Creative Writing Commons^™

Stress To Success: A Children's Book About Handling Stressful Situations, Marina Pennycuff

Honors Projects

For this project, I investigated the importance of bibliotherapy with school-aged children through the construction of my own children’s book that is focused around social-emotional aspects that are important for development. In particular, this children’s book was focused around different stressful events that can occur in a child’s life. This project allowed me to have a hands-on approach in researching this central topic. Another major goal for this project was that it granted me the ability to create a physical copy of a book that I will be able to use as a tool in my future career working with …

Another Perspective: Telling The Hero’S Story Without The Hero, Renee Hopper

Honors Projects

Can a YA story be effectively told through the lenses of side characters that typically exist to further the main character’s plot? What gives a side character agency? How do you make a hero without ever getting close to them through the narrator? This Honors Project seeks to answer those questions through a YA-style novella in which four different "side characters" tell their stories, and the hero's point of view is never followed.

Forgiveness, Freedom And The Inmate Issue, Taylor Smith

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

Forgiveness Freedom and the Inmate Issue:

It is no secret that the United States has a mass incarceration problem. The war on drugs, traffic violations, and the Three Strikes Law, are just pieces of the systems being used to repeatedly place people behind bars. What we are facing now as a society is the repercussions of reintegrating under educated, digitally literate, mentally abandoned individuals back into society. In addition to post jail operatives like parole fees, fines and probation scheduling are re-sentencing these individuals into a society they no longer relate to, that socially struggle to adapt to and that …

Solitary Solidarity: Vignettes Of The Appalachian Trail, Noah L. Booth

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

This past Summer, I spent two months solo-hiking the first third of the Appalachian Trail. I completed 737 total miles, starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia and continuing through North Carolina and Tennessee, before finishing my journey in central Virginia. I am no stranger to backpacking, but the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains of the Southeast were completely foreign to me. Throughout this two month excursion I kept a daily journal, logging everything from mileage and geographical features, to encounters with wildlife and humans alike. Over six months have elapsed since I completed my journey and, having had plenty of time …

The Edugametional Podcast Episode 1: Souls Games And Information Literacy, Brian Zabell

Master of Arts in Professional Writing Capstones

Abstract:

This Capstone project includes a 53 minute podcast audio file and a reflective memo detailing what sparked my interest in the topic along the journey I went through to get to where I ended up to create the podcast.

The podcast is developed the first podcast of a series about using peer-reviewed research articles to argue for educational gaming in the classroom, the merits of finding scientific and cultural literacies in educational gaming, understanding the value of why certain video game mechanics work and why, and how video games in general can retain educational value to a player.

This …

Chronicle, Tara Mettler

Poetry MFA Theses

A collection of original poetry by Tara Mettler.

Teaching Creative Writing In The Age Of Common Core, Casey Unverferth

Honors Projects

The core of my honors project includes a 12-day unit plan for teaching creative writing in the form of narratives. I created lessons for 12 days, created the materials needed for each day, and created a website where my work has been displayed for my future classroom. The website link is: teachcreatewrite.weebly.com. All materials for the unit plan are broken down by day, and I chose to expand upon 3 days in a short lesson plan template.

The Lost Row, Roman Buetel

Honors Projects

Set in 2032, The Lost Row chronicles the pre-dystopian city of Fostoria, where three citizens have taken it upon themselves to combat crime.

"Chance" Screenplay, Simone Laroche

Honors Capstone Projects - All

My Capstone Thesis is a creative screenplay pursuing the complexities of predestination and our innate obsession to control fate. I became intrigued with the idea that our decisions or actions dictate outcomes we may have had the ability to prevent or perpetuate. I recently found it difficult to accept my misfortunes for ineptitude or lack of preparation. Instead I called it “fate” or “destiny” that circumstances were not meant to work in my favor. In hindsight I realized I had allowed my passivity to compensate for my lack of commitment and courage to take risks. Granted, I do believe regardless …