9/30

In Hazel Smith's writing experiment chapter 3, i liked some of the techniques that i had never thought to try before in order to write in new creative styles or to stimulate my brain and, figuratively, "get the juices flowing" (for lack of a better phrase). I especially found the second method of variation, that Smith uses, to be quite interesting. However, several of his methods, and this applies to most of the methods of Harriette Mullen, seemed very remedial; repetition, for example, is not typically considered a unique or even difficult concept. Rather, it is used often throughout all types of literature.

9/30

I liked in Smith's intro of the chapter that she talked about music. I didn't quite think that poetry could do the same things (i.e. repetition). Example 3.8 was particularly interesting to me; it reminded me of Greek plays where the chorus would chant lines. So that had a somewhat musical quality to me. Also, for 3.8, I liked that some of the lines would change the implications of the lines that had come before it.

I also had an issue with opening Stein.

Sleeping With the Dictionary was interesting. The way she connected similar sounds and words was cool. The words were also (occasionally) connected in themes.

9.30 response

The Writing Experiment by Hazel Smith was quite interesting. I am very drawn to things that have sound structures and to things or objects that have symmetry. When something is slightly askew, it often bothers me. The different ways suggested to structure writing was something that sparked my interest. I’ve done a few of these exercises in the past, but never knew that this was an actual thing (for lack of better words). Funny enough, the same thing with the exquisite corpse exercise, I always thought it was a fun game I used to play with my friends, but I had no idea that it was an actual technique. Back to this reading, I found example 3.8 to be the most pleasing out of the ones listed.



As for Gertrude Stien, I was unable to open the link to read.



Reading Sleeping with the Dictionary made me feel like I was 10 years old, watching Nick Jr with Mr. Face. I didn’t much care for it. Maybe in moderation I could care?

Playing with Sound

This was probably my favorite excersice that we had to do so far for this course. At first I didn't understand what the assignment was as far as writing our own piece, but after reading the packets about how the author's came up with their writings, it made the whole assignment easy to understand and quite fun actually. Once you figured out your method of writing, and what approach you were going to take within the poem, the words kind of just rolled off of your tongue. I guess that is kind of the point of learning these new strategies for writing.

Rousselian Evolution Exercise

Into the dark we moved; our torches fading, and spirits diminished.
They lost their color when the light dissapated at dusk.
Their faces turned pale as they lost the fight withing them that night.

Reading for 9/30

Hazel Smith chapter three, "Working out with structures" accomplished a lot of clarity on structures for creating writing. I found all the structures useful in my own writing. Often I'm drawn to the same style in which I write, and the six different examples of structure are just great starting points on a new spin for my own work. Some I often use but didn't maybe realize.
Harriett Mullen's "Sleeping with the dictionary was pretty interesting to watch unfold. I enjoyed reading it much like I enjoyed our assignment which was similar. Some of the words and equation of words that you come up with are just ridiculous but completely a new thought, making the line more interesting.
I was unable to read Gertrude Stein's "tender buttons." I too had an issue reading these documents on D2L.

9/30 Readings

Hazel Smith
This text focused on structure. He covered a wide rang of structural principles. Linearity is a structural principle which is stated by Smith as the simplest form of structure. It compromises a series of events or ideas. Repetition is another structural principle discussed by Smith in which the writer circles around an idea rather than advancing through it. Another structural principle that Smith describes is variation. Variation is closely related to repetition. The words of the text are based on the same idea or technique. Simultaneity structure as described by Smith is a kind of structure that allows several things to happen at once, like a number of people talking at the same time. Multilarying is a structure in which different kinds of textual material alternate and recur. The structural principle that Smith describes is numbering. Numerical structures are built on arithmetical count or limit.

Gertrude Stein
His writings emphasize on the sound and rhythms or the text rather than the sense of the words. Some of his writings were extremely enjoyable. In the section titled the room I really enjoyed the lines that began with, sugar any sugar, anger very anger, lover sermon lover.... and left over to be a lamp light, left over in victory, left over in saving... In this text though you can't truly understand the meaning it is simple to catch the beat and understand the rhythm of his writing. The way in which writers write play a major role in how successful their writings will turn out.

Harriette Mullen (Sleeping with the Dictionary)
This excerpt was very enjoyable. Mullen did an excellent job in giving sort of human qualities to a dictionary and the way a dictionary is used. From the title to the last line of the excerpt her method of writing was known, understood and expressed extremely well. You really get the felling that Mullen is actually getting the dictionary and laying down to go to sleep with it.