2008 Poetry Submissions with Revision Accounts (Model Assignments)

Format for submission / return:

• Electronic file (preferably Word or Word-compatible) emailed to instructor.
   

• Submissions are posted by instructor to course webpage.
   

• Instructor will acknowledge submission by email and return submission with comments and grade by email.

Poetry submission & revision account:

• Submit one lyric poem, either free-verse or fixed-form (sonnet, ballad, villanelle, etc.). 
   

• Every poem must have a title.
   

• You may submit 1-3 additional poems, but you are not required or expected to, nor do you receive any automatic credit for extra effort.
   

• Your submission must be accompanied by a “Revision Account” concerning the development of one or more of your poems, either through class feedback or draft exchange.

Revision Accounts:

• A “Revision Account” is required with your poetry submission.
   

• The Revision Account explains how the poem developed and how it was revised, especially as a result of the poem’s presentation or draft exchange.
   

• Revision Account also includes a summary section on what you have learned about lyric poems through the text, the exercise, and the course definition of lyric poetry.
   

Expectations for Revision Accounts

Length: 2 - 3 double-spaced pages

Contents:

1. How did your poem originate? How did you come up with the idea? Did the work pre-exist this course, or did you write it only for the assignment?

2. Whether you presented the poem in class or did a draft exchange, what kind of response did you receive and what did you learn?

3. Quote and evaluate reactions. If you did a draft exchange, identify your reviewers and how you found them.

4. What changes or revisions did you make? What changes did you resist?

5. What is the current status of your submission?  What strengths? What further development? Is it part of a larger work?

5. Future developments: Possible publication? Additions or research required? What would you like to be able to accomplish for this manuscript that you can’t quite do yet?

Most common problem with Revision Accounts

• Most students don't write enough (mostly b/c they've never done anything like this).
   

• The required length of the revision account is 1 1/2 - 3 pages.
   

• The best Revision Accounts offer more material for the instructor to work with.
  
   

• Two ways to extend your revision account:

  • Write a little, rest a little; return, revise, and write some more
     

  • Examples! Keep looking at different parts of your poem, especially the parts that changed + how & why. But you can also defend not changing parts, even when your reviewers pushed you.

+ Look at examples of assignment from previous semesters:

2008 Poetry Submissions with Revision Accounts (Model Assignments)

Summary section on what learned about lyric poetry through our text, the exercise, workshops, and the course definition of lyric poetry.

Length: 3-5 paragraphs