Craft Make Your Descriptions of Setting Do Double or Triple Duty with Tracy Forgie Koppel

Week 1:

Lesson 1 (Monday):

Why are descriptions important?

Homework:

1. Please introduce yourself and share:

a. Where you live;

b. The genre(s) you write in; and

c. What you’re working on now (if anything).

2. Share a favorite picture (taken either by you or someone else) of a place you’ve been or would love to go to.

3. Please make a comment about this lesson and/or ask me a question.



Lesson 2 (Wednesday):

A quick overview of the key points that will be covered in this class.

Homework:

1. Share a picture (taken either by you or someone else) of a cute animal.

2. Start looking at descriptions in books by an authors you like and respect, but don’t worry about sharing anything you find. What makes the descriptions memorable?

3. Please make a comment about this lesson and/or ask me a question.



Lesson 3 (Friday):

Using all five senses in a description. (Okay, taste is only rarely used. Usually four senses in a description.)

Homework:

1. Tell us what fictional place you’d love to go to. Or, maybe what fictional place you really, really don’t want to go to.

2. Please make a comment about this lesson and/or ask me a question.



Week 2:

Lesson 4 (Monday):

Making descriptions feel relevant to the reader

Homework:

1. Find at least one description of a particular place in a book by an author you really like. How many senses did the author use? Does the description show or reflect the POV character’s knowledge or interests? What makes the description memorable?

2. Post the description you found and some thoughts about it for discussion.

3. Read and comment on others’ posts.

4. Feel free to ask me questions.



Lesson 5 (Wednesday):

Using description to show emotion

Homework:

1. Find at least one description in a book by an author you really like where the POV character’s attitude about the setting is helping to show the POV character’s emotion. What makes this description memorable?

2. Post the description you found and some thoughts about it for discussion.

3. Read and comment on others’ posts.

4. Please ask me questions or comment on the lesson.



Lesson 6 (Friday):

Weave (or braid) your description

Homework:

1. Find a description in a book by an author you really like where the description of the setting is woven throughout the scene

2. Post the description and your thoughts for discussion.

3. Read and comment on others’ posts.

4. Feel free to ask me questions.



Week 3:

Lesson 7 (Monday):

Using description when slowing down the story is the right thing to do.

Homework:

1. Try to find a scene in a book by an author you love that uses description to appropriately slow down the scene. Was it because the characters and readers needed a rest, because the scene would have been too fast, or was it for some other reason? Can you find a second scene where description is used to slow down a scene for a different reason than the first scene you found? What makes the scene(s) memorable?

2. Post any scenes you found and thoughts for discussion. If you could not find one, did you notice anything during your search or did you gain any insights?

3. Read and comment on others’ posts.

4. Feel free to ask me questions.



Lesson 8 (Wednesday):

Using description to foreshadow.

Homework:

1. Post a scene from your work-in-progress where you’ve used what we’ve learned to make a location feel real to the reader. (Lesson 3.)

2. Read others’ scenes and point out at least one good thing about what each person shared. If you notice something that has the potential to be improved, then point it out kindly.

3. Feel free to ask me questions.



Lesson 9 (Friday):

Description in openings.

Homework:

1. Post a scene from your work-in-progress where you’ve used what we’ve learned about showing a character’s knowledge, interests or personality. (Lesson 4.)

2. Read others’ scenes and point out at least one good thing about what each person shared. If you notice something that has the potential to be improved, then point it out kindly.

3. Feel free to ask me questions.



Week 4:

Lesson 10 (Monday):

Using description to show emotion through unexpected contrast

Homework:

1. Post a scene from your work-in-progress where you’ve used what we’ve learned to show a POV character’s emotion. (Lesson 5.)

2. Read others’ scenes and point out at least one good thing about what each person shared. If you notice something that has the potential to be improved, then point it out kindly.

3. If you can, find a description in a book by an author you really like where incongruity is involved.

4. Feel free to ask me questions.



Lesson 11 (Wednesday):

Review.

Homework:

1. Class is almost over: post a scene from your work-in-progress we haven’t seen before where you’ve used what we’ve learned in any lesson, or post one you’ve reworked because of the comments you’ve received—whatever will help you the most.

2. Read others’ scenes and point out at least one good thing about what each person shared. If you notice something that has the potential to be improved, then point it out kindly.

3. Please ask me questions so I can answer them in Lesson 12.



Lesson 12 (Friday):

Answers to final questions and good-bye.

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