On-demand Practice Work.
Instead of classic DOLs, we'll practice some steps of writing on-demands.
1. PREPARATION: Five minutes of pre-planning:
Topic A: What superpower would you most like to have, and why?
Topic B: What is the worst, most difficult job you can imagine, and why? Be detailed and CLEAR.
Topic C: One memorable day a few years ago, our dog managed to get sprayed by a skunk at 5:30 in the morning. He then raced into the house and made us all stink like skunk, too.
•What outrageous animal/pet stories do you have to tell? Choose one that is famous or infamous in your memory and experience, and retell it in all its glory.
2. WRITING BLAST: Fifteen minutes of "Just jump in there" writing.
A. Using the preparation you did for Topic A, write for 15 minutes (if you didn't do it, just write cold, or use five minutes to prep now).
B. Using the preparation you did for Topic B, write for 15 minutes (if you didn't do it, just write cold, or use five minutes to prep now).
C. Using the preparation you did for Topic C, write for 15 minutes (if you didn't do it, just write cold, or use five minutes to prep now).
3. FOCUS: Fifteen minutes focused on the most important points you need to make!
A. For topic A, choose the most important point you have to make and write a really focused few sentences or paragraph on it. Don't worry about intro/order/etc--just get right into the best part. If that's what you wrote for your writing blast, review it and improve it for the 15 minutes allowed.
B. . For topic B, choose the most important point you have to make and write a really focused few sentences or paragraph on it. Don't worry about intro/order/etc--just get right into the best part. If that's what you wrote for your writing blast, review it and improve it for the 15 minutes allowed.
C. For topic C, choose the most important point you have to make and write a really focused few sentences or paragraph on it. Don't worry about intro/order/etc--just get right into the best part. If that's what you wrote for your writing blast, review it and improve it for the 15 minutes allowed.
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General Suggestions (You’ve met the General, right?):
1. development: try to give complete answers or pictures when you write. Don’t leave your reader confused by too few details. If you’re storytelling, remember to use all your senses and to “show, not tell”. Try to use MOST of the time you have for WRITING, not for correcting.
2. organization. Plan out what your points are going to be (that’s called. . . . pre-planning??? :) ) so that you can make them flow well and so you can decide on order before you start to write. Try to make your writing clear and specific, using good examples or nouns rather than pronouns: “It was great to see it when it got light enough. . . .”. vs “My heart leapt when the early light illuminated the car’s outline. . . “. As we’ve been discussing in your critical writing, write what you mean. Mean what you write. Don’t let little words like prepositions or unclear pronouns muddy up your points.
voice: Use vivid, precise words and sound interested in what you’re writing! Strong description and verbs can help you tell your story and sound like yourself---did your head “hurt” or was it “numb as a pounded thumb”? Did you “walk” or did you “limp” off the field? Feel free to make your reader feel like s/he is eavesdropping on your innermost thoughts!
--Suggestion: try to develop a sense of what your writing sounds like (might be a reason to turn off the ipod occasionally). Note how much more you catch when I ask you to read your paper out loud to me? Develop that habit with your creative writing and you’ll develop a much stronger sense of your own voice. A good sense of flow and cadence can help you decide when you’re ready for a long sentence, when it’s time to be super short, and when you have too much packed into a section. After you’ve written for a bit, plug your ears so you hear inside your head (yes, that’s a technical English term) and read your paper in a low mutter. How does it flow? Sound? “Feel”? Adjust accordingly (then turn the ipod back on).
polish/editing. Take five minutes to preplan and then five more to review at the end. Again, try to hear the words in your head so you can see if the sentences are all choppy (“It was cold. I was tired. It was night. We were hungry.”) or if you’ve missed words or left out key details. Could you use a vocab word--or at least a good verb in place of a “was”? Feel free to cross out, to use arrows or numbers. “Polish” refers to the CONTENT OF the final PRODUCT, not its LOOK!