Week 2 2/17/09B

So, I guess the worst has happened. I had asked them to write one-page stories the first week, so that we could use them to workshop. I had asked them, on the first day, if they were nervous about workshopping their stories; a good number of them said yes. I wanted to use these stories to show them it wasn't so scary, and also to guide them into realizing what kinds of comments were useful and what really wasn't. 

But none of them wrote the stories. 

I guess that was my fault, I guess I wasn't clear. I thought I was clear, but I guess by the frantic gasping I received in response to my asking them for their stories I was not. Okay, fine. I'm not angry. I'm still learning. Dear class: I am not staring at you in anger, I am staring because I have no idea how I'm going to fill the next 45 minutes! 

Yeah. I set them to writing a quick exercise--I like having them do these, as 'warm-ups'; a concept that I think as actors and musicians and dancers they appreciate--while I tried to figure out what I was going to do.

Luckily I had some flash fictions that we hadn't read last week that we "workshopped." They really enjoyed it, it seemed. Hopefully they are less afraid. Unfortunately, I think we're going to skip workshopping their one page stories--I will collect them and give them feedback, hopefully the combination of feedback and a practice workshop will encourage them to feel comfortable sharing.