Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Happy Week Before Christmas Break!

Prompt:  You will receive three candies.  Describe one or more of them  as thoroughly as possible.  

https://jellybelly.com/info/funstuff/Flavor_Guides


2.  Students wrote (in their notebooks) a lead (beginning) for a story about the picture they viewed on the overhead.

Respond to this picture with a lead for a story based on it.   A lead is the beginning of the story.

Leads 

1. About Leads --
Students received a tape-in 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)

Leads tape-in 2012.doc  Click on the Download Tab after going to this link.

Titles 

“Much of a writer’s work is to
generate options
and make deliberate choices.”
--Atwell and Dorsey

Some Thoughts on Titles
-- Students often select titles that are
Labels – “When I Tried Out for The Wizard of Oz”
“My Dog”
or Clichés – “The Best Christmas Ever,”
“The Winning Goal”

-- Look for a word or phrase in your writing that
sums up your story or essay.
(and/or) Generate other ideas for the title.
• Discard it if it is too misleading.
• Discard it if it is cliché.
• Discard it if it is just a label.

-- Sometimes you can tweak a tired title to tantalize:
“Dorothy, the Wizard, and Me”
“My Life as a Dog” (I haven’t read the book or seen the movie, but it does have an intriguing title.)
“The Best Misery”
“The Losing Goal”

--Effective titles tend to be intriguing, memorable, distinct, deliberate.

-- Consider the theme of the piece when selecting a title.

--You may begin with a title or (more often) not select a title until the piece is otherwise finished and polished.

Computer Lab 211