Excellent work today. We exchanged our short story texts for a novel, The Pigman. If you were absent today, take your short story to the library and ask Mrs. Peacock or Mrs. Ippen to sign out the new book to you. Please do so before you come to class. Thanks.
We reviewed two of our creative writing techniques and added a third. Be sure to call your homework buddies if the notes below do not make any sense.
HOMEWORK: REWRITE/REVISE/START OVER IF NEED BE the first 250 words of your short story. Ensure that you include all three techniques. Remember, you will be submitting this story to the BCTELA writing contest so you want it to be your best. I will mark this first section based on your ability to
1. Add specific detail
2. Make an effort to appeal to the five senses
3. Show but don't tell i.e. let your reader infer what you mean. Don't say Lily is happy. Show Lily's happiness through actions, dialogue, descriptions of the room she is in, what she's wearing, what song is playing in her ipod, what she is eating, what she dreamt last night, what book she is wearing, etc.
4. Dialogue that reveals the character's true motivations without directly saying it
Example:
"Hi."
"Have you seen my black hoodie?"
"Mom is home, you know."
"I think I left it at Susan's. I'd better be going."
Notice what the dialogue reveals about the second speaker.
Example 2:
"Ain't nobody leaving."
"Mr. Smith. I do beseech you. I must call my lawyer immediately."
"You hear what I said, Delayney? Nobody move."
A little dialogue goes a long way. More is less. Intervene with description, thoughts, dreams, sounds etc.
STUDY YOUR VOCABULARY WORDS. WE ADDED 25 AND 26 TODAY. BIG TEST, TUES. MARCH 8. SHORT STORY IS DUE TUES. MARCH 8. MAXIMUM 1500 WORDS.
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