Friday, February 15th, 2013

Ø  Writing Lesson #1:  Avoid clichés!

Ø  Writing Lesson #2:  Using Precise Words

Ø  Writing Lesson #3:  Vocabulary Variety

Ø  Writing Lesson #4:  Connotation versus Denotation

Ø  Writing Lesson #5:  Advice for Revising and Editing Poetry

Ø  Writing Lesson #6:  Writing and Editing Dialogue

Ø  Writing Lesson #7:  Paragraphing

Ø  Writing Lesson #8:  Making Strong Titles

Welcome to Creative Writing! 

Happy Friday, February 15^th, 2013!

Writing Lesson #6:  Writing and Editing Dialogue

Editing Partner Dialogue Stories

(Twenty-Five Minutes)

Why Are We Doing This Assignment?

·      …to get a bigger audience for our work.  (Six other people are doing to read it.)

·      …to learn more about how to edit dialogue by actually editing, rather than by filling out a worksheet.

·      …to get a decent grade on having your story correctly edited.

How Am I Grading This?

Correct your three stories so that you can answer “yes” to all the following questions:

1.      Have the writers indented/began a new paragraph each time someone new speaks?

2.     Are quotations marks (aiming in the right direction) around all words spoken aloud?

3.     Is punctuation for dialogue INSIDE the close quotations?

4.     Is correct punctuation used?

5.     Did the writers embed the dialogue in the story (or are they mistakenly starting a new paragraph for information, then starting another new paragraph for dialogue)?

How to Do This Assignment

1.      Re-read pages 32-33 (pink).

2.      Note HOW dialogue should be edited—especially when you have something like this:

a.         “It’s just not fair,” he wailed. 

                                      i.     Noticed I used a comma after “fair”, and “he” is lower-case, not capitalized.  It’s still part of the same ongoing sentence.

3.     You and your partner will sit together, each with your own computer, and edit the stories together.

4.     Once you complete the editing, you each type one positive comment at the end of the story.

Q:        Does this mean if you miss marking an error it counts against you today? 

A:         Yes, yes it does mean that.  Edit thoughtfully and carefully.

After We Edit

1.        PRINT a copy of your Partner Dialogue Story—each person needs his/her own.

2.       I’ll send someone down to pick them all up in a bit.

3^rd and 4^th

Note:

Ø  I want to talk to you about registration for next year (English classes).

Organization        (Fifteen Minutes)

Ø  Turn-in Packet Explanation, plus fifteen minutes to get things in order.

Ø  Please work quietly so everyone can gather their thoughts and can be productive.

Reading Assignment (Twenty minutes)

1.        Go to our google drive class folder, and read the file called "Fishback--50 Word Stories I Like"--Begin with the end in mind!

2.     Go to the following link:  http://fiftywordstories.com/

3.       Browse these stories, and enjoy!

4.       Find three that really speak to you, that spark something in you, that you like.

5.       Copy and paste them into a google doc, including author and title.

6.       Type one sentence after each one explaining why you like the story.  FOLLOW FISHBACK'S MODEL EXACTLY!  THANK YOU!

7.       Save it in the class google docs folder as “your last name--Fifty Word Stories I Like”.

Portfolio

• Spend the last part of class viewing portfolios.  Go to our class folder, and click on "Portfolio Models".  You will find many there to look at.
• View as many as time allows for.
• E-mail me (through google drive) the following:

• 1)  Tell me one creative aspect from one of the portfolios you viewed.

• 2)  If you were grading, which portfolio would you have given the highest grade to?  Tell me why in a sentence or two.
• 3)  What is your current portfolio idea?  In two to three sentences, tell me what the structure of your collection will look like, and what your title will possibly be.

Homework

Ø Finish anything you did not finish in class, including the portfolio viewing and e-mail.  I want that by class time Monday, or I will not accept it.