Transcript Journal 3/20- What makes a story truly great?

Journal 3/20- What is your
favorite story? Why?
Get out a sheet of paper. Put your
name and period on the top. You
will take notes and turn them in for
a grade at the end of the period.
Remember, note taking is about
getting down the main idea and not
writing things down word for word.
Literary Essay
• Literary = Narrative
• Must have (it is not a story without these):
– Conflict
– Character(s)
– Setting
– Consistent POV
From good to great
• Literary devices
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Similes
Metaphors
Foreshadowing
Imagery
From good to great
– Transition words
• Afterwards, Then, Since, Therefore, Next, Soon,
Eventually, Before, Continuing, Finally, Earlier, While, At
first, Meanwhile, Later on, At the same time
– Dialogue
• “I hate eating fish,” she whined.
• Words to use instead of said: cried, screamed, yelled,
whined, purred, spat, commanded, instructed, etc.
(Look at “Alternative to said” handout)
From good to great
• Varied sentence structure and word choice
• Don’t use the same verb or adjective twice in a row
• Use the dictionary!
• Deep characters
• Specific character traits (pick 2 before you begin writing)
• Showing, not telling
– Example telling: He was very handsome.
– Example showing: As he walked into the room, every female eye
turned to him, something so common in his life, he barely took
note of it.
• They have a personality, something that makes them
unique
From good to great
• Interesting conflict
– Go outside the box!
– Internal or external
– Man vs. man; man vs. nature; man vs. God; man
vs. self
Prewriting:
• Before you start you should know the
following things:
– Your setting
– Your conflict
– Your character
– Your plot
Prewriting
• Before you start you should know the following things:
– Your setting: What imagery or detail can you add to help
your reader get a clearer picture of your setting?
– Your conflict: What is the conflict? What different ways
your can resolve that conflict?
– Your character: What 2 specific traits do you want your
reader to know about your character? What simile or
metaphor can you include to develop your character?
– Your plot: Complete a plot diagram with brief thoughts for
each piece. Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action,
resolution
Prewriting
• Think about spacing!!!!
• With 26 lines, how many lines should you
dedicate to the exposition? To the resolution?
To the climax?
Your own story
• Look at the prewriting you did before you
wrote your story about a body part.
• On your notes, create a prewriting diagram or
outline that works best for you. Make sure you
include the 4 main things.
– Your setting
– Your conflict
– Your character
– Your plot
Journal 3/21
• Writing about what you know is always best.
What things could you write about well?
Name at least 2 and what things you would
say about it.
Literary Essay Continued
• Take out a sheet of paper and title it: Revision
of Story
• Put your name and period on the top
The Rubric
• Read what it takes to get a 4 and a 3.
Underline or highlight the important things
that stick out to you.
• Remember, it takes a 3 or 4 on the essays to
pass the writing portion.
Your story- Assessing
• Read your story with nothing in your hands.
• Look over the rubric.
• On your “Revision of Story” paper, write down
two things you did well from the rubric. Use
the words from the rubric.
• On your “Revision of Story” paper, write down
two things you need to improve from the
rubric. Use the words from the rubric.
• What grade would you give yourself and why?
Answer on your Revision of Story” paper.
Your story- Revision
• Examine your story more closely. What is your
strongest, most developed piece of your
story? What is the weakest? (setting, conflict,
character, plot)
• List two reasons why that is your strongest
part.
• List two ways to improve your weakest part.
Your story- Revision
• Character:
– Did you make at least 2 traits clear in your story? Box
around the evidence of the character traits you
provided for your reader.
– Did you tell the reader or show the reader? Make any
changes needed to show rather than tell in the
margins or on your Revision of Story” paper.
– Does your character interact with anyone else? Is
there dialogue? If this will help move your story along,
add it in or improve what you already have by
switching words, varying sentence structure, or
adding more specific details.
Your story- Revision
• Did you use any literary devices? Write one
literary device you could add. Put a star on your
essay where you would make the addition.
• Do you need to get more specific and less
general? Highlight or underline any sentences
that need to have more detail and less
generalities. Add these details in the margins.
• Circle any verbs, adjectives, or nouns you used
more than twice. Then go through and change
most to create stronger diction. Feel free to use a
dictionary.
The Vitals of a Story
• Consider the vitals elements of a story, and
what you believe to be your weakest piece.
Rework that piece thoroughly on your
“Revision of Story” paper.
– Conflict
– Plot
– Character
– Setting