Writing Assignments
- Remediation of a traditional text poem into a soundscape
- Remediation of a traditional text poem into a visual poem
- Hypertext poem derived from first two assignments
- Collaborative, semester-long Wiki poem
- Procedural or algorithmic poem
- Interactive game poem
- Animated or video poem
- Brief two-page proposal for your final project
- Design of a location-based poem using mobile devices (PDA, MP3 or cellphone)
- Code poem
- Final Project: hypermediated poem using several of the forms of earlier assignments
Students submit brief 2-page weekly essays assessing each of the assignments listed above, and a longer 5-page essay assessing their final project. In addition, a class blog will be set up for archiving assignments and commenting on work submitted.
Writing Assignments by Session
D=Discussion/Presentation
W=Workshop
A=Assignment (assignments are due the following week unless otherwise noted)
| Week # | Topics | Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | D: Introduction to Digital Poetry with Discussion of History of New Media Poetry, Definition of Key Terms, and Discussion of Computational Models of Writing (Bush, Nelson, Joyce) D: Discussion of Remediation in Poetry | A: Remediation of George Herbert's poem "The Altar" into a soundscape |
| 2 | D: Image and Metaphor in Poetry and Digital Forms D: Discussion of Relevant Mass-media Forms (Graphic Novels, Comics, the Photographic Essay) W: Soundscape Poem | A: Remediation of first assignment into a digital visual environment (may include audio) |
| 3 | D: Hypertext and Non-linear Compositional Techniques W: Visual Poem | A: Hypertext version of first two poems |
| 4 | D: Wikis and Collaborative Authoring Over Networks, Authorial Imperative Versus Reader-centered Writing | A: Start Wiki poem General questions you should consider: 1) What generative devices do you associate with poetry? That is, what mechanics of writing do you recognize as means to get a poem going? 2) What mechanics of games do you think are applicable to poetry? What other aspects of games? 3) What, if any, relationships exist between the traditions of "found poetry" and the kind of digital poems you have been creating? 4) What elements of the oral poetry traditions we briefly alluded to in class last week could be extended to forms of digital poetry? What about location-based poems? Performance poetry? 5) What other kinds of "interaction" beyond those you used in your hypertext poems might be used in creating digital poems? |
| 5 | D: Processuality, OuLiPo Experiments, "Listening Post" (Check the List Visual Art Gallery Online Archive For Discussion of this Installation) W: Hypertext Poem | A: Process poem |
| 6 | D: Interactivity in New Media Poems, Digital Poetry and Games W: Process Poem | A: Game poem |
| 7 | D: Location-based Writing and Mobile Digital Devices D: Podcasting W: Game Poem | A: Location-based poem |
| 8 | D: Installation and Performance Poetry D: Code Poems W: Location-based Poem | A: Installation performance poem or code poem |
| 9 | D: Hypermediality, Digital Video W: Installation or Code Poem | A: Video poem |
| 10 | D: Analysis of Hypermediality from Author and Audience Perspectives W: Video Poem | A: Begin final project A: Complete Wiki poem |
| 11 | D: Analysis of Collaboration in Creation and Reception of Digital Poetry W: Wiki Poem | A: Final project A: Hardcopy portfolio review |
| 12 | Review Final Projects | |
| 13 | Review Final Projects (cont.) |