JMC 3023 schedule
Feature Writing, Fall 2016
Instructor: Seth Prince
Class: 10:30–12:20 M, W in Gaylord 1030 unless otherwise noted
Office hours: By appointment, Copeland 168A (inside The Oklahoma Daily)
Contact: sethprince@ou.edu, @seth_prince, 405.325.6334
WEEK 1: BASICS
Monday, Aug 22: Intro, syllabus, jumping off: What’s the most important element of a good story?
Wednesday, Aug. 24: Overview of story forms we’ll cover, including sorting into Story behind the story groups. Discussion of writing/editing process. (Specifically watch 5:39–8:11.) Discussion of universal themes. Introduction of working on our class platforms — Google Drive, Slack and Medium.
WEEK 2: ESSAY, TRANSFORMATIONAL MOMENTS
Monday, Aug. 29: Launch essay assignment. Discussion of transformational moments. Be familiar with essay reading list selections.
Wednesday, Aug. 31: Individual story conferences by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/36tby9qx3cqz8she
WEEK 3: ESSAY
Monday, Sept. 5: Labor Day, no class.
Wednesday, Sept. 7: Peer review. Full draft of essay shared by start of class with class on Google Drive or letter-grade deduction. Small-group constructive comments and suggestions provided on Google docs during class. Note, part of your participation grade will account for how engaged you are in providing genuine feedback to help your peers succeed.
WEEK 4: ESSAY, STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Monday, Sept. 12: Story behind the story, round 1. First group of students will be responsible for having contacted and interviewed an author of one of their favorite feature pieces of any sort we complete throughout the semester. What’s due, by 5 p.m. the day before is a Medium post directing us to the piece, and highlights of your conversation, including the writer’s path to his or her current job, the backstory to the piece, how and why she elected to write it the way she did and any other key takeaways that could apply to our work in this course. In class you will lead an approximately 20-minute discussion on your piece.
Wednesday, Sept. 14: No class. Final version of essay posted to Medium by noon or letter-grade deduction.
WEEK 5: PROFILE/OBIT
Monday, Sept. 19: Launch profile/obit assignment. Discussion on where great stories come from. Strong angles, focused ideas, originality. How to choose. Be familiar with the profile reading list selections
Wednesday, Sept. 21: Individual profile story conferences (1 of 2) by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/wk2drcagvv5mkyyg
WEEK 6: PROFILE/OBIT, Q&A
Monday, Sept. 26: Launch Q&A assignment. Be familiar with Q&A reading list selections. Discussion on interviewing preparation, execution, adaptation. Classmate interview Part I.
Wednesday, Sept. 28: Discussion on what makes a well-balanced profile. Classmate interview Part II.
WEEK 7: PROFILE, Q&A
Monday, Oct. 3: Final version of Q&A due (no peer revision) posted on Medium by start of class or letter-grade deduction. Peer review on profile. Full draft of profile shared by start of class with class on Google Drive or letter-grade deduction. Small-group constructive comments and suggestions provided on Google docs during class. Note, part of your participation grade will account for how engaged you are in providing genuine feedback to help your peers succeed.
Wednesday, Oct. 5: Individual profile story conferences (2 of 2) by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/kr8yyg8ixruyb3en
WEEK 8: PROFILE, STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Monday, Oct 10: Story behind the story, round 2. Second group of students will be responsible for having contacted and interviewed an author of one of their favorite feature pieces of any sort we complete throughout the semester. What’s due, by 5 p.m. the day before is a Medium post directing us to the piece, and highlights of your conversation, including the writer’s path to his or her current job, the backstory to the piece, how and why she elected to write it the way she did and any other key takeaways that could apply to our work in this course. In class you will lead an approximately 20-minute discussion on your piece.
Wednesday, Oct. 12: No class. Final version of profile posted to Medium by noon or letter-grade deduction.
WEEK 9: HUMAN INTEREST
Monday, Oct. 17: Launch human interest assignment. Discussion on the power of anecdotes. Be familiar with the human interest reading list selections.
Wednesday, Oct. 19: Individual human interest story conferences (1 of 2) by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/r8h7kwvnd8y2tae5
WEEK 10: HUMAN INTEREST
Monday, Oct. 24: Launch pitch letter/resume. How different digital platforms affect messages, audiences. Discussion on the necessity of the new forms storytelling, and the necessity to utilize them? Data, video, sound in addition to photo. Discussion on reader engagement and what success looks like in a metrics sense with feature stories.
Wednesday, Oct. 26: The collaborative editing process. How new eyes can help, and how a story can be made better without being taken over or squelching voice. (Guest speakers via Google Hangout.)
WEEK 11: HUMAN INTEREST
Monday, Oct. 31: Peer review. Full draft of human interest shared by start of class with class on Google Drive or letter-grade deduction. Small-group constructive comments and suggestions provided on Google docs during class. Note, part of your participation grade will account for how engaged you are in providing genuine feedback to help your peers succeed.
Wednesday, Nov. 2: Individual human interest story conferences (2 of 2) by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/hkzrky76gyqxqhae
WEEK 12: HUMAN INTEREST, STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Monday, Nov. 7: Story behind the story, round 3. Third group of students will be responsible for having contacted and interviewed an author of one of their favorite feature pieces of any sort we complete throughout the semester. What’s due, by 5 p.m. the day before is a Medium post directing us to the piece, and highlights of your conversation, including the writer’s path to his or her current job, the backstory to the piece, how and why she elected to write it the way she did and any other key takeaways that could apply to our work in this course. In class you will lead an approximately 20-minute discussion on your piece.
Wednesday, Nov. 9: No class. Final version of human interest posted to Medium by noon or letter-grade deduction.
WEEK 13: TREND
Monday, Nov. 14: Launch trend assignment. Draft of pitch letter/resume due via email. Discussion on handling trend, issues and controversies. Be familiar with the trend reading list selections.
Wednesday, Nov. 16: Individual trend story conferences (1 of 2) by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/ve8hfhv8z8qneic8
WEEK 14: TREND, PITCHES/RESUME
Monday, Nov. 21: Pitch letter/resumes due via email. Discussion on how, where and when to pitch your work to get a foothold. How much persistence is too much? How not to oversell? Payment? Pitch vs. whole story? When to give up?
Wednesday, Nov. 23: No class, Thanksgiving break
WEEK 15: TREND
Monday, Nov. 28: Peer review. Full draft of trend shared by start of class with class on Google Drive or letter-grade deduction. Small-group constructive comments and suggestions provided on Google docs during class. Note, part of your participation grade will account for how engaged you are in providing genuine feedback to help your peers succeed.
Wednesday, Nov. 30: Individual trend story conferences (2 of 2) by appointment in my office. Meetings available before/after class as needed since our size limits how long we can meet individually within our allotted time. Sign up: http://doodle.com/poll/as9uwu8b824mn6nv
WEEK 16: TREND, STORY BEHIND THE STORY
Monday, Dec. 5: Story behind the story, round 4. Fourth group of students will be responsible for having contacted and interviewed an author of one of their favorite feature pieces of any sort we complete throughout the semester. What’s due, by 5 p.m. the day before is a Medium post directing us to the piece, and highlights of your conversation, including the writer’s path to his or her current job, the backstory to the piece, how and why she elected to write it the way she did and any other key takeaways that could apply to our work in this course. In class you will lead an approximately 20-minute discussion on your piece.
Wednesday, Dec. 7: No class. Final draft of trend posted to Medium by noon or letter-grade deduction.
WEEK 17: FINALS WEEK (NO FINAL)
