The Secrets of Excellent Writing…

OBJECTIVE

• Students will continue borrow ideas from a writer (including their classmates) in order to discover writing ideas!
• Students will identify features of a good story in order to write their own stories.

THE SECRETS OF EXCELLENT WRITING
Gary Soto’s writing technique: Think about an object, scene, character, or image from the past that sparks a strong memory. When you write, you should be painting an image with words.
Image: A strong picture, like a photo or painting, that a person associates with a particular person, event, subject.

ANOTHER WORD FOR YOUR GLOSSARY OF LITERARY TERMS
METAPHOR: A comparison of two nouns not using like or as suggesting a likeness or similarity between the two nouns.

SPARK YOUR CREATIVITY
When you are called on, respond with an event, idea or BRIEF story that the image reminds you of.


















STRONG IMAGES FROM "THE JACKET", by Gary Soto
“When I needed a new jacket and my mother asked what kind I wanted, I described something like biker’s wear: black leather and silver studs with enough belts to hold down a small town. We were in the kitchen, steam on the windows from her cooking. She listened so long while stirring dinner that I thought she understood for sure the kind I wanted. The next day when I got home from school, I discovered draped on my bedpost a jacket the color of day-old guacamole. I threw my books on the bed and approached the jacket slowly, as if it were a stranger whose hand I had to shake. I touched the vinyl sleeve, the collar, and peeked at the mustard-colored lining.”

How does Soto make descriptive images?

• Soto starts by recalling strong images from his adolescence.
• Then, he turns the image into a title.
• He allows the image in his mind (and the strong memories he associates with it) lead him as he writes.
• The titles are the word “The” plus the name of the object, person, or subject. (“The Locket,” “The River,” “The Grandfather,” “The Promises,” “The In-Between Dinner Snacks,” “The Talk,” “The Concert”)
• “The” + Noun or Phrase

STRONG IMAGES THAT MAY LEAD TO WRITING IDEAS

• the socks
• the long race
• the starter earrings
• the biggest spanking ever
• the Waycross drive-thru

IN YOUR WRITER'S NOTEBOOK...

10/16/2008 Images That May Lead to Writing Ideas

List as many “The” + noun/phrase (“the spanking”) that bring strong memories to mind as you can. You’ll share out when the five minutes are over.

Use all of your time. I want to hear a long list.

Images=people, places, events, objects

Partner Share
• Break into pairs.
• Decide who goes first.
• The first writer reads aloud his/her list of images.
• The partner selects one image that’s especially interesting and asks the writer to tell the story behind the image.
• Repeat the process.
• Each partner is given 5 minutes to read and tell story.

Next Steps
• Review your list by scanning through what you wrote.
• Circle or put a star, heart or check by the idea that you are most interested in writing about.
• You don’t have to write about the idea your partners chose.
• It’s all about you!

15-Minute Quick Write
• Once you’ve chosen your idea, skip 3 lines and begin a new entry in “Writing Explorations.”
• Enter a date and heading using the image you’ve chosen (Example: “The Drive-Thru”)
• WRITE! Remember, the details. Paint a picture by showing, not just telling us.

WRITING & THINKING CRITICALLY

1. Tell us WHY your story is important. All great stories have meaning and significance.
2. Skip 2 lines and complete this sentence: The important thing about this story is…
3. Re-read your notebook entries and notice whether or not you’ve been using any of these effective features in your writing.
   TAKE 2 MINUTES: Highlight or mark any places where you’ve used features of a good story.
   Volunteer to Read Aloud: Read an excerpt (a few sentences) from your piece and identify the feature you believe your writing illustrates.