Creative Writing

Using Mentor Texts

Welcome! My plan for today is to guide you to:

• Choose a mentor text that you will use as a model or inspiration for your own poem.

• Read, annotate and discuss what you notice in a mentor text.

• Write a poem or paragraph inspired by a mentor text.

• Share your writing with a classmate, and give specific positive feedback to one another.

Handout

Begin with a 3 minute meditation.

Read

Choose one of the following texts to enjoy:

• wherever i'm at that land is Chicago by Jose Olivarez

• Deathscape Lullaby  by Cynthia Cruz

• not quiet as in quiet but by Victoria Adukwei Bulley

Annotate & Discuss

• What do you notice first? What stands out to you?

• What was your favorite line? What did you like about it?

• What do you notice about:

  • Writing style

  • Structure

  • Word choice

  • Punctuation

  • Literary techniques

  • Themes

• What do you want to try in your own writing?

Write

Write for at least 10 minutes. Draft a poem or paragraph that incorporates something you liked about your mentor text.

Share

Please consider sharing part of your work at the end of class. There are several options for sharing:

• Choose a line from writing to share with your small group.

• Read your poem/paragraph aloud in your small group.

• Write your favorite line from your poem/paragraph on the whiteboard. 

• Post your poem/paragraph on our creative writing workshop discussion board.

  • Discussion Board: Please feel free to share your creative writing here and/or read your classmates' creative writing and give positive feedback.

    • Post poetry or prose, and include a few sentences of author's commentary. If you are posting prose, please be sure to indicate whether it is fiction or nonfiction.

      • Author's commentary ideas:

        • What inspired you to write this poem or paragraph?

        • What technique did you try in this poem or paragraph? 

        • What is the title and author of your mentor text?

        • How did you structure your poem or paragraph?

        • What are you planning to do next with this piece? Do you plan to add more? If so, what are you thinking of adding? Are you interested in publishing this piece?

        • A sentence about the author (you).

    • Reply to a classmate's writing with positive constructive feedback. Be sure to explain: 

      • What did you notice in your classmate's writing? (Be specific) What did you like about it? What line that stood out to you? 

      • Why did this stand out to you? What did you like about it?

      • What did it make you think of? 

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Putting the Pieces Together

Handout

Begin with a 3 minute meditation.

Read

Choose one of the following texts to enjoy:

• Poem

• Podcast

Discuss

Write

Write for at least 10 minutes. Draft a poem or paragraph 

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