Course Schedule – Spring 2020

Thursday, January 9

Class questionnaire. Introductions. Syllabus.

Tuesday, January 14

Journal: Oranges.
Discussion: Descriptive language; food writing.
Reading: Excerpt from John McPhee’s Oranges + The Most Human Sound, by Rosanne Cash

Thursday, January 16

Response: McPhee’s Oranges and Cash’s The Most Human Sound at foodwriting.ua.edu. Due by 5pm.
Reading: Excerpt from Trail of Crumbs, by Kim Sunée + All I Want Are Some Potato Skins, by Keith Pandolfi.

Tuesday, January 21

Journal: Sadness.
Discussion: The Most Human Sound and Trail of Crumbs and All I Want… Personal narrative and food.
Assignment: Story #1 assigned. Due date: Friday, January 31 by 5pm. Reading: Excerpt from The Cooking Gene, by Michael Twitty + excerpt from M.F.K. Fisher’s The Gastronomical Me.

Thursday, January 23

Response: Twitty’s The Cooking Gene + Fisher’s The Gastronomical Me at foodwriting.ua.edu. Due by 5pm.
Reading: Behind the Cellar Door, by John Seabrook

Tuesday, January 28

Journal: Best.
Discussion: Cellar Door + Fisher + Twitty. Update on Story #1.
Assignment: Reminder that Story #1 is due Friday, January 31 by 5pm
Reading: No reading.

Thursday, January 30

Response: No response. Finish your Story #1.
Reading: No reading.

Friday, January 31 – Story #1 due by 5pm

Tuesday, February 4
Journal: Sandwich.
Discussion: Story #1 feelings.
Reading: This Food Republic Q&A with John Lasater, founder of Hattie B’s; then this Betsy Phillips essay in the Nashville Scene; then this Rachel L. Martin story in the Bitter Southerner.

Thursday, February 6

Response: Hot chicken stories at foodwriting.ua.edu. Due by 5pm.

Monday, February 10 – Story #1 edits/grades sent to you.
Assignment: Revision of Story #1 due on Monday, February 17.

Tuesday, February 11
Journal: Chocolate.
Discussion: Hot chicken stories + Skype + visit to Food & Wine
Reading: Recipe packet I’ll distribute.

Thursday, February 13
Response: No response.
Assignment: Revision of Story #1 due on Monday, February 17.

Monday, February 17 – Story #1 revisions due

Tuesday, February 18
Journal: Instructions.
Discussion: Recipe packet.
Assignment: Story #2 assigned. Due date: Friday, February 28 by 5pm.

Thursday, February 20 – Media Day
Response: No response.
Reading: Tamar Adler packet I’ll distribute.
Extra Credit: You will receive extra credit (+2 points on citizenship grade for any event you go to) for any of the Media Day activities you attend and sign in for. More details to follow as they become available, but there will be sessions at 9:30am, 11am, and 1pm.

Tuesday, February 25

Journal: Bread.
Discussion: Tamar Adler packet + question about Story #2.
Reading: No reading.  

Thursday, February 27

Response: No response. Finish your Story #2.
Reading: n/a

Friday, February 28 – Story #2 due by 5pm

Tuesday, March 3 – NO CLASS

Thursday, March 5 – Skype with Shaun Chavis

Tuesday, March 10

Journal: Coke.

Assignment: Fourth assignment – description and due date.

Reading: Jocelyn Zuckerman packet I’ll distribute.

Thursday, March 12

Response: Jocelyn Zuckerman articles response.

Reading: No reading. Happy Spring Break! Wash your hands a lot.

Tuesday, March 17 – Spring Break -Story #2 grades/edit returned. Revision of Story #2 due on Monday, March 30.

Thursday, March 19 – Spring Break

Tuesday, March 24

Journal: Journey.

Discussion: Story #2 revisions. Three story pitches due.

Assignment: Story #3 assigned. Due date: Friday, April 3 by 5pm.

Reading: Tamar Haspel packet I’ll distribute. Pitch packet I’ll distribute.

Thursday, March 26

Response: Tamar Haspel response.

Reading: Helen Rosner packet I’ll distribute.

Monday, March 30 – Revision of Story #2 due.

Tuesday, March 31

Journal: TBD

Discussion: Pitching editors. Review of Story Pitches.

Reading: No reading. Finish your Story #3.

Thursday, April 2

Response: TBD

Reading: TBD

Friday, April 3 – Story #3 due by 5pm

Tuesday, April 7

Discussion: Pitching editors. We’ll have video call with someone about this.

Thursday, April 9 – Story #3 grades/edits returned.

Tuesday, April 14

Thursday, April 16 – Revision of Story #3 due.

Tuesday, April 21

Class party. Potluck, or I’ll bring the food and drink and we can all eat and drink it.

Thursday, April 23 – No class. Final Draft of Story Pitch due.

Final Draft of Story Pitch (25% of your final grade) due as a Google Doc in your JCM 429 Drive folder. The doc should be called “[your last name] – Final Draft – Story Pitch” and shared with chip.brantley@gmail.com