Getting Started

Getting Started

Your job in this first week of class is to get acquainted with blogging and the Blogger software. Once you read through some of the informational pages, please complete the lessons for Week 1.

Some questions you may have---(click on highlighted text for link)

1. What's a blog?

If you can send an email, you can blog.

A blog is a website arranged in reverse chronological order (with the most current post showing up at the top of the page). Tufts alum, Meg Hourihan, is a pioneer in blogosphere and developed the blogger software we are using.

For an article about blogs in the writing classroom, see this article by Charles Lowe.

I have a blog that I started in August 2006 and it's been enormously helpful in terms of my writing. I invite you to visit my blog, see what I've done and how I've used it.

2. How does the class work?

This class is an enrichment experience for you. Participate as much or as little as you'd like and have the time to. I understand some weeks are busier for you than others. Please never feel like you are "bad" because you didn't do all of the homework.

I want you to feel like the class is a comfortable space for you to try new things, practice writing, and have fun. I have homework and of course, I highly recommend you do it in order to get as much as you can out of the class.

After you set up your Blogger account, expect about an hour a week of homework, which includes readings and your writing assignment.

3. To get started, please read blogger's site guide. You can post to the collaborative blog, named Writing From Life Fall 2007, almost immediately by responding in the comments section. I would like you to have a personal blog as well and we will link to your personal blog from the collaborative blog, Writing from Life.

4. Blogging recommendations. Please read about privacy and protection on blogger.

I've chosen for my "Grace Notes" blog to be searchable through Google (so anyone can type up my name and my blog will come up). The Internet is archived so anything you post is there forever. If you don't want something linked to your name, then use a nickname or a fake name. Or password protect your blog. Or only give your student blog address to us, your classmates. Decide what level of privacy you are comfortable with and make your decisions from there.

Please read about privacy on your profile and controlling who reads your blog. The Collaborative Blog (tuftswfl.blogspot.com) is not password protected. Keep that in mind when using your full name. I encourage you to only use your first name when posting to the blog.

5. You may need to have a gmail or google account. I've sent an invitation to all of you for a gmail account.

Thanks for you open-mindedness and your patience. I look forward to working with all of you. If you're stuck, you can always call me. I'll email you my phone number.

6. Do I need to buy books for the course?

I have a list of recommended books, but have not required you to read them. I want the class to focus on you getting writing done so the bulk of your reading time will be reading some short articles I post as well as the other writers' work in the class.

That said, there are many books I would recommend to supplement the work we do here. I have listed them under recommended books.

7. How do I find out the class assignments?

Look on the right hand side of the class blog page and find the title, Class Schedule for a list of the classes. If you don't see the list of classes (for example, the first week's lesson is listed under August and is titled "Welcome to Writing from Life! Class 1 Sept 17")

You can move through the course at your pace and all course materials are present. Keep in mind, there may be slight updates to the class schedule, depending on how the class goes.

8. Will the instructor read multiple drafts of my personal essay?

My main role is as an instructor, educator, and facilitator--not an editor. I will be able to provide extensive feedback on one draft and then brief remarks for your revised draft. As your class leader, I will do this for each of you.

Professional editors will usually charge $60 an hour to read manuscripts and provide feedback. It takes me about an hour to read, analyze, and provide thoughtful feedback for your draft of the short essay. Some students would like more feedback outside of the course constraints and they have hired me privately to provide this service for them. I am willing to consider doing this for you.