The Writing Process- 1/29

What are the steps in the writing process? Why is this process useful?

Brainstorm topicsDecide on a topic

Brainstorm purpose/thesisWrite purpose/thesisBrainstorm supportDecide on support

OutlineWrite RD

Edit rough draft (peer or tutor)Revise to final draftProofread final draft

Turn in final draft

Journal #1Separate out a section of your notebook for journals. You’ll turn these in at the end of the year. Sweet.

Writing is worse than...

Which part of the writing process do you detest?Choose ONE:Brainstorming? Creating a thesis statement? Outlining? Actually writing? Revising? It can be anything else…

Then, compare that part of the process to something else that’s terrible. Clearly explain the connection between the two.

HomeworkYou have 2 options. For both of these options, please make sure to talk to a friend, not a stranger.1. Approach a friend and say, “I have such a

great story to tell you…” or something similar. Then record their reaction and explain why they reacted in such a way.

2. Approach a friend and say, “Tell me a story.” Record what happens and explain why that happened.

Narratives- 1/30Writing a story about you…

1. Descriptive / Narrative essay

schedule2. Klein’s story

3. Writing with a purpose

4. Implicit and Explicit thesis statements

What’s a narrative?First off, what’s a narrative?Story that’s written on account of something that ACTUALLY happened (non-fiction).

It’s a story. But, there’s always a purpose found within it.

Writing with a purpose: when to decide that purpose?

This can be a tricky question.

I’d like to see you decide a topic and brainstorm some of the details, then figure out what you’ve

learned.

That way, you can focus on writing about something you enjoy and not so much about the purpose.

However, it’s up to you how you get there.

How to get to that purpose?

O Beginning (exposition)

O Rising action- conflicts arise (internal or external)

O Climax- highest point of action

O Resolution- conflicts are resolved

O End (resolution)- purpose is either implicitly or explicitly stated

Explicit Thesis StatementsExplicit Thesis: thesis or purpose is clearly stated at the at some point in the narrative. It announces the purpose of the story rather than implying it.

When should you present this explicit thesis statement?- That depends.- Beginning- do you want your reader to know the

purpose right away because the story is confusing?- Middle- Is there a certain point in the story which

clearly illustrates the purpose?- Ending- Does your reader need to know the whole

story before hearing the thesis?

Explicit Thesis StatementsWhat makes a good explicit thesis?- You don’t say “The moral of the story is…”- The thesis statement resolves the central conflict of the

story.- It actually states the purpose of the story.

Good example:A story about a teenager who dislikes spending time with his family, and on a holiday, spends the whole day with that family. And clearly stated at the end of the story is:I guess I realized that life is better when you’re with the ones you love.

Bad Example

Implicit Thesis StatementsImplicit Thesis: thesis is implied (shown) through the description of events or characters in the story.

***An implicit thesis is typically a more difficult, but much better choice when writing a narrative.

When should you present this explicit thesis statement?- The full purpose of the story is usually realized at

the end.- However, breadcrumbs are left for the reader to

understand the purpose of the story.

Implicit Thesis StatementsWhat makes a good implicit thesis?- The purpose of the story is SHOWN through description and

conflicts, not TOLD. The conflicts are key in building the purpose of the story.

- The purpose is still clearly illustrated.

Good example:A story about a teenager who dislikes spending time with his family, and on a holiday, spends the whole day with that family. And in the last few lines the author describes the scene as:I looked down at the picture on my iPhone. I sat in the middle with my arm around my sister. My parents stood behind, with their hands on each of our shoulders. I stared at the picture for a moment. Then, I smiled.

HomeworkRead “An Unexpected Visitor” and answer the

questions

Descriptive Narratives- 1/31Writing a story about you…

1. Share last night’s homework2. Writing beginnings and

endings3. Journal

HW: - Read pages 98-101- take

notes!- Pick literary research books

for Monday! Be there at 6:30 AM to get first pick!

Writing BeginningsWhy is it important to write an effective beginning to a story?

Usually, we think of stories starting right at the beginning, but this usually leads to issues. Why do we think like that?

1. The sequence of beginning, middle, and end makes sense, but doesn’t work out so nicely with your memory.

2. Students often think a reader needs a set-up and background information to fully understand a story, but

this isn’t always true. Your mind is a powerful thing!3. Not all details are created equal. So, in general, a lot of

details doesn’t always mean a good start.

Writing Beginnings

So, where do you start?

This is entirely up to you, but effective beginnings usually

contain a few things:- Images that stand out.

- Introduction of characters.

- Intriguing dialogueOpening Scene Dialogue

Writing BeginningsDoes the beginning of your story have to

ultimately relate to the end?

- Not directly. You shouldn’t start on a completely unrelated note, though.

The ultimate purpose of writing an effective beginning is to create interest in the reader. Grab their attention. Think about Mr. Klein’s story from yesterday…how did it

start?

Writing BeginningsAnswer these questions when addressing each

beginning you see:

1. What’s good about this beginning (if anything)?2. What’s bad about this beginning (if anything)?

Use your notes as guidance.

Oh, and can you guess the title and author of each beginning?

Beginning #1When he was nearly thirteen, my

brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem’s fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury. His left arm was somewhat shorter than his right; when he stood or walked, the back of his hand was at right angles to his body, his thumb parallel to his thigh. He couldn’t have cared less, so long as he could pass and punt.

Beginning #2The “Red Death” had long devastated the

country. No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous. Blood was its Avatar and its seal - - the redness and the horror of blood. There were sharp pains, and sudden dizziness, and then profuse bleeding at the pores, with dissolution. The scarlet stains upon the body and especially upon the face of the victim, were the pest ban which shut him out from the aid and from the sympathy of his fellow-men. And the whole seizure, progress and termination of the disease, were the incidents of half an hour.

Beginning #3My dad left when I still had a month to go in

the darkroom, and historically when people have tried to figure me out (as in, “What went wrong?”), they usually conclude that Mom spoiled me; gave me everything I wanted because I had no pappy. Truth is, Mom thinks I’m a whole lot better off without that particular pappy and has told me a thousand times she’s glad I had the good sense to stay packed away until he split. They were young. My mother was my age now when I was born, and so was my dad.

Descriptive Narratives- 2/3

Writing a story about you…

1. Quiz2. Read “My Mother

Never Worked” on page 115

HW: - None. Rejoice.

HomeworkNONE!

Descriptive Narratives- 2/4

Writing a story about you…

1. Journal #22. Dialogue

3. Read “My Slide” on page 126

HW: - Photograph

Journal #2- 3 partsWhat if money were no object?

1. What would you do if money didn’t matter? Pick an occupation. Also, is this actually possible?

2. Write the beginning of a story when you first saw that occupation. Pretend like you were a small child and

start however you want to start. But, use the qualities of a good beginning we discussed. This might be

hard, but use the first thing that pops in your head. 3. Then, end in a way which illustrates your purpose.

Again, remember the qualities of a good ending.

Remember, your purpose is to illustrate that you want to do the above occupation. This won’t be perfect, but show

me you understand the skills we discussed.

What makes good dialogue?

O Slang. We all do it. It’s normal. It’s REAL.O Added actions in between lines:

O “Y’alright?” She twitched and scratched her head. “I wouldn’t a felt alright after that.”

O Add pauses to illustrate awkward moments or emotional emphasis.

O Add description to illustrate vocal differences. ONLY if necessary. If there’s nothing to point out, then leave it be.

Journal #3- Creeper Dialogue

Listen to someone’s conversation this afternoon/tonight.

This time do the following:1. Listen in on the conversation

between two to three people.2. Write ONLY the dialogue

between the people. Leave 2-3 spaces between each line.

3. Your dialogue should illustrate the age and gender of the participants. You SHOULD alter the dialogue to show this.

It HAS to be at least 10 lines!Make sure you can rip this one out of your notebook to turn in!

Creeper Journal Continued

- Exchange your dialogue with another person.- Other person: Guess the age and gender of

the participants. See if you’re right.

Follow-upThen, add specific description in the spaces provided to illustrate the scene. Use imagery, active verbs, and figurative language to add to the scene.

And now, entering the ring…O Hulk HoganO Now, pick your own entrance

music and decide what the song says about you. Would you be portrayed as a good guy or bad guy?

O Now, the hard part, I want you to try to actually describe the song. What does it sound like? What feelings does it create? What does it taste like? What images does it conjure up?

O Use FULL SENTENCES!

Descriptive Narratives

Writing a story about you…

1. Picture Descriptions2. Regret Journal

HW: - None

Picture Time- Put all of your pictures on the table.- You will receive a sheet which describes a picture.- Read the description and match it to the picture.- When you find the picture, take it back to your desk

and do the following:- Give at least 3 pieces of information which would have

made finding the picture a bit easier.- Could they have described something else in the picture

to create a more vivid image in your mind?- Could they have included a character in their description?

- Change at least 3 verbs used in the picture.- Add some dialogue to the piece.

Regret JournalNot all memories are good ones. But, some of those bad memories may have had greater impact on your life, either good or bad. It’s valuable to recall those memories, reflect on them, and associate ourselves with the feelings of that event.

Prompt:Recall an event in your life which you regret. It doesn’t have to be a huge event, but something you wish you had done differently. Put us in that scene and try to describe it such a way to illustrate a tone of regret. Think about word choice and how you describe images. It doesn’t have to be long. A paragraph or two will suffice.

Note: I want you to share this with at least one person in class.

Peer RevisionO Get with a partner.O Exchange your papers with another set of

partners.

O Read one of those papers at a time with your partner.

O Discuss the paper and fill out the sheet.O Read the next paper.

O Bring the revised papers back and sit down with that person to discuss the paper. Explain the feedback!!!

1/25/13: Creeper Journal

Part I: We’re going to take a trip to the cafeteria. I want you to find one person to observe in the cafeteria. More than anything, I want you to focus on their features and movements. Do they have long arms? How do they walk across the room? Do they have a big head? How do they interact with others? And so on…

You will have 7 total minutes to take as many detailed notes as you can.

1/25/13: Creeper JournalPart II: Using your notes, I want you to compare your person to an animal or inanimate object (it could also be a monster or fictitious character). Try to combine details from your notes with your knowledge of the inanimate object/animal. Moreover, try putting them in a scene of some sort.

The decorated, but young show dog prances across the stage. Thousands of fidgety fore fingers hammer down on cameras in the crowd. The dog’s swaying locks captivate the young crowd as girls compete to scream louder and gain his attention. He is not deterred. Choreographed moves are precise. Yalps serenate his audience. Barks carry past the screaming fans. He finishes his show and is pulled away by his master holding the reigns.

1/25/13: Creeper JournalPart II: Using your notes, I want you to compare your person to an animal or inanimate object (it could also be a monster or fictitious character). Try to combine details from your notes with your knowledge of the inanimate object/animal. Moreover, try putting them in a scene of some sort.

Think of new names for each picture of fashion you see. Think about connotation and imagery. Use the object’s appearance

to guide your renaming.

Describe at least 2 of the objects using the imagery techniques we’ve discussed. Specifically, use at least one of

these for two objects:- Simile

- Submerged metaphor

And, yes, you can describe more than two of these.

Seriously, there have to be better names for these things…

Renaming Fashion

The Clip-On Tie

Winklepickers

Opera Pumps

Deerstalkers

Knickerbockers

Bowyangs

Cravats

Monocles

The Fanny Pack

Sweater Vest

Describe Things

Watch this video.

The “Myth” of DescriptionOYou don’t need to pile on all kinds of

adjectives, similes, and metaphors to describe something in detail – use those verbs!

OLet your verbs DO WORK!O Example…

Instead of saying, “old, gray, stooped and crippled man,” consider using an action verb:O“The old man limped toward

me.”

Quick Verb Review1) State-of-being

verbs, which include all forms of to be.

is, was, were, are, am, be, being, have been

2) Helping verbs, which help the main verb in a phrase to tell about an action.

must is do should have will

may was does could has can

might were did would had shall

are

am

be

being

been

Quick Verb Review3) Action verbs, which include thousands

of words, such as throw, catch, run, and sit.

**While state-of-being and helping verbs are central to English, writers often become lazy and forget about the mother lode of action verbs available to them.

“So what can I do, Kleiner?”

1) Omit state-of-being and helping verbs.

Original: Her voice is as soft as a summer’s eve, and the way it bends is like a pine tree in a storm.

Revision: Her voice, soft as a summer’s eve, bends like a pine tree in a storm.

“So what can I do, Kleiner?”2) Replace state-of-being and helping verbs

with more active verbs.

Original: My uncle only has a high school diploma.

Revision: My uncle only earned a high school diploma.

“So what can I do, Kleiner?”3) Replace state-of-being and helping verbs

with active verbs rich in imagery.

Original: This one time he was making sandwiches and needed lettuce.

Revision: One time, while slapping sandwiches together…

“So what can I do, Kleiner?”4) Avoid the passive voice*.

Original: The ball was thrown by Luis.

Revision: Luis threw the ball.

*With the passive voice, the subject is acted upon. While this construction may be necessary at times, the active voice is usually clearer and more powerful. Also, note that using active voice eliminates a helping verb.

Let’s try again…Watch the same video and alter your verb choice.

Mudd

Two ChoicesOption 1: “I Spy…”

Find at least 2 everyday objects in the room. Try to look at them from an unordinary way. Stand over it. Lie underneath it. Smell it. Talk to it. Does it talk back?

Describe that object in great detail using imagery, metaphors, similes, submerged metaphors, and quality verb choice.

Most importantly, put this thing in motion or in some sort of scene.

Option 2: “Sweet like a crow…”

Complete the activity on page 61 with a maximum of 3 people per group. Write your little verse on a piece of construction paper and attempt to illustrate what’s being presented.

Remember, use all of the descriptive techniques we’ve discussed.

I’ll play some music to give you an actual voice to describe.

1/31/13- Journal

“Everything is amazing and nobody is happy”

A couple of things are brought up here:

“…wasted on the crappiest generation of just spoiled idiots.”- Do you agree with this

statement? Hint: He’s talking about your generation.

“…maybe we need some time where we’re walking around with a donkey and pots clanging…”- Do you think we, as humans,

are losing our humanity because of technology? What else have we lost because of technology?

Other thoughts?

Rockstar lines…Aggression will consume a person and chew them to the bone with its grinding teeth.

Optimism wags its tail back and forth waiting your every move.

Remorse is the sound of coins jingling in a jar that is held by a beggar.

Joy is like the crisp woodchips roasting in the open sun on a Saturday afternoon.

Rockstar lines…Disappointment is the smell of a used diaper.

Remorse is white noise. The soft music playing. The shuffle of papers. Distant murmurs of people.

Disappointment is a cigarette that has fallen to the ground and caught loose papers on fire.

Remorse sounds like the ticking of a clock while your parents are arguing downstairs.

Optimism is a baby watermelon before it’s ripe.

Finding a TopicThis sounds a lot easier than it is.

Big topics are fine: birthdays, deaths, etc.

But, these can sound too formal. I said this. He said that. This happened.

You want this to answer questions like:- How did this event change you?- What did it mean to you?- How did it impact events later in life?

Big events can answer these, but you’re often stuck with a statement like:“It was memorable.” Boring.

Finding a TopicFocus on events which seemed to be more poignant in your life. Maybe your 13th birthday was a bash, but that argument with your BFF right beforehand caused you to think about the value of friendship.

Right now, you don’t need to know your topic. But, you’ll create a sort of “bank” of topics as we progress. Of course, you’re not limited to these ideas.