1. Today’s goals Reflect on experiences with Hurricane Irma
Introduce strategies for outlining in open form prose
Introduce the prose continuum

2. Class discussion- hurricane Irma
What were your experiences like during Hurricane Irma? How did you and your loved ones fare?
Did you have power, internet access, and cell phone service throughout the storm and time off?
What was it like to be cut off from media and communication? How did you feel? How did you receive important information?

3. Nomophobia – Fear of being out of mobile phone contact/service
Comes from “no mobile phone phobia”
It is more accurately an anxiety disorder than a phobia
Most common in millennials but possible for all ages
Although not currently recognized by the DSM, many universities and institutions are investigating its effects

4. Reflect on Hurricane irma
Concrete experience:
What happened to you during the storm?
Reflective observations:
How did you feel during these experiences? Why did you feel that way?
Abstract conceptualization:
What did you learn from these experiences?
Active experimentation:
If you could do this experience again, what would you do differently?

5. New possible essay topic
Reflect and describe your experiences with Hurricane Irma
Media theme: what was it like being cut off from media and communication? Did you experience nomophobia? What media/information/communication did you miss the most?
Note: this is not a required topic and will not be appropriate for all students. For example, if you spent your time in another country to ride out the storm, another topic may be better for you?

6. Class discussion- outlining
What is the purpose of an outline?
Do you write outlines for your essays before you begin composition? Why or why not?
How does an outline in open form differ from an outline in closed form prose?
What do you normally include in an outline?
What information should we include in a WTR outline?

7. Closed form prose outlines
Introduction:
Hook:
Thesis:
Forecasting:
Body
Supporting idea 1:
Evidence
Supporting idea 2:
Evidence:
Supporting idea 3:
Conclusion:
Thesis
Clincher

8. Open form prose outlines
Should focus on the most important elements of open form prose:
Characters
Setting
Plot
Important Sections of plot/story
Exposition
Rising action
Climax
Falling action
3 traditional outline structures:
Structure Plus
Signpost
Notecard

9. Open form prose outlines
Structure Plus
Focuses on story in three parts or acts: exposition, rising action, and falling action
The whole plot is outlined
Very detailed info, discussing characters, settings, and events for each section
Somewhat inflexible
Signpost
Divides the story into the most important scenes
Characters, settings, and important events are noted for each scene
Not all scenes need to be fully described: focus on the important ones and fill the rest in as you are writing
Allows for creative discovery and change in writing
Not as detailed as structure plus, may leave certain parts of your story undescribed
Notecard
Important settings, characters, and events are each given their own note card (or bullet point for typed outlines)
Information is fluid; everything can be moved around or changed. You do not have to specify initial order of events or what characters appear in what scenes
Extremely flexible
Better for fiction than non-fiction, may make it more difficult to build tension and link events together

10. Outline- structure plus example
Act I – Exposition
SETTING: The back room at Spaghetti O’Plenty; 5 p.m. CHARACTERS: Rhys; his girlfriend, Trina; Trina’s manager at the restaurant PURPOSE: To complicate the plot and build tension between Rhys and Trina a. Rhys gets his acceptance letter to a prestigious art school and, excited, goes to Trina’s work with the intention of telling her, but Trina reveals a secret of her own
Act II – Rising Action
Setting: Rhys’ house
Characters (etc)

11. Outline- signpost example
Scene 6: Action Scene SETTING: Sully’s backyard and the woods surrounding his property CHARACTERS: Sully, the Stalker PLOT: Sully sees the Stalker again, peeking in through the kitchen window to get a glimpse of Berta. Sully grabs his pistol and confronts the man, who runs into the woods. Sully chases him. The man stumbles, and Sully finally catches up. He points the gun at the Stalker and forces him to talk. Dialogue ensues. Man reveals he’s Berta’s father.
Scene 7: Contemplative/Interior scene SETTING: The bed-and-breakfast where Berta works as a housekeeper CHARACTERS: Berta; some guests of the inn; Berta’s boss, Larrin PLOT: Berta goes about her daily task of cleaning the guest rooms, changing linens, scrubbing floors. She contemplates whether or not she wants to accept her father into her life. She feels loyal to her dead mother, who was betrayed by this man. But he also has money—he’s a retired CIA agent—and he could finally help provide for Berta and her family. She could quit the job at the inn. As she cleans in this scene and reflects on her dilemma, several guests and even her boss confront her with ridiculous demands, like refilling the cotton swabs in Room 22.

12. Outline- notecard example
(Card 1) SETTING: Cruise ship’s entertainment deck, Friday night (Card 2) CHARACTERS: Chet, Dash, Mary Ann, a Barry Manilow impersonator (Card 3) Chet and Dash fight over Mary Ann after she leaves. (Card 4) Dash breaks a beer bottle on the bar, attempts to stab Chet. (Card 5) Barry Manilow impersonator, in the middle of his act, sees the fight and comes over to stop it. (Card 6) Dash accidentally stabs Barry Manilow look-alike. (Card 7) GOAL: To develop a major plot point that will lead to Mary Ann’s crucial decision later in the novel.

13. Individual activity- wtr Initial outline
Identify the media that will be the focus of your narrative
Select one of the three outline types and begin drafting an outline for your WTR essays. Explain why you chose that outline
Identify who the most important characters are in your story (aside from yourself there should be 2-4 other important people)
Identify the most important event in your story, called the climax

14. Class discussion- prose continuum
What is a thesis?
What is a theme?
What kinds of essays use a theme or a thesis?

15. New Vocabulary Prose Continuum See pg 18 of A&B
Closed Form Prose
Delayed thesis prose
Thesis seeking prose
Open Form Prose
See pg 18 of A&B
What genres can you think of as examples of delayed thesis or thesis seeking prose?

16. Group Activity: Understanding Prose Type
In the same groups:
Review “A Letter to the Editor” on pg. 15 and “A Festival of Rain” on pg. 16
Answer questions 1-3 on pg 16 and question 4 below
4. What problem does each of these essays seem to focus on?

17. homework Read “Choosing the Best Outline Method For You” WTR Outline
Due Wednesday 9-20, printed and brought to class
Approximately 1 page (or 200 words)
(Notecard outlines should be presented in picture form with 15+ individual notecards)
MLA format (no works cited page necessary)
Make sure to identify:
What media you are focusing on
How that media may have affected you
What are the major events and settings in your story
Who are the major characters in your story