CRAFT ANALYSIS GUIDELINES Purpose Your goal in the craft analysis essay is to identify a piece from our textbook

that effectively uses one or more craft techniques about which you would like to know more so you can continue to hone your own craft as a writer. For example, if you struggle with sensory detail, find a writer in the book whos an imagery master. If youre terrified of working with dialogue, select a work that can give you good ideas about how to make your dialogue better. [Note: you should choose a piece in the same genre you will be focusing on next (so for the second craft analysis, either creative nonfiction or fiction).] Audience I am your audience for this piece, so you can assume I am a) interested and b) at least passingly familiar with the piece you have chosen to analyze. Process Choose a piece in Imaginative Writing that is not scheduled for discussion in our class prior to the due date for this assignment. For the first craft analysis, you will write about a poem, and for the second, youll select a piece of prose (fiction or creative nonfiction). Consider the writer of this piece as a kind of companion to you as you work on your own craft. Do not choose a piece to analyze for which you have no real affinitythis wont end up being all that helpful to you in terms of working on your creative writing. Update for craft analysis II: Plan to focus on one craft element for this essay, though if you wish to mention others in the context of the one youve selected, thats fine. For example, if the focus of your analysis is setting, of course part of setting is imagery. Let me know if you have questions about finding an appropriate focus for analysis. Be sure to use ample specific textual support to illustrate your analysis (i.e., quote words, phrases, or brief passages of the authors actual words). Update for craft analysis II: Use first person POV and an informal tone/style/voice in your essayin other words, sound like a real person. Keep your focus on craftwhat the piece youre analyzing accomplishes in terms of literary moves (but of course its okay to include some general appreciation for the overall work youve selected if that makes sense for what youre writing about). Update for craft analysis II: I cant emphasize enough that the purpose of the craft analysis is to illustrate that you understand the craft of the piece you are analyzing and that you have given some real thought to how you will apply what youve learned from this writer to your own creative work. Update for craft analysis II: You dont need to attach a marked-up/annotated copy of the work you are analyzing this time. Your essay should be around 3-5 double-spaced pages long. Give your essay a descriptive title. Make sure to allow time to proofread and edit your essay.

Use MLA style for citations and Works Cited entry(ies). Any time you refer to a specific part of a piece of writing (whether quoted, paraphrased, or summarized), you need to include a parenthetical citation. (You can find basics on MLA citation of sources here.)

See the course schedule for due dates. Update for craft analysis II: when youre ready to turn your essay in, use your Dropbox folder. No hard copies, pleasesave a leaf! I am more than happy to meet with you to discuss process at any point and/or to look at a draft in progress with you and give you my suggestions for development, revision, and editing. I will not, however, allow for revisions once Ive graded the essays, so please budget your time accordingly. Evaluation Rubric

strong

okay

developing selected work is analyzed using key terms from our book/discussions analysis is sufficiently detailed to make point(s) about impact of craft choices analysis draws on sufficient textual support main ideas/paragraphs are ordered logically main ideas are connected rather than merely listed essay clearly establishes why this work was chosen for analysis discussion of how the student writer will apply what s/he has learned from the analyzed work is sufficiently developed essay is framed with an effective introduction & conclusion style of writing is clear & engaging essay is expertly edited/formatted

GRADE: