19 Matching Annotations
  1. Last 7 days
    1. The doctor was a handsome, big-shouldered man with ,1 tarnwd face.

      This sentence shows how physical description helps readers quickly form an image of a character and get a sense of their presence. It shows how specific details can begin to reveal personality and set expectations about who the character might be.

    2. Rc-1! pel1pk don't act in "general" ways

      This sentence highlights the idea that writers should focus on specific, unique details instead of broad assumptions about how people behave. It emphasizes that believable characters come from showing individual reactions rather than relying on stereotypes or generalizations.

    3. Human beings are indefinitely multifaceted and behave in ways that are seemingly contradictory.

      This sentence shows that real people are complex and don’t always act in perfectly consistent ways. It explains why believable characters in fiction should show contradictions and depth rather than being simple or predictable.

    4. Flat characters are also called stereotypes, and the hallmark of flat characters is that they are incapable of surprising us

      This sentence explains that flat characters feel predictable and one dimensional because they always act the way we expect. It highlights why writers aim to create more complex, surprising characters that feel real to readers.

  2. Feb 2026
    1. This is meant to prepare the author for revision. It’s also a good way to build confidence and get writers ex- cited about going back to work on their manuscripts

      I really liked this idea because workshop can sometimes feel discouraging. Anything that makes writers feel more confident and motivated instead of overwhelmed seems like a better approach overall.

    2. workshop asks questions of the author, and nothing else

      I thought this was interesting because it removes the pressure of immediate criticism. Only asking questions seems like it would help writers think more deeply about their choices instead of feeling defensive.

    3. Critical Response Process

      I liked this because it shows that writing workshops don’t have to stick to one traditional model. Pulling ideas from other art forms makes workshop feel more flexible and creative instead of rigid.

    4. necessary slowness: this describes the special relation between needs of plot and delights of telling

      This line stood out because it explains why not every story needs to rush to the ending. It made me realize that enjoying the telling itself can be just as important as what actually happens in the plot.

    5. there’s deliberate slow- ness, a delight in curving this way or that, luxuriating in di- versions

      I liked how this reframes slowness as something intentional instead of a flaw. It made me think about how taking time with details can actually make a story feel richer, not boring. Sometimes the wandering parts are what make the story feel real.

    6. A meander begins at one point and moves toward a final one, but with digressive loops

      This sentence helped me understand that a story can still be going somewhere even if it doesn’t feel straight or fast. It made me think about how life works the same way, we don’t move forward in a clean line, but we still end up changed by the end of it.

    7. Patterns could fascinate me because an uncanny one struc- tured my life

      This section made the essay feel more personal and grounded instead of just theoretical. Seeing how Alison connects patterns in narrative to patterns in her own family history helped me understand why structure matters emotionally, not just artistically. It shows how form can be a way of making sense of chaos.

    8. Once youv’ve finished reading, that motionless move- ment leaves in your mind a numinous shape of the path you traveled.

      I was struck by the idea that a story leaves behind a shape rather than just events or themes. This helps explain why some narratives stay with me emotionally even when I can’t recall details. It also challenges the idea that meaning only comes from plot.

    9. Gray studied how she and her housekeeper moved through- out the day; she made diagrams of their motions and those of the sun to reveal natural patterns—loops in the kitchen, deep lines by the windows, meanders through the living room— an organic choreography

      This passage made me think about how form can emerge from lived experience rather than being imposed afterward. Alison’s description of movement becoming structure suggests that narrative, like architecture, can grow organically from daily life instead of following a pre-set formula. It reframes writing as something embodied rather than abstract.

  3. Jan 2026
    1. In this course, using AI in ANY capacity is not permitted

      Using ai especially in a creative writing class seems pointless. Creative writing is enjoyable, and it's fun to see what ideas you can come up with and read others work.

    2. Include EXTENSION REQUEST in your subject.If you ask before the due date I will almost certainly say yes, so just ask! If the due date has passed, the answer will be no

      I think having extensions available for work will be great to have for some papers. Sometime's I get worried I won't have enough time to complete something due to work, life, etc. So knowing I have this available is good.

    1. Questions to Ask Yourself as You Read

      I believe that it is important to ask yourself questions as you read because it allows you to get a better understanding of the text and have a strong concept so you can go back and annotate what you have read.

    2. You must be able to discover what is going on in an essay, to figure out the writer’s reasons for shap-ing the essay in a particular way, to decide whether the result works well or poorly — and why

      This is important because it helps you read more critically instead of just accepting what is on the page. When you understand why a writer made certain choices and whether they were effective, you can better evaluate the argument, notice strengths and weaknesses, and improve your own writing.

    3. Then, as you read the essay itself for the first time, try not to stop; take it all in as if in one breath. The second time, however, pause to annotate key points in the text, using the marginal fill-in lines provided alongside each paragraph

      I always do this when going over an essay or reading someone else's. I want to make sure I do not miss anything important or a mistake that one might have made. It also makes me have a clear concept of the essay.

    4. Always read the selection at least twice, no matter how long it is.

      I find it very important whenever I am reading something to read it twice. I often have to listen to books as well cause I usually miss multiple important pieces if I read it, especially only once. Going over it twice helps me retain the information.