Final project

ENG 520 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview The final project for this course is the creation of a detailed story plan. The final product represents an authentic demonstration of competency because all creative writers face the challenge of disciplining their imaginations, turning their unbridled creativity into a structured format that welcomes the participation of readers. Often, professional writers are called upon to produce short stories or even novels at short notice, on a strict deadline, and perhaps even a predetermined subject. Even the lucky minority of creative writers who have the luxury of writing solely from the heart benefit from knowing how to shape their creative ideas for their desired market in an efficient manner. In this final assessment, you will produce a detailed story plan that consists of a number of polished artifacts, each demonstrating mastery of course topics, including plot outlines, setting and character building, theme, structure, and setting. You will also use brainstorming techniques and incorporate peer feedback to improve your final product. Finally, your story plan will include a goals statement that is essentially a variation on a statement of intent; it includes what you intend to accomplish creatively in the story on a thematic and a craft level, and where you see this story fitting in your development as a creative writer. The project is divided into four milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two, Four, Five and Six. The final product will be submitted in Module Nine. In this assignment, you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:

 Outline key elements of plot and story structure in devising original story concepts for creative works

 Generate defining traits of characters and settings in building an authentic literary framework

 Employ generative brainstorming methods for developing themes that interact with story concepts

 Integrate constructive peer feedback into drafted story elements for ensuring a marketable concept

 Devise achievable goals for original literary works by efficiently preparing for the personal writing process

Prompt You will produce a detailed story plan that will include the following components: Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

I. Story Structure: A. Describe the unique structure of your story. This structure, in whatever form it takes, should include such elements as use of flashbacks,

narrative profluence, rising tension, reversals, and characters. Be sure to specify a working title, genre, and point of view for your story. B. Justify the choices you have made for story structure. Why did you make these choices as a writer?

II. Plot Outline: Outline the comprehensive plot, including a logical beat-by-beat scene breakdown, that illustrates all significant points of narrative,

avoiding weaknesses such as clichés, telegraphing, and deus ex machina.

III. Setting Details: Create a cohesive place and time for your story and explain the rationale behind your choice of details. In other words, why is your story set in this particular place at this particular time? What specific details will you use to provide internal consistency to your setting? How will this setting or world set the stage for story development, including conflict? Consider including world-building backstory elements.

IV. Character Sketches: Introduce your main character(s).

A. Provide in-depth sketches of your main character(s), detailing the defining traits and function(s) of each character. For example, is a particular character a protagonist? Narrator? Secondary character? An antagonist?

B. Develop unique and defining character details and backstories that are consistent with world-building and plot. Do your characters fit naturally in your world? Are they believable actors in your plot? Be sure to avoid generalizations such as clichés and stereotyping.

V. Theme Development

A. Analyze your story concept for how it expresses particular theme(s). How have you seeded theme into your story concept? B. Analyze your characters for how they embody specific theme(s). What qualities or actions of your character speak to specific themes? C. Generate scenario(s) based on the details of your plot where the theme could be expressed. Are specific parts of your story better suited to

address thematic concerns than others? How will you tie in the theme in terms of plot, character, structure, and/or setting? VI. Revisions: You may draw upon your character sketches, your world-building/setting details, or your plot outline.

A. Assess aspects of the feedback you received for each artifact for their constructiveness in ensuring a marketable story concept. Be sure to use specific examples.

B. Defend your choices in incorporating peer feedback into your revisions of each artifact for the final versions. Why did you accept this feedback? Be sure to use specific examples.

C. Defend your choices in not incorporating peer feedback into your revisions of each artifact for the final versions. Why did you reject this feedback? Be sure to use specific examples.

VII. Goals Statement A. Defend your methods of plot outline and story structure in terms of their relevance and efficiency. In other words, how did your process inform

the expression of your story concept? Is your process repeatable? Support your defense with examples. B. What methods and techniques in this course have helped you to progress as a writer? Be sure to address how your experience of peer feedback

and brainstorming has impacted your approach to story planning. C. Create goals for your story that are achievable based on your progress in story development and as a writer. What are the next steps you will

need to take to further develop your story?

Milestones Milestone One: Story Concept Paper In Module Two, you will submit a paper that discusses the story ideas you are interested in writing, along with any potential themes you may cover along the way. You will specify a working title, genre, and point of view for your story. You will explain the plot and scenes of the story and provide examples. You will discuss how writing techniques such as flashbacks, narrative profluence, rising tension, and reversals might be used in the story. You will consider the theme and meaning of your story and identify the characters. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric. Milestone Two: Scene Breakdown and Analysis of Story Parts In Module Four, you will submit a draft of your scene breakdown and analyze parts of your story. You will identify the protagonist and identify his or her objective or goal. You will write a scene breakdown that includes as much detail as possible and identify which scenes contribute to the following five significant points that occur within your story: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and denouement. Lastly, you will describe the conflict that occurs within the story between your established characters and how this conflict impacts the characters in your story. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric. Milestone Three: Character Sketches and Profiles In Module Five, you will submit draft character sketches and profiles and introduce your main character(s). These character sketches will include who these characters are individually and how they connect to one another in the story. The draft will provide in-depth sketches of your main character(s), detailing the defining traits and function(s) of each character. Characters will also be defined by the archetypal role they will play within the story. The draft for this assignment will focus on unique and defining character details and backstories that will be significant or will be revealed within your proposed story. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric. Milestone Four: World-Building/Setting Details In Module Six, you will submit a draft of the world-building/setting details. The draft will create a clear view of the place and time your story is set and will explain the rationale behind your choice of details. This world-building/setting assignment will also explore the setting archetypes that you have chosen to use within your story. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric. Final Submission: Story Plan In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric (below).

Deliverables Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

One Story Concept Paper Two Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

Two Scene Breakdown and Analysis of Story Parts Four Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

Three Character Sketches and Profiles Five Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Four World-Building/Setting Details Six Graded separately; Milestone Four Rubric

Final Submission: Story Plan Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric

Final Project Rubric

Guidelines for Submission: Your story plan should adhere to the following formatting requirements: 12-point Times New Roman font, double spacing, and the most recent guidelines for MLA formatting. The length of your submission will vary.

Critical Elements Exemplary (100%) Proficient (90%) Needs Improvement (70%) Not Evident (0%) Value Story Structure: Unique

Structure

Meets “Proficient” criteria and story structure demonstrates exceptional creativity, rigor, and sophistication

Comprehensively describes the unique structure of story

Describes the unique structure of story, but with gaps in relevant detail or logic

Does not describe the unique structure of story

6.4

Story Structure: Justify the Choices

Meets “Proficient” criteria and choices demonstrate nuanced understanding of story structure

Justifies choices made for story structure

Justifies choices made for story structure, but with gaps in logic or detail

Does not justify choices made for story structure

6.4

Plot Outline

Meets “Proficient” criteria and plot outline demonstrates exceptional creativity, rigor, and sophistication

Outlines a comprehensive plot of story concept, including logical beat-by-beat scene breakdown, that illustrates significant points of narrative and avoiding weaknesses

Outlines a plot of story concept, but significant points of narrative illustrated are lacking or exhibit narrative weaknesses, or plot or scene breakdown contains gaps in detail or logic

Does not outline a plot of story concept

6.4

Setting Details

Meets “Proficient” criteria and setting and rationale demonstrate exceptional creativity, rigor, and sophistication

Creates a cohesive place and time for story based on story concept, logically explaining rationale behind choice of details

Creates a place and time for story and explains rationale behind choice of details, but with gaps in logic or relevance to story concept

Does not create a place and time for story and explain rationale behind choice of details

6.4

Character Sketches: Main Character(s)

Meets “Proficient” criteria and character details demonstrate exceptional creativity, rigor, and sophistication

Provides in-depth sketches of main character(s), detailing the defining traits and function of each character

Provides sketches of main character(s), but one or more sketches is missing character function(s) or is lacking in detail

Does not provide sketches of main character(s)

6.4

Character Sketches: Details and Backstories

Meets “Proficient” criteria and character details and backstories demonstrate exceptional creativity, rigor, and sophistication

Develops unique and defining character details and backstories that are consistent with world building and plot and avoid generalizations

Develops character details and backstories, but are not consistent with world building and plot, do not avoid generalizations, or lack relevant detail

Does not develop character details and backstories

6.4

Theme Development:

Story Concept

Meets “Proficient” criteria and thematic analysis shows keen insight into the relationship between story concept and theme

Accurately analyzes story concept for its expression of particular theme(s)

Analyzes story concept for its expression of particular theme(s), but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not analyze story concept for its expression of particular theme(s)

6.4

Theme Development: Characters

Meets “Proficient” criteria and thematic analysis shows keen insight into the relationship between character and theme

Accurately analyzes characters for how they embody specific theme(s)

Analyzes characters for how they embody specific theme(s), but with gaps in accuracy or detail

Does not analyze characters for how they embody specific theme(s)

6.4

Theme Development: Scenario(s)

Meets “Proficient” criteria and generated scenario(s) demonstrate a nuanced understanding of expressing theme through plot

Generates detailed scenario(s) where theme could be expressed based on the details of the plot

Generates scenario(s) where theme could be expressed, but scenario(s) are not based on the details of the plot or lack sufficient detail

Does not generate scenario(s) where theme could be expressed

6.4

Revisions: Constructiveness

Meets “Proficient” criteria and shows keen insight into enhancing the marketability of story concepts

Logically assesses feedback for artifact(s) for its constructiveness in ensuring a marketable story concept

Assesses feedback for artifact(s) for its constructiveness in ensuring a marketable story concept, but assessment is illogical or cursory

Does not assess feedback for artifact(s) for its constructiveness in ensuring a marketable story concept

6.4

Revisions: Incorporating Peer

Feedback

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the relationship between peer feedback and personal vision

Logically defends choices in incorporating peer feedback into revisions of artifact(s) for the final versions, citing specific examples

Defends choices in incorporating peer feedback into revisions of artifact(s) for the final versions, but does not cite specific examples or has gaps in logic

Does not defend choices in incorporating peer feedback into revisions of artifact(s) for the final versions

6.4

Revisions: Not Incorporating Peer

Feedback

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of the relationship between peer feedback and personal vision

Logically defends choices in not incorporating peer feedback into revisions of each artifact for the final versions, citing specific examples

Defends choices in not incorporating peer feedback into revisions of each artifact for the final versions, but does not cite specific examples or has gaps in logic

Does not defend choices in not incorporating peer feedback into revisions of each artifact for the final versions

6.4

Goals Statement: Defend Methods

Meets “Proficient” criteria and demonstrates exceptional sophistication in defending methods of plot outline and story structure

Logically defends methods of plot outline and story structure in terms of their relevance and efficiency, providing examples

Defends methods of plot outline and story structure in terms of their relevance and efficiency, but with gaps in logic or support

Does not defend methods of plot outline and story structure in terms of their relevance and efficiency

6.4

Goals Statement: Progress

Meets “Proficient” criteria and discussion demonstrates exceptional sophistication and insight into discussion of methods and techniques

Discusses methods and techniques that have helped progress in writing, including impact of peer feedback and brainstorming on story planning approach

Discusses methods and techniques that have helped progress in writing, but with gaps in detail or logic

Does not discuss methods and techniques that have helped progress in writing

6.4

Goals Statement: Goals

Meets “Proficient” criteria and goals show exceptional insight into next steps in the personal writing process

Creates achievable goals for story based on progress in story development and as a writer

Creates goals for story, but goals are not achievable based on progress in story development and as a writer

Does not create goals for story 6.4

Articulation of Response

Submission is free of errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, and organization and is presented in a professional and easy-to-read format

Submission has no major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that negatively impact readability and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors related to citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or organization that prevent understanding of ideas

4

Total 100%