percent
Elements of Style test – 10 percent
Class participation – 10 percent

RULES OF THE CLASS
Deadlines cannot be compromised. Assignments turned in late without a doctor’s excuse will not be accepted. Students will be held to professional standards with regard to spelling and factual errors, both of which will result in grade reductions. Students will also be expected to adhere to the grammatical rules outlined in Elements of Style. Plagiarism, fabrication or any other egregious ethical breach of professional standards shall be dealt with most severely.

SCHOOL POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
All forms of academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and obstruction are violations of academic integrity standards. Cheating includes copying from another’s work, falsifying problem solutions or laboratory reports, or using unauthorized sources, notes or computer programs. Plagiarism includes the presentation, without proper attribution, of another’s words or ideas from printed or electronic sources. It is also plagiarism to submit, without the instructor’s consent, an assignment in one class previously submitted in another. Misrepresentation includes forgery of official academic documents, the presentation of altered or falsified documents or testimony to a university office or official, taking an exam for another student, or lying about personal circumstances to postpone tests or assignments. Obstruction occurs when a student engages in unreasonable conduct that interferes with another’s ability to conduct scholarly activity. Destroying a student’s computer file, stealing a student’s notebook, and stealing a book on reserve in the library are examples of obstruction.

OVERVIEW
This is a rough outline of the topics will be covered and subject to change. We may take a trip to a traditional and non-traditional news rooms, based on availability. Individual reading assignments will be updated weekly . And once again, there will be a current events or reading quiz at every class. Unannounced quizzes on reading assignments will also be given.

Week 1 – Introduction: Does journalism matter anymore?
Week 2 – The day we were all news consumers: Discussion with reporter who got inside the police barriers at 9-11 plus discussion of first three chapters of Stovall.
Week 3 – (after holiday) The history of journalism. How we got here.
Week 4 – Two case studies (subject to availability of speaker). First writing assignment due.
Week 5 – Test on Elements of Style; Discussion of Ethics and Standards
Week 6 – Begin discussion of Jack Hart’s book: A Writer’s Coach;
Week 7 — Reporting/Interviewing
Week 7 – Organizing/Finding Focus; Deadline writing test
Week 8 – (after fall break) Writing the draft: seminar on writing the lead
Week 9 – Twitter writing assignment due; Polishing: 10 steps to being your own coach
Week 10 – Tentative … visiting news rooms new and old
Week 11 — New directions: How will the news be presented. Outline for final paper due.
Week 12 – Opinion writing, blog writing, guest speakers
Week 13 – Drafts of final paper due … will schedule individual review sessions
Week 14 – Final papers due

Syllabus: ENG 309

                                                SYLLABUS

WRITING FOR NEW MEDIA

ENG 309; Spring 2010

M-W-F  2 p.m.-2:50  GUILFORD 317

Lecturer:  Stuart Warner                                                      Office hours:  Guilford 318

                                                                                                Wednesdays, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

                                                                                                and by appointment               

E-Mail:  warnercorn@msn.com                                                                                                   Web page: www.thewritecoachonline.com

Blog: www.thewritecoach.wordpress.com

 

COURSE OUTLINE

            Journalism is changing as rapidly as I write this syllabus.  A newspaper closes.  A hundred new bloggers began reporting the news.  This course will not focus on the traditional platforms of presenting the news, i.e., newspapers, radio, TV, magazines.  Instead, the focus will be on writing for new media – and maybe even creating some of our own. The  emphasis will be experimentation.  Every student will be required to keep a blog and to report on an even using Twitter.  We will also try to create a class Facebook page on writing for new media.  We will also study Search Engine Optimization.   Through it all, though, we will continue to emphasize what is good journalism, including libel and ethics. Each student’s blog will be covering a specific area of campus life.  Fridays will be devoted to reporting on that beat.  Students who miss class without a doctor’s excuse must arrange for make-up quizzes.  More than two unexcused absences  will result in a lowered grade.   Class participation will also factor heavily in grades.  Journalists, whatever medium, must be curious and learn to ask direct questions.  Quizzes may be given on the reading material at any time without notice.

READINGS (PARTIAL LIST)

Elements of Journalism, Kovach and Rosenstiel

Journalism Next, Mark Briggs

Elements of Style, Strunk and White (recommended by not required)

Other assigned readings

GRADING

Grades will generally be based on the following scale

Final project– 25 percent

Mid-term  – 20  percent

Blogs – 20 percent

Twitter assignments – 15

Quizzes – 10 percent

Class participation – 10 percent

                                                RULES OF THE CLASS

Deadlines cannot be compromised.  Assignments turned in late without a doctor’s excuse will not be accepted.  Students will be held to professional standards with regard to spelling and factual errors, both of which will result in grade reductions.  Students will also be expected to adhere to the grammatical rules outlined in Elements of Style. Plagiarism, fabrication or any other egregious ethical breach of professional standards shall be dealt with most severely.

                                    SCHOOL POLICY ON ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

All forms of academic dishonesty including cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation, and obstruction are violations of academic integrity standards. Cheating includes copying from another’s work, falsifying problem solutions or laboratory reports, or using unauthorized sources, notes or computer programs. Plagiarism includes the presentation, without proper attribution, of another’s words or ideas from printed or electronic sources. It is also plagiarism to submit, without the instructor’s consent, an assignment in one class previously submitted in another. Misrepresentation includes forgery of official academic documents, the presentation of altered or falsified documents or testimony to a university office or official, taking an exam for another student, or lying about personal circumstances to postpone tests or assignments. Obstruction occurs when a student engages in unreasonable conduct that interferes with another’s ability to conduct scholarly activity. Destroying a student’s computer file, stealing a student’s notebook, and stealing a book on reserve in the library are examples of obstruction.

OVERVIEW

This is a rough outline of the topics will be covered and subject to change.  We may take a trip to a non-traditional news rooms, based on availability.  Individual reading assignments will be updated  weekly .   And Unannounced quizzes on reading assignments will also be given.

Week 1 – Introduction: Does journalism matter anymore? (No class Friday, Jan. 15)

Week 2 – What is good writing.  (No class Mon., Jan. 18)

Week 3 – More on writing style, developing an online attitude.

Week 4 – Getting started on your blog, Facebook page.

Week 5 – How to blog covering a beat (guest speakers)

Week 6 – Microblogging (Twitter, et al)

Week 7 – Discussion of Elements of Journalism

Week 8 – Mid-term exam on Elements of Journalism (3 essay questions, in class)

Week  9 –  (after spring break) Search Engine Optimization

Week 10 –  Using video, audio, etc   (Twitter project due)

Week 11 – Going Mobile

Week 12 – Social networking … how can we use it more.

Week 13 – Drafts of final paper due … will schedule individual review sessions

Week 14 – Polishing final papers, blogs completed

Week 15 – Final papers due