Review

Your blog topic today is to write a review for a book, movie, television series, song, album, video game,website,the performance of your favourite sports team this season, or pretty much anything you like. Below are some tips on how to approach your review. You are allowed to write a positive or a negative review.

1. Know what a review is. A review is not a recap of a TV episode or the plot of a book. It isn't just listing the different features in a PC game or what songs are on a new CD. Those things might be included in your review, but they are not the main event. Writing critically means you must tell people what is good or bad about your subject matter, and you need to provide specific evidence to back up your opinion.

2. As yourself "what does the reader want to know"? Think of the questions that a reader is likely to ask themselves about a movie, book, or song.

3. Decide on the overall point that you want to get across to the reader. Decide on an overall basic opinion of the product, such as "A hilarious, if overly long movie. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking"...and use this as a frame for your review. Hang everything else off this one idea. How does the movie's acting influence this opinion? Why isn't the plot that groundbreaking?

4. Don't write about yourself; the review is about the band, book, movie, or whatever you're reviewing.

5. Ask yourself, "what makes my review unique?" What is your unique selling point for this particular "product"?

6. Compare to other similar products, but not too much!

7. Be specific. What is unique about the experience of watching this movie, cheering for this team, reading this novel, or listening to this band?

8. Don't be afraid to state the obvious. Your readers might not be as familiar with your subject as you are. Don't be afraid to give a little extra description about things that you already know.

9. Be honest.

Blog Roaming

Visit three classmates' blogs and read either their "top 3" or their blog choice entry. Leave a comment that offers suggestions as to the strengths of the article. It is not good enough to just say "well done" or "good job." You must refer to TWO SPECIFIC aspects of their writing. It may be the introduction, the diction, the imagery, the ideas... It's also not good enough to just say 'Nice diction" or "good ideas." What made the imagery effective? What specifically did you like about the introduction? As well, leave one suggestion for improvement. I will read comments that are posted as well as your blogs. Both will contribute to your blog mark.

Creative Pursuits

You have 2 options for this post. The first is to write a creative response to one of the following prompts listed at the bottom of this blog.

The second option is to visit the blog: >Eleven (the address is in the sidebar) and comment on either "A Soldier's Thoughts" or
"Perception is Everything". Remember that if you visit this blog you should expect to confront ideas and materials that go beyond the regular expectations for this course.

Prompt Options:

1. Write a story that includes the line “behind him/her the noise escalates”
2. List 10 simple pleasures. Describe one of them in detail.
3. Think of the ten worst things to say to a person who has just been dumped. Then write a paragraph describing the scene where you talk to that person.
4. Imagine your life is now a book. Write the blurb that people would read on the back cover.
5. Write about what you would cook for an enemy.
6. Write a fictional scary encounter with your hairdresser or barber.
7. Write about how you felt when you discovered you were lied to.
8. List 10 things you are afraid of. Pick one fear and write about it.
9. If you could invent something to help mankind, what would it be?
10. Expand on the phrase “a galaxy of longing”
11. Write a story about a town that ran out of its sugar supply.
12. List 10 things that you plan to do/accomplish in your life. Describe one of them in detail.
13. If your house was about to burn down describe the 5 things you would grab before you left and explain why.