Transcript Revision Practice - Uplift Education

Revision Advice
& Practice
Creative Writing
How to fix Organizational Problems:
 For Organizing Poetry:
I.
Read it out loud. Even in ‘blank verse’ prose style poetry, there should be a rhythm to
the syntax, parallel sounds or syllables or phrases.
II.
Use Stanza breaks like you would paragraphs in prose, to shift, start a new idea,
change the plot, or develop a character/setting further.
 For Organization of a Speech or Article:
I.
Keep the purpose of the piece clear and central throughout (topic sentences are key
here).
II.
Make sure that each new idea, fact, anecdote, argument is clearly connected to the
previous one.
 For Organizing Plot in a narrative:
I.
Make sure the setting is consistent. If the setting changes, make sure it is clear how
we got from one setting to another.
II.
Pay careful attention to the passage of time. How long has it been? Has time
elapsed and if so, how much? Keep your verb tenses consistent.
III.
When characters make a decision that will drive the plot in a new direction, make
sure that decision is ‘true’ to their character.
How to Write ‘True’ Character Voice:
 Know the Regionalisms from Where Your Character Grew Up or Now Lives
I.
Canadian Vs. American : pop – soda; supper – dinner; chocolate bar – candy bar.
 Know Your Character’s Education Level, IQ, and Station in Life
I.
II.
While even the most highly educated among us rarely uses perfect grammar when we
speak, grammatical errors, strategically used, say much about a character. For example: “I didn’t
see nobody” isn’t the same as the character who says “I didn’t see anyone.”
A character who’s highly educated or well-read will naturally drop some Class Opener words.
 What if your character’s first language isn’t English?
I.
Translating into English often alters word order - mistakes like saying, “Throw the cow over the fence
to some hay.
II.
Non-Native English speakers also struggle with definite and indefinite article usage (“the” “a”) and
subject-verb agreement.
 Know Your Character’s Personality
I.
Is your character the kind who always sticks their foot in their mouth? Do they apologize and try to
explain or laugh it off?
II.
Is your character confident or do they second guess themselves? A confident character makes
definitive statements. A character who second guesses will add qualifiers—I think, maybe, most.
They’ll end their statements with a subtle request for reassurance—Right? Eh? Don’t you think?
III.
Does your character have a problem with authority? Are they a control freak? Or are they naturally
curious about the way things work?
IV.
Is your character a gossip?; Do they jump to conclusions?
V.
Is your character a concrete thinker or an abstract thinker?
Revise for Character Voice:
 update the dialogue and narrative description in the scene below to make
the characters more distinct individuals
“What happened at work today?” he asked.
“Nothing much,” she said, putting her coat on the rack by the door.
“Well, that’s good,” he nodded from the couch.
“Did you start dinner yet?”
Without turning away from the TV he said, “No, not yet.”
She said only, “I guess I will then.”
Again he nodded, not looking at her.
She walked away.
IB Learning Outcome Connections:
 Use the diction from the chosen outcome in your piece
 Make sure that your piece addresses the ‘language’ part of the IB course
 For example: How could the excerpt below be better connected to the
‘Language and Identity’ learning outcome?
 ‘Dear Diary,
Today at school it happened again. I was minding my own business,
hiding inside during recess, my nose in a book, when Patrick walked in. He
came to get a basketball or something – none of my business – so I ignored
him and kept reading.
Then, for no reason, he turned and slapped the book out of my hands.
Then… he called me… No, I can’t even write down what he called me.
The word sucked all the air out of me, like a punch to the gut.’
Revising for Wordiness:
- cut unnecessary words and trim ‘fat’ verbs or extra details
 A campus rally was attended by more than a thousand
students. Five students were arrested by campus police
for disorderly conduct, while several others are charged
by campus administrators with organizing a public
meeting without being issued a permit to do so.
 A thousand students attended a campus rally. Campus
police arrested five students for disorderly conduct,
while campus administration charged several others for
meeting publically without a permit.