September 12

September 12
Self-Starter: Students wrote (in their notebooks) a lead (beginning) for a story about the picture they viewed on the overhead.
If you were absent, write a great lead for a story of your choice.

1. About Leads --
Students received two tape-in's about leads for their notebooks.

"Good writers sweat their leads." -- Nancy Atwell

The lead is critical because it: (a) sets the tone, (b) determines the content and direction of the piece, (c) establishes the voice and verb tense, (d) beguiles -- or doesn't -- the potential reader."

It's a good idea to "start your story in the story." Often you've already written a good lead, but it is buried in the story. Richard Peck (famous author for young adults and children) recommends writing your story, then cutting off about the first two pages.

Three types of narrative leads:
1. action
2. dialogue
3. reaction or thought

"Much of a writer's work is to generate options and make deliberate choices."
-- Atwell and Dorsey

"A lead you love will fuel you as a writer."

A sample GREAT lead from our class:
Ring, Ring. “Will you send Tori down to the office,” the loud speaker said. As I walk down the hall hoping they have the wrong Tori, “I didn’t do anything today,” I thought to myself. When it hit me – Paul’s MRI was today – my pace quickened along with my heartbeat. (Tori 9/07)


2. Writer's Workshop -- revising the memoir they typed in the computer writing lab. They will revise and edit, and on September 20, we will return to the computer lab to create quality (final) drafts of these memoirs. Today they should have tried out one or two different leads for their memoirs.