Update on Typo

I e-mailed the news editor and editor-in-chief of the Echo about the first word in the article saying "his" instead of "this." I received a very nice and polite reply from the editor-in-chief Joshua Coudret.

He said that he understood my frustration, but the good news is this was only a website upload error and the mistake did not show up in actual print...I checked and they were able to fix the mistake on the website itself! This made me feel like a million times better.

He then went on to explain that in the newspaper business errors can be expected because work has to be done quickly. This I knew, but I understood why he was saying it after my harshly worded e-mail. I don't expect all articles I write to be error free and God knows I would never want them published exactly how I turn them in, so I am very thankful for the editors. I was just frustrated because it was the very first word in the article...it would've been different if it was not as obvious.

Which is what he said in the last paragraph, he said that the original draft I sent in was good, but that I may want to research AP style a bit more and I did appreciate his criticism because it will help me improve my writing.

The tips I have gotten from the life editor, Janis Tsai and him have been very helpful and so I will continue to write for the Echo and I hope there is not harsh feelings in the whole situation.

Biology Seminar Article- Disappointed in editor's typo

I decided to test the waters and write a news article instead of writing all features. I wrote about a biology seminar, a subject matter way out of my comfort zone and therefore, I felt least confident about it, so not sure I will be taking on a story like that again.

I am also extremely disappointed that the very first word in the article contains a typo that is not mine. Meaning my name is on an article where they changed the opening sentence I created to one that says "his" instead of "This" and then having this get past the news editor and the editor-in-chief makes me concerned about writing news articles at all for this periodical.

It is still experience, but how am I supposed to proudly display this in my portfolio? I mean its the very first word for god's sake!!!! So let me just tell all of you, my beginning sentence was:

"On Wednesday, October 6, in room 247 at Mckenny Union, Dr. Joan Rose, from Michigan State
University spoke to an audience of approximately thirty students on whether or not we should be concerned with state of our water at the first biology seminar of the year entitled: “Water Quality and Health in the Great Lakes.”

This sentence may have needed to be changed for whatever reason, but if I had started with "This" I would've been sure it said "this" and not "his."

Article: Biology Seminar Article

My Second Article

My second article I wrote for the Eastern Echo was on the movie "The Social Network" and whether or not it effected how students felt about their Facebook accounts. I was able to collect many quotes, but I feel my first article on the art exhibit was more strongly written. I think I am just more comfortable writing about art. However, despite my own negative reflections this article was printed.



The process was different this time, I handed it in to the editor and then it went straight to the copyeditors, so I did not do any editing myself once I handed in the article and it was just a surprise if it would be printed or which parts of what I wrote would be printed.



Here's the link: http://www.easternecho.com/index.php/article/2010/10/the_social_network_may_alter_opinions

Fantastic Ekphrastic Lesson Plan- Continued from Previous Post

Fantastic Ekphrastic! Lesson Plan-refers to previous blog, if you are at all interested:

Fantastic Ekphrastic!
“Q: Tell me, doesn’t your painting interfere with your writing?
A: Quite the contrary: they love each other dearly.”
-e.e. Cummings (poet and author with many awards) in mock self-interview
What does “ekphrastic” mean?
Ekphrastic comes for the Greek word Ekphrasis, which means a dramatic description of visual art. In the times of the classical era or classical antiquity it referred to the description of anything, person or experience. It comes from two Greek words “Ek” and “Phrasis” or “out” and “speak” respectively.
So what? What does that mean to us today?
Now, when we refer to ekphrastic writing or art we mean writing or art inspired by other works of art. Tip: Sometimes it’s fun to go around a museum and make up stories or poems about what you see!!
A Wonderful Most famous Example From classical Antiquity!!!
“Ode to the Grecian Urn” By John Keats- Romantic poet
A less known modern Example:
“Monet Refuses the Operation”
By Lisel Mueller- from her book Alive together New and Selected Poems 1996

Now it’s your turn!
(Students take a moment to pick a piece of art and write about it)

Incorporating Drawing and sketching into your writing
“We should talk less and draw more. Personally I would like to renounce speech altogether and like organic nature, communicate everything I have to say in sketches.” – Goethe- German writer and polymath
*Quick Fire Drawing-draw something you see in the room without thinking too much about it (10 second drawings) Tip: This is easier if you do not pick up your crayon at all
*Add something you imagine to your drawing…could be a character an object, anything as long as it is not really there with your still life
*Write something about what you have drawn
*Draw the next scene of your story

“Art does not reproduce what we see; rather it makes us see.” –Paul Glee- Swiss and German Painter

Sharing time and discussion!!!
(Students share their work and we discuss how writing and drawing can be mixed)

Fantastic Ekphrastic! -Teaching my First Workshop at 826Michigan

Today, for the first time I was the workshop leader at 826Michigan and taught a workshop I designed entitled: Fantastic Ekphrastic! I taught students the definition of Ekphrastic art and writing the first half of the workshop and in the second half of the workshop talked about how drawing and sketching could be incorporated into our writing (thanks, Patty and Phillip for teaching me this at Interlochen, so I could than pass it on to younger students).

I think it went really well and I felt more comfortable than I thought I would teaching, but then again I was teaching about art history, a subject I am very knowledgeable about and writing, a subject I am very passionate about. Not to mention, that many times when I am stuck on what to write about, I do Ekphrastic writing and so I was basically just passing down writing exercises I do all the time.

The only downside is there was low attendance, only two girls that attend every workshop at 826Michigan came and I am hoping if I teach this workshop again that more people will come, and wondering if there is anything I could do to up attendance.

My First Article!

Here it is Ladies and Gentlemen...my first article in the Eastern Echo.

Nature Featured in Art Show

I must admit, I do feel a little sense of accomplishment as a writer, it's not the big leagues but it's a start. :)

How to Become a Writer...or so they say...

So here's a secret I don't like to brag about, I work full-time at a University of Michigan's circulation desk. As you know my dream job is to become a writer and so often when no one is around (and I've forgotten my writing or have writer's block) I daydream about all the things I could do to have my name in print. Tonight, I decided to see what Google had to say about how to become a writer and here's what I found:

1) I did not really find this website helpful because I am already following these steps and they seem rather obvious. http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Writer

2)This site gave a lot of good advice and resources that anyone could use to become a better writer, I'm excited to use the resources and see if they are any good :)http://degreedirectory.org/articles/10_Ways_to_Become_a_Better_Writer.html

3) I liked the honesty of this site, it didn't treat writing as a career like some sort of picnic like many of the other sites do. http://www.jonathancrossfield.com/blog/2008/07/how-to-become-a-writer.html

4) Another obvious answer from someone who didn't seem to have much authority on writing http://www.boundless.org/2005/answers/a0001595.cfm

After these most of the websites get into more specific forms of writing and there are many sites on how to become a technical writer, or a copywriter..different genres like that. Ultimately, I would like to become a novelist and I think the advice Margo Rabb gave everyone at 826Michigan is better than what any of the websites said.