Collab:SeminarOboe-DoubleReedGang

Intro and Part 1

Introduction

• Welcome to the seminar and explain purpose of it
• Give overview of topics to cover

Part 1 - Characterization

• Dialogue/character interaction is how characters get what the want from each other
• Three big questions for characterization:
  • 1. Who wants what from whom?
  • 2. What happens if they don't get it?
  • 3. Why now?
• Exercise: Create a character and answer these three questions

Part 2

Part 2 - Watch your tone!

• Tone and register can make a hell of a difference.
• Why is your character talking in the way they are? Why are they using the words they're using?
  • It all goes back to their motivation. Remember those three questions!
• Exercise: Group characters together and ask them to consider tone

Part 3

Part 3 - Small and Large Mediums

• Discuss how other mediums often function the same as dialogue, but with different contexts and understandings
  • Discuss talking, texting, letter-writing, emails, etc.
  • Talking - Immediate, in person, tone is most understood through this, interruptions and quick changes are common
  • Texting - Short messages usually, slang and text speak are all common among friends, memes and links are effective forms of communication, but tone is difficult
  • Letters - long-form, long-distance, usually meant to communicate a lot of information in a short burst
  • emails - the most confused medium. use the fact that different people email in different ways to your advantage, good opportunity for characterization
    • email signoffs?
  • Forums/group chats if we have time
• Exercise: give groups of characters a medium. how does that affect the way they talk?

Part 4 and Conclusion

Part 4 - Dialogue is hard

• Synthesize discussion of register, characterization, and prior knowledge to discuss how dialogue can go wrong.
• Express how something seeming "off" about any of these things can also be a powerful writing tool
  • Stilted dialogue tells you the characters are uncomfortable/unfamiliar
  • Registers/tone can convey attitude
• Discuss ways to improve on dialogue (e.g. reading out loud, going over basic assumptions, crit)
• Discussion of tone
• Said is not dead…
• but consider how you use dialogue tags

Part 5 - Conclusion

• Go over topics you have covered briefly, in a summary
• Link any resources you think are applicable
  • Tom Scott: Registers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wA2xRVMOThc & Tone https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS4X1JfX6_Q
• Assure participants they can come to you if they have any questions
• Take questions
• Thank everyone for coming

Full Lesson plan

Talking, Texting, and Twriting - How Characters Interact

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Lesson Objective:

To help writers have a better understanding of characterization, dialogue, and how medium affects language through the lens of character interaction.

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Introduction

• Welcome to the seminar and explain purpose of it
• Give overview of topics to cover

Part 1 - Registers

• The English Language has several different registers
  • Briefly touch on the five basic ones (Frozen, Formal, Consultative, Casual, Intimate) and their use.
  • Find examples for each register
• Explain the importance of proper register usage (and why breaking that can lead to strong characterization)
  • Give examples (Yu-Gi-Oh?)
• Detail
• etc

Part 2 - Characterization

• Dialogue/character interaction is how characters get what the want from each other
• Three big questions for characterization:
  • 1. Who wants what from whom?
  • 2. What happens if they don't get it?
  • 3. Why now?

Part 3 - Dialogue is hard

• Synthesize discussion of register, characterization, and prior knowledge to discuss how dialogue can go wrong.
• Express how something seeming "off" about any of these things can also be a powerful writing tool
• Discuss ways to improve on dialogue (e.g. reading out loud, going over basic assumptions, crit)

Part 4 - Small and Large Mediums

• Discuss how other mediums often function the same as dialogue, but with different contexts and understandings
  • Discuss texting, letter-writing, emails, forum writing, group chats, etc.

Part 5 - Conclusion

• Go over topics you have covered briefly, in a summary
• Link any resources you think are applicable
• Assure participants they can come to you if they have any questions
• Take questions
• Thank everyone for coming

Other Information

• Possible April date

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Example of lesson plan in action

Lesson Plan for Quick-Crit Seminar

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Lesson Objective:

Learn more effective ways to identify issues, strengths, and major flaws in drafts in a timely and efficient manner.

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Introduction

• Welcome to the workshop
• Explain the focus of the workshop

Part 1 - Identifying Quick-Crit Drafts

• Quick-crit is most often going to be concept-crit
• Not every draft can be given a quick-crit
• New authors are more likely to be eligible for quick-crit but this is not a given.
• Identifying key things that make a draft eligible for quick-crit (must be heavily prominent in the draft
  • For SCPs:
    • major anomaly clichés
    • incorrect formatting (if not meant to be a format screw)
    • mass SPaG errors
    • very short draft
    • no narrative
    • etc
  • For tales:
    • mass SPaG errors
    • bad dialogue
    • very short draft
    • heavy with plotholes
    • boring
    • two-dimensional characters

Part 2 - Giving Critique

• Always show the author you read the draft
  • Pull 3-5 specific examples of glaring flaws in the draft and explain
    • Pull examples of different problems
• Go over main problem
  • Usually going to be the concept when doing quick-crit for SCPs
  • Usually going to be the story/characters
• Explain why the problem brings the draft down
• Link to resources such as guides and essays
• Link to recent site articles that the draft reminds you of (if applicable)
• Wish the author luck - makes them feel good

Part 3 - Examples

• Bring examples of drafts recently critted by me that fit the criteria
  • Bring 2 or 3 drafts, more likely 2
  • Copy the drafts to pastebin or another sandbox page to keep the author's identity anonymous
• Have attendees pull examples of what they would list as major flaws
• Go over conceptual flaws together
• Ask attendees how they would word the critique
• Offer tips and help throughout

Conclusion

• Reiterate discussed topics
• Take questions
• Assure attendees they can come to you for help and questions after seminar and in future
• Wish luck