Final Book Project

Finishing the Book Project

Revising and "binding" the Book Project. ***Read Carefully***

I want you to review and revise all SIX of the pieces in your book project. Look at these writings again and make them better in any way you can. (**see Steps for Revision at the end of this page). Then copy and paste each separate piece into a single document (be sure and INSERT--PAGE BREAK for each piece so that each one is on a separate page). Include a title page with your name and the title you give for your Book. Each separate piece should have its own title as well. Feel free to include graphics if you wish. WARNING: Please do not attach graphics that are too large--you will have trouble turning in your book if the file is too large.

To make this compilation of your writing pieces a "book," I would like you to create a
--Title Page
--Table of Contents
--Preface

I would like you to write a preface to your book—a kind of introduction. In your preface discuss
-- your experience writing these pieces
-- your experiencing sharing them and reading the pieces of your peers
-- and then your experience revising them.
What have your learned? What should the reader know about these pieces before reading them. This preface comes after the title page (and table of contents if you have one) and before the actual writing pieces. (-10 points for leaving off your preface.)

Late Assignment Policy: If the book is late, it is ten points off and you have one week in which to finish the assignment. After one week the grade is a zero.

My Grading of the Book Project: The Book Project is meant to be a low pressure writing event to get us going in the class. Basically, by putting in a good effort with your writings and following directions you should get an "A" on the project. So don't worry too much about the grade--just write and do your best. Make some efforts to polish, develop, and improve your writing pieces. Short writing pieces or writing pieces that obviously indicate little effort will get a lower grade.

Steps for Revising: Creating the Final Draft of Your Book

If you look at the word “revision” you’ll notice that the word “vision” is at the heart of it—seeing. To “re-vise” is to “see again.” So the most important step for revision is to look again at your piece of writing—closely.

LOOKING AGAIN AT YOUR DRAFTS
The first step for revising your book is to print a copy of each of your writing pieces. I strongly urge you to review the print copy of your writing (studies have show that people edit much worse off the computer screen).

Read over your draft with a pen or pencil in your hand. Make any changes you see that are necessary by marking your draft.

GAINING PERSPECTIVE FOR YOUR REVIEW OF YOUR OWN DRAFTS
Three things might help you have some perspective on your own writing and might give you ideas for what you might change.

1) Looking at the writing pieces of others.
By looking at the writing pieces of others you probably saw ones you liked and didn’t like. Can you do things to your draft to make it more like the writing pieces you thought worked well? Can you avoid things in your draft that you saw and disliked in other's writings.

2) Reviewing the peer response on my Writing Pieces #4-6.
The responses done by your peers might help you too. Each of the replies to your writing pieces should be easily accessible below your original post. Read them over. Take notes.

3) Look over the original writing prompt again.
Sometimes looking over the original writing topic will help give you more ideas for revision as well.

TYPES OF THINGS YOU MIGHT DO AS YOU REVISE

I’m giving you a generalized goal—make the writing piece better in any way you see appropriate. Now that you have a chance to look it over again, and you have a new perspective that you didn’t have when you wrote the piece, what can you do to make the piece work better? **Special Note: Those that wrote their Writing Piece #1s as lists need to convert these over to full sentences and paragraphs.**

You might: add more content, cut some areas, change the wording of a sentence, correct some error you see. Spell check.

MAKING YOUR FINAL DRAFT “BOOK-LIKE”

I really encourage you to see this final revision process as a kind of publishing event. Try to jazz your pieces up so that it all comes out looking like a book. Have a title page. Create a table of contents if you wish. Include your preface. Give each piece a title like it were a separate chapter or something in the book. Add pictures to make the book more appealing. You can even do things with the font size and color to jazz up the book. I will share a few example Book Projects so that you can see what they are like.

I can’t wait to read them.

	INRW 0420 L. Lennie Irvin, San Antonio College
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f	Finishing the Book Project Revising and "binding" the Book Project. *Read Carefully* I want you to review and revise all SIX of the pieces in your book project. Look at these writings again and make them better in any way you can. (see Steps for Revision at the end of this page). Then copy and paste each separate piece into a single document (be sure and INSERT--PAGE BREAK for each piece so that each one is on a separate page). Include a title page with your name and the title you give for your Book. Each separate piece should have its own title as well. Feel free to include graphics if you wish. WARNING: Please do not attach graphics that are too large--you will have trouble turning in your book if the file is too large. To make this compilation of your writing pieces a "book," I would like you to create a --Title Page --Table of Contents --Preface I would like you to write a preface to your book—a kind of introduction. In your preface discuss -- your experience writing these pieces -- your experiencing sharing them and reading the pieces of your peers -- and then your experience revising them. What have your learned? What should the reader know about these pieces before reading them. This preface comes after the title page (and table of contents if you have one) and before the actual writing pieces. (-10 points for leaving off your preface.) Late Assignment Policy: If the book is late, it is ten points off and you have one week in which to finish the assignment. After one week the grade is a zero. My Grading of the Book Project: The Book Project is meant to be a low pressure writing event to get us going in the class. Basically, by putting in a good effort with your writings and following directions you should get an "A" on the project. So don't worry too much about the grade--just write and do your best. Make some efforts to polish, develop, and improve your writing pieces. Short writing pieces or writing pieces that obviously indicate little effort will get a lower grade. Steps for Revising: Creating the Final Draft of Your Book If you look at the word “revision” you’ll notice that the word “vision” is at the heart of it—seeing. To “re-vise” is to “see again.” So the most important step for revision is to look again at your piece of writing—closely. LOOKING AGAIN AT YOUR DRAFTS The first step for revising your book is to print a copy of each of your writing pieces. I strongly urge you to review the print copy of your writing (studies have show that people edit much worse off the computer screen). Read over your draft with a pen or pencil in your hand. Make any changes you see that are necessary by marking your draft. GAINING PERSPECTIVE FOR YOUR REVIEW OF YOUR OWN DRAFTS Three things might help you have some perspective on your own writing and might give you ideas for what you might change. 1) Looking at the writing pieces of others. By looking at the writing pieces of others you probably saw ones you liked and didn’t like. Can you do things to your draft to make it more like the writing pieces you thought worked well? Can you avoid things in your draft that you saw and disliked in other's writings. 2) Reviewing the peer response on my Writing Pieces #4-6. The responses done by your peers might help you too. Each of the replies to your writing pieces should be easily accessible below your original post. Read them over. Take notes. 3) Look over the original writing prompt again. Sometimes looking over the original writing topic will help give you more ideas for revision as well. TYPES OF THINGS YOU MIGHT DO AS YOU REVISE I’m giving you a generalized goal—make the writing piece better in any way you see appropriate. Now that you have a chance to look it over again, and you have a new perspective that you didn’t have when you wrote the piece, what can you do to make the piece work better? Special Note: Those that wrote their Writing Piece #1s as lists need to convert these over to full sentences and paragraphs.** You might: add more content, cut some areas, change the wording of a sentence, correct some error you see. Spell check. MAKING YOUR FINAL DRAFT “BOOK-LIKE” I really encourage you to see this final revision process as a kind of publishing event. Try to jazz your pieces up so that it all comes out looking like a book. Have a title page. Create a table of contents if you wish. Include your preface. Give each piece a title like it were a separate chapter or something in the book. Add pictures to make the book more appealing. You can even do things with the font size and color to jazz up the book. I will share a few example Book Projects so that you can see what they are like. I can’t wait to read them.
	© Lennie Irvin 2013