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WRTG:3020588TopicsInWriting

SecondWorkshop:The"I"andLookingatContextandPurposein
TravelWriting
Thepurposeofthisweek'sworkshopassignmentistostartpushingyoutowardthinkingMOREaboutsubjectivityin
TravelWriting,tohelpyoustartinvestigatingsomenewissuesrelatedtosubjectivity(like,forexample,"objectivity")in
travelwritinginrelationtoliteraryvs.journalistictravelwritinggenres,andtostartmakingsomebigconnectionsbetween
whatyou'vedonesofarandsomethinkingabouttheRhetoricalSItuationsyouengageasyoudotravelwriting.
It'sgotTWOpartsapieceofcriticalwriting(startingtoplayalittleinthecriticalareasoftheTravelWritingfield)andapiece
ofcollegialrhetoricalanalysisforpublicationsupport.
ANDREMEMBER:Ourworkshopsarenotabouttrying'fix'eachother'swriting.Sodon't.Ourworkshopsarepracticesin
CRITICALTHINKINGANDITSWRITTENAPPLICATION.So,theyarereallyCRITICALWRITINGassignmentsintendedto
giveyounewideasaboutTravelWritingandbeingaTravelWriterandtoprovideotherswithrealcritical(meaning,
ANALYTICAL,notcritiquebased)writingabouttheirwork.

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Part1:AnalyzingtheSubject/Subjectivity(theproblemofthe"I")inTravelWriting
TheissueweplayedwithlastweekwascalledTheProblemoftheSubjectorTheProblemofSubjectivityinTravel
Writing.
Now,IwantyoutowriteABOUTthatproblemINyourclassmates'work.
So,forthispartoftheworkshopassignment,youareadoptingtheauthorialpositionoftheTravelWritingCritic
thepersonwhoisa(proto)expertinTravelWriting.Thisistheothersideoftravelwritingadifferentversionofwhatit
meanstobeatravelwriternotjustapersonwhotravelsandwritesabouttravels,butapersonwhospecializesinthat
kindofwritingandissuesrelatedtothatkindofwriting.Apersonwhowritesaboutthetravelwritingofothertravel
writers.
You,asapersonwhoknowsstuffaboutTravelWriting,areproducingapieceofcriticalwritingabouttheproblem
ofthesubject/theproblemofsubjectivityinthe'published'workofyourclassmates(giventhatwearequite
literallypublishingourworkeachweekinthe'journal'ofWeeklyPostsonReadingsandExpeditions,sotospeakour
weeklydiscussionforumsendupactuallyworkingjustlikeanyothertravelwritingmarketinwhichtravelwritersyou
allpublishpiecesoftravelwritingforactualreaderswhoactuallygotothatmarkettoreadtravelwritingagain,you
allwe'lltalkalittlemoreaboutthisinPart2ofthisworkshop.)
REQUIREMENTS:
Yourcriticalessayabouttheproblemofsubjectivity/thesubjectintravelwriting,asseenintheworksoftwoofyour
classmates,shouldbe:
8001000words(ormoreiffine,ifyou'vegotmoretosay)
HIGHLYanalytical,carefullybreakingdownactualquotesandparaphrasesyou'vetakenfromtextsyouread
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andresearchedtoactuallySHOWwhatyou'retalkingaboutclearlyandconclusively
Neitherflatteringnorcritiquingyourclassmates'workjustmakingasingle,solid,HIGHLYPERSUASIVE
ARGUMENTabouttheproblemofthesubject/subjectivityintravelwriting,asseeninthesetwotravelwriters'
works.
VerycarefullyEDITEDandPROOFREAD.
*******************************************************************************************************************************

Here's what you do:

1)READTWOofyourclassmates'posts,thetwowhopostAFTERyoudid.So,ifyoupostedFIRST,you'llreadthe
secondandthirdposts.IfyoupostedLAST,you'llreadthefirstandsecondposts.
You'rereadingthesetravelwriters'worksasatravelwritingcritic,andyou'reFOCUSINGontheproblemofthe
subject/theproblemofsubjectivityinTravelWritingandthesetwopiecesareyourprimaryEXAMPLES.Thesetwo
textsaretheonesyou'repullingoutfromthevastspectrumofavailabletravelwritingouttheretoanalyzeandmakean
ARGUMENTabouttheproblemofthesubject/theproblemofsubjectivityintravelwriting.
Yourjobistomakeabigclaimaboutthisissueintravelwritingandtouseyourtwoclassmates'piecesasEXAMPLES
toSHOWreadersthatyou'reright.So,asyouread,takenotes,pulloutquotes,andpreparetomakeanARGUMENT
topeoplewhoareinterestedinthetravelwritingABOUTthisbigissueofsubjectivity/thesubjectintravelwriting.
2)REVIEWwhatyoureadlastweekin"UnravelingtheTravelingSelf"inTheTravelingandWriting
SelfbyMargueriteHelmers&TilarMazzeoandoutofCambridgeScholarsPublishing,Chapter1,pgs.119.Pullout
QUOTESandPARAPHRASESfromthischapter(oranyotherchapterintherethatseemsinterestingtoyou)toUSE
toANALYZEexamplesinyourclassmates'work.
3)RESEARCHAsyoufurtherpreparetomakethisargument,doalittleresearch(30minutesorso)toreadNEW
thingsaboutSubjectivity,TheSubject,and/orWriting/TravelWriting.Usethisresearchtosophisticateyourthinking
abouttheproblem.Andthen,USEthatresearchtoANALYZEexamplesinyourclassmates'work.Thesecouldcome
fromeitheranyhighlyrespectabletravelwritingmarketorfromsomekindofmorescholarlysourcesin
philosophy,literarycriticism,mediacriticism,masscommunications,pyschology,etc.(IrecommendhittingGOOGLE
BOOKSandGOOGLESCHOLAR).Ifyourclassmates'workismoreintheJOURNALISTICgenre,itmakessenseto
focusmoreonsourcesrelatedtothemedia,tojournalism,tocommunications.Ifyourclassmates'workismoreinthe
LITERARYgenre,itmakessensetofocusmoreonsourcesfromliterarystudies,philosophy,narratology,poetics,
linguistics,andsoon.Iwanttoseeyoumakingsophisticated,wellinformedCHOICESaboutthesourcesyouuseto
createacredibleethosforyourselfasahighleveltravelwritingcritic.(We'reworkingonwhat'scalledyour'information
literacy'here.)
**PayattentioninthesesourcestowhatELSEcomesupinrelationtotheproblemofTheSubject/Subjectivitythatyou
relatetoTravelWriting.AreyouseeingwordslikeObjectivity?TheSelf?TheOther?Alterity?Postcolonialism?Ethics?
Payattentiontothese,anddrawintheonesyouthinkaremostrelevanttoyourclassmates'workasPARTofyour
argumentabouttheproblemofTheSubject/SubjectivityinTravelWriting.
4)Writeyourcriticalessay.Itshouldlooklikeacriticalessayabouttravelwriting.NeedaMODELforcriticalessays
aboutravelwriting?LookattheFIRSTtwothirdsofReed'sessayinBestAmericanTravelWriting2012,whichyou
readlastweek,andlookatANYoftheessaysinthatcollectionofessays,TheTravelingandWriting
SelfbyMargueriteHelmers&TilarMazzeo,whichyoureadthefirstchapterinlastweek,allofwhicharegreat
modelsforwhatwe'redoinghere.

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Part2:AnalyzingtheRhetoricalSituationofTravelWriting
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Now,we'reswitchingauthorialrolesagainthistimetoFellowTravelWriter,ratherthanTravelWritingCritic.
AsaFellowTravelWriter,you'rejobforthissecondpartoftheworkshopisnottoadoptanauthorialroleasa(proto
)expertinTravelWritingbuttoadopttheauthorialroleofaworkingtravelwritertalkingtoyourCOLLEAGUES(other
travelwriterswhomyourespectastravelwriterstryingtomakeintheworld,justlikeyouare).
Yourjobis,again,NOTtotryto'fix'yourcolleagues'work.Chancesare,youdon'thaveanybetterideareally
howtodothatthantheydo.And,evenifyoudo,tellingacolleague,anequal,thatyouarecertainyouknowbetterthan
heorshedoesaboutsomethingheorsheisdoingisagreatwaytoimmediatelyalienateyourcolleaguesandmake
yourselflooklikeaknowitall,evenwhenyoudon'tmeantowhichoftenmeans,despitetheverybestofintentions,
youradvicegetstotallyignored.Inwhichcase,youendupwastingyourtimeandenergygivingadvicethatfallson
deafears.Evenwhenit'sgoodadvice.So,don'tbethatguy/girl.
Instead,focusontalkingtoyourcolleaguesASCOLLEAGUES,asequals,aspartofanactivecommunityof
developingprosalltryingequallytofigureouthowtomakeitoutthere.
So,youcouldthinkofyourrolehereasmoreaSUPPORTroleyou'resupportingyourcolleaguesastheytryto
figureouthowtomakeitastravelwriters.
Now,we'vebeentalkingforafewweeks,indifferentways,abouttherelationshipbetweenTopic,Story,andPurpose
intravelwriting.WhatweneedtodonowislearnhowtoactuallySITUATEthatlearningaboutwhattodoasatravel
writerinarealPLACE,inarealSITUATION.That'showwemakeallofwhatwe'redoingMATTER.
EnterTheRhetoricalSituationsortoflike'EntertheDragon,'butwithpeoplelikeLloydBitzerplayingBruceLee's
partandRichardVatzplayingthebadguyintheroomofmirrors(lookitupit'sfunny,Iswear).
******************************************************************************************************************************

Now, Here's What You Do

1)Read,Research,andAnalyzethepotentialRHETORICALCONTEXTandRHETORICALPURPOSE,giventhat
context,ofyourcolleagues'work.Thisisactuallyafairlystandardthingthattravelwriterstendtodoforeachotheras
colleagueshelpeachotherfigureoutwheretheymighttrytopublishsomethingthey'reworkingonandthenhowto
adjustthepiecetomakeitworkreallywellinthatmarket.Butit'sa,'hey,letsanalyzeandfigurethisouttogether'kind
ofshindignota,'sure,sendmeyourdraft,andI'lltellyouhowtofixit,seeingasI'mallknowingandhaveanemail
address'kindathing.
So,whatthatmeansyou'redoingisactuallyhelpingyourtwocolleagues(thetwowriterswhoseworkyoujustwrotea
criticalessayabout)toanalyzeandworksuccessfullyinaRHETORICALSITUATIONoftravelwriting.
ThisshouldberingingsomebellsfromyourIntroRhetoricandWritingclassearlierinyourcollegecareerandit
should,seeingasallWRTG3020courses(likethisone)areconstructedtoBUILDonwhatyoustartedlearningthere.
RhetoricalSituation.ThereareLOTSofversionofwhatthatphrasemeans,butthemostcommononeusedinWriting
circlesisthis:ArhetoricalsituationisanysituationthatincludesaWriter,aReader,aText,aPurpose,andaContext.
So,whatwe'refocusingonhereisthelasttwoofthosefiveverybasicelementsofanyrhetoricalsituation.You'rejust
makingmorespecific.Yourasking,"WhatistheCONTEXToftravelwriting?"and"WhatisthePURPOSEoftravel
writinginthatcontext?"
So,readyourtwocolleagues'pieces,andhelpthemresearchandanalyzethepotential:
A)CONTEXTofTheirWork
Whatwouldbetheactual,physicalcontextinwhichthispiecewouldappear?Ablog?Anewspaper?A
magazine?Woulditbealiterarymagazine?Ajournalisticpublication?Aguidebook?Whichones?LITERALLY
GOFINDANACTUALPUBLICATIONwhereyourcolleagues'piecesmightfitinwellandEXPLAIN
exactlyWHYitwouldfitinthere.Bespecific.Usequotes/paraphrasesthatyouANALYZEtoSHOWthem
whatyou'reseeinghere.
Justheadingoffapointofpossibleconfusionhere:"So,amIsupposedfindonemarketforBOTHofthese
writers'works,oramIsupposedtofindoneforthefirstoneandadifferentmarketforthe
second?"ANSWER:Eitherwayisfineuseyourbestjudgement.So,ifyoufindonethatfitsforboth
pieces,great.Ifnot,youneedtwo.JustmakesureyoucanACCURATELYplacethepieceinthatjournal.
So,ifyoujustgrabbedoneforBOTHbecauseyoudidn'tfeellikegrabbingoneforEACH,makedarnsure
it'sareally,reallygoodfitandnotjustsomethingconvenientyourcolleaguesaregoingtohavetoDO
somethingwithwhatyousayso,beaccurate,beconscientious,bethorough.
Writethisup,andgivethelinks.It'snothypotheticalyou'rereallylookingforaplacetoactuallypublishsome
versionofyourcolleague'spieces.So,doitforreal,yo.(300500words).
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B)PURPOSEofWorksinThisMarket
BECAUSEyou'resuggestinganactualMARKET(aspecificpublication)wherethispiecemightfitit,youshould
beabletosay(WITHEVIDENCE)whatthegeneralpurposeofthiskindofwritingseemstobe.So,saywhat
thepurposeofthekindoftravelwritinginthatmarketseemstobe.Saywhatthosewritersseemtobe
tryingtoactuallyaccomplish,whattheiractualgoalsfortheirworkseemstobe.(Keepinmind,I'm
talkingabouttheworkthat'salreadybeenpublishedinthismarketnotyourcolleagues'workwe'llgetbackto
theminaminute.)So,doesthekindofwritinginthispublicationseemmostlytotrytoINFORM?toraiseand
arguesocial,economic,orculturalISSUES?toENTERTAIN?somecombinationthese?AndHOWDOTHEY
DOIT?WhatisINthewritingthatseemstobeintherespecificallytoachievethatgoal?Pick'emoutandpoint
themouttoyourcolleagues.Thatwayyoucanactuallysaythis:
Basedonmyanalysisofthewritinginthismarket,whichI'vealreadyexplainedthatIthinkwouldbea
greatpotentialmarketforyourpiece(andwhy),hereare35thingsyoumightconsiderdoingifyouwant
topublishithere._____________________________________________
Writethisup.It'snothypotheticalyou'rereallylookingforawaytoactuallyhelpyourcolleaguespublishtheirworkin
thismarketbyprovidingyourexpertanalysisoftheRhetoricalPurposeofpublishedwritinginthatmarket.So,doitfor
real,yo.(300500words).

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Edit,Proofread,andPost!
PutyourCriticalEssay(Part1)andyourRhetoricalAnalysis(Part2)intoonedocument.Then,CAREFULLYeditand
proofreadyourwork.
Then,COMPAREyourworktotheGradingRubricforWorkshops(inthetabtotheleftunderWeeklyWorkshops),and
makeanylastrevisions/additions/substractionsyoustillneedtodo,basedontherubric.
Then,POSTyourworkshopassignmentHERE.
MakesureyouputtheFULLNAMEoftheTWOCLASSMATES YOURWROTEABOUT/FORinthe
MessageTitleLinesothey'llknowwheretolookforyourwritingaboutthem.

COPYANDPASTEyourworkintothemessageboxsowedon'tallhavetodownloadthefileeverytimewe
wanttoreadit.
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SecondWorkshop

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