Alicia Rasley

PROFILE

Trained editor and writer, college writing instructor, writing center tutor (in-person and online), online course consultant, essay exam scorer and consultant, fiction and non-fiction editor.

EXPERIENCE

2006 – Present Online Writing Advisor

I have served as a tutor at the Indiana University Writing Center at Indianapolis and the University of Maryland Effective Writing Center (online), tutoring all levels of clients, including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staffmembers. My experience with ESL clients is extensive, and I have worked closely with several ESL graduate students on research articles and dissertations. I have also taught and tutored many remedial and basic writers. My handouts on such writing subjects as essay introductions and conclusions, comma use, and topic sentences are currently used by several writing centers. Finally, I have been an in-classroom writing adviser/coach for many graduate and undergraduate courses, including all levels of composition and literature courses, business and management courses, and upper-level information-science classes. I have taught and tutored students in many disciplines and documentation formats (APA, MLA, Chicago).

1996 – Present Writing Instructor (Online and Classroom)

As an instructor, I have taught composition, business writing, technical writing, research writing, remedial writing, analytical writing, argument writing, and literature at a major state university (Indiana University-Indianapolis), a community college (Ivy Tech), and a private university (Butler). I was one of the first writing instructors to teach fiction-writing online, and I give in-person workshops across the country to writing groups. I have experience at designing curriculum, individual courses, and course material. I have recently started a distance-ed design certificate program (graduate level), and have designed two online-platform courses, and many courses taught by email and forum. Currently I teach composition at the University of Maryland University College.

2009 – 2011 Stonecoast MFA program, Visiting Professor

In the University of Southern Maine low-residency MFA program, I presented programs on Writing Emotion, Writing Romance, The Literature of Emotion. I have also mentored graduate students at several stages in the two-year program. In addition, I have supervised residency-centered workshops where students read and discuss each other’s work.

Specifics of Teaching Experience:

1978-1980, 2014 Butler University

Critical Reading
Critical Writing
Honors Seminar: Shakespeare/Writing Workshop

1990-1995 Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis:

Freshman Comp 1
Business and Professional Writing
Academic and Research Writing
Introduction to Literature
Writing Center (working with new students, non-traditional students, ESL students, and graduate students)

1996-present: Ivy Tech Community College

Freshman Comp 1-2
Argument Writing
Researched Academic Writing
Business and Technical Writing

2007-present: University of Maryland (UC), Online Writing Center

I have served as a guest lecturer/writing coach in dozens of online courses in many different disciplines, from Anthropology to Writing for Business.

2008-2009 University of Southern Maine MFA Program

Literature of Emotion
Romance Writing
Novel Workshop
Writing Emotion Without Sentimentality

2011-2015 Indiana Writer’s Center

Fiction Plotting
Voice and Point of View in Fiction
Building Scenes with the Magic Rule of Three
The Truth about Publishing

1994-Present: Fiction-writing Workshops and Online Courses

I have also taught many workshops for professional and aspiring novelists, at writing conferences and writing groups in the 30 states and Canada. I also teach fiction-writing courses online for several organizations. A sampling of these courses and workshops includes:

The Three Acts in Dramatic Plotting
Dialogue Dynamics
Character Channeling: Journey, Motivation, and Goal
Writing Emotionally
Pacing Your Novel
Revising and Reinventing Your Novel
Point of View and Your Story
Discovering and Refining Your Writing Voice
Surviving and Thriving in the New Publishing Industry

Additionally, I have coached and mentored many writers, from a NY Times best-seller to fourth-grade students. I offer creative writers both acceptance and analytical strategies for plotting and revision.

EDUCATION

5/2013- present

Started MS in Distance Education Teaching and Training, GPA: 4.0

Major coursework:

Learning Theory in Online Education

Graduate Research Methods

5/1994

Butler University

MA in English, summa cum laude, GPA 4.0

Thesis– The Family Vault: Women Buried Alive in Three Poe Tales
Major coursework: Advanced Grammar
Linguistics and language history
Teaching composition
British and American literature

5/1980 Butler University

BA in English, GPA 3.7

Major coursework: British Literature

American Literature

Creative Writing and Editing

TECHNOLOGY

I am experienced in online classroom platforms including LEO, Blackboard, Tycho, Oncourse, Moodle, D2L, Haiku, email and chat delivery, formats and apps such as wiki, discussion forums, blogs, interactive video, audio, chat, conference call, writing labs, interactive database.
I am trained and experienced in teaching research writing, including all the main documentation styles, especially APA.

Publications:

Edittorrent: A popular blog discussing editing and writing issues.

The Writer’s Corner: A website with dozens of my free writing articles.

Nine novels and two writing books.

Many articles in trade magazines such as Writer’s Digest and RWR.

Instructional Materials for Faculty and Writers:

Keep It Positive: The Art of Affirmative Advising (a manual for online faculty and writing centers).

Thesis Statements by Analysis Type and Assignment Type

Form Drives Content: Using the Thesis to Expand Analysis of the Topic

Quick Proofreading Fixes for College Papers

Introduction Paragraphs Broken Down

Deconstructing the Rhetorical Analysis

To Improve Your Paper, Narrow the Topic

Basics for the Topic Sentence

Whole > Sum of Parts: Insightful Conclusions for Analytical Papers

Point of View for Fiction Writers

Shakespeare’s Worldview as a Theme

Using Hegelian Dialectic Format to Craft Your Novel Theme

Reviving Buffy: Denial of Death in Fanfiction

Sharks in the Water: Avoiding Scams in Publishing

Multiplicity: Are Writers Insane?

The Myths of Deep Point of View

Making Your Voice Vivid

Subtext: The Fourth Dimension of Story

Oedipus the King and Plot Flashbacks

Pacing Your Plot

The Three Acts of Plot

The Very First Paragraph

The Magic Rule of Three in Scene Design

Opening Your Novel: The First Scene

Exercises for Motivating Your Characters

Character Development Exercises

The Major Turning Points

Dialogue as Action and Interaction

Turbo-tightening Checklist

Who Cares? Character Values and Conflict

Narrowing in on Point of View

Being, Doing, Becoming: The Heroic Flaw

Character Sympathy Without Saintliness

Changes and Choices: External Action and Internal Reaction

Buttinskis: Mentors, Meddlers, and Matchmakers

Starting Small and Building a Plot

The Price of Love

Troublemakers

External Conflict Worksheet

Top Ten Power Busters

The Internal Journey