A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Today, you will have a chance to write a narrative based on the above picture. You can find this picture in our workspace in FirstClass. Please save this picture in your MyPictures folder of your computer so it will be easy to upload to your blog. The rest of this post has instructions for you to follow. Please remember the key elements of narrative writing:

*Focuses a clear, well-defined incident or series of related events.
*Develops plot, character, and setting with specific detail.
*Orders events clearly.
*Uses description and dialogue as appropriate to develop setting and character.
*Shows events rather than just telling about them.
*Establishes and maintains a tone and point of view.
*Uses a logical and effective pattern of organization, such as chronological order, flashback, or flash-forward.
*Uses transitional words and phrases to maintain coherence and establish sequence within and between paragraphs.

The above picture tells a story. I want you to first brainstorm words and ideas about the image before you begin writing. Your story can tell what leads up to this picture or it can narrate the events that follow. Write from one character's point of view, his/her feelings, and thoughts.

A planning tool you may find useful is the Time Line Tool, which is also linked to on a document in our FirstClass workspace. You can use it to sketch out the sequence of events for your narrative. After you've done your planning, sign in to your blog and title this new post, "A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words." Upload the above photo from your computer onto this new post and begin your narrative. When you are done, proofread your post before you publish it. Then, you may read and leave constructive comments on other people's stories.

This lesson was adapted and revised for our class from a lesson found on ReadWriteThink. I hope you like it!

Pet Peeves...

Make a list of 25 things that irritate you. Title this post, "Pet Peeves." When you're done, publish it and read your classmates' posts. You are going to learn something new about the people around you.

As always, make your comments constructive and proper.

The Secret...

Today's topic for your blog post deals with keeping a friend's secret or not. You will start your post off with this sentence, "It was my best friend's deepest, darkest secret and it would be a hard one to keep." The title of your post will be, "The Secret."

Remember, you are your main character. You will encounter the problem of keeping your friend's secret or not. Include dialogue to show what kind of people your characters are.

Good luck!

Mystery Writing...

Today's assignment is to write a mystery. Last week, you did a lot of research on real-life mysteries at www.unsolved.com. Today, you'll be using what you know and have learned to construct your own mystery. The title of your blog post will be, "Her Mysterious Death." Your lead will be as follows:

"Her death was due to mysterious circumstances and I was assigned to the case."

Please use the following guidelines when writing your mystery:

Mystery stories are a special type of writing. Fast paced and complex, they are a problem solving person's idea of a great read. Good mysteries keep a reader wondering while solving the crime. Great mysteries keep a reader in the dark until the very end.

Though you can have almost any combination of genre in one, there are certain rules you must follow for the tale to be considered a mystery.

1. Plot - Mysteries are plot-driven tales. They go beyond the standard victim is killed - detective searches for clues - killer is caught plotlines. Good mysteries have all that. Great mysteries have twists, turns and enough red herrings to keep the reader guessing until the moment the killer is revealed. A mystery story's plot must be plausible or the story will fall flat on its covers.

2. Crime - The crime should be introduced as early as possible, preferable in the firs chapter. Not many readers will be willing to read hundreds of pages without a victim. Most would not be willing to read past the first chapter. The crime should be believable, something the reader can see happening.

3. Main Characters - Introduce your detective and villain early on. Your detective is the hero of the story and your reader wants to see him in action from the get go. Your villain can be shown early, but if you want to keep your reader guessing, then keep your villain in the shadows until his unmasking.

4. Take your time - Keep your villain a secret until the last possible moment. If you show the reader who he is too soon, they might lose interest in the rest of the story. Be sure you reveal the clues as your detective uncovers them so your reader has a chance to solve the crime first.

5. Research - Make sure you read up on the type of crime, police procedures, and forensic information to make your story come to life. Also, make sure you know your story's setting inside and out. Nothing ruins a story faster than a writer who doesn't understand their own setting and makes errors the reader can see.

Mystery stories tend to follow more standard rules than other genres. Following those rules will help you write the kind of mystery your readers are looking for, and create the kind of suspenseful storyline that will have your readers turning the page until the very ending.

Working With Point of View...

Today's assignment is one that makes you think about point of view. Point of view is the perspective from which the story is told. Today, you will write your own life story, but there's a catch. It can't be told through your own eyes. Your life story must be told through someone else's eyes. It could be another member of your family or an outsider who doesn't know you at all.

Think of the important things that have happened in your life. Tell your life story through someone else's eyes. Maintain that point of view consistently, as well. The title of your post will be "(Your Name's) Life Story."

Good luck!