What Writers Need to Know

Why do writers write? Private journal or diary writing Private journal or diary writing They have ideas they want to share with others. They have ideas they want to share with others.

Writers need readers because without readers there would be no one to read your writing. Writers need readers because without readers there would be no one to read your writing. What do good readers do when they read? What do good readers do when they read? Make connections Make connections Visualize Visualize Ask questions Ask questions Make inferences Make inferences In short, they think! In short, they think!

When we write from now on, we are going to be thinking about: When we write from now on, we are going to be thinking about: HOW to write HOW to write WHAT to write WHAT to write WHY we write WHY we write We want to invite the reader to think as they read our writing. We want to invite the reader to think as they read our writing.

Invitation by Shel Silverstein If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, A hope-er, a prayer, a magic bean buyer… If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire, For we have some flax golden tales to spin. Come in!

Where do writers get their ideas from? WHAT THEY KNOW WHAT THEY KNOW EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE IMAGINATION IMAGINATION We have three BRAIN pockets! We have three BRAIN pockets! MEMORY POCKET MEMORY POCKET FACT POCKET FACT POCKET IMAGINATION POCKET IMAGINATION POCKET

Mrs D’s Brain Pocket Memory Pocket (people, places, events, pets) Memory Pocket (people, places, events, pets) Natasha,Luca, husband, mom, dad, brother Natasha,Luca, husband, mom, dad, brother Cats Ali and Ty Cats Ali and Ty Summer camping Summer camping Track & field Track & field SFU SFU First “real” boyfriend First “real” boyfriend Fact Pocket (things I know a lot about) Fact Pocket (things I know a lot about) Track and field Track and field Ancient history Ancient history Volleyball and basketball Volleyball and basketball Bible Bible Cats Cats Summer Olympics Summer Olympics

Imagination Pocket (Things I imagine) Sleeping on a cloud Sleeping on a cloud Being able to fly Being able to fly Being invisible Being invisible Being able to talk to animals Being able to talk to animals Being a fly on the wall of another teacher Being a fly on the wall of another teacher Riding a black stallion over rolling hills filled with daisies Riding a black stallion over rolling hills filled with daisies

When we write we can use the ideas form our brain pockets to help us find things to write about. When we write we can use the ideas form our brain pockets to help us find things to write about. Every day we add new things to our brain pockets. Every day we add new things to our brain pockets.

FICTIONAL WRITING Walking stories Walking stories Based on a topic or theme (describes, a person, place or thing Based on a topic or theme (describes, a person, place or thing Includes details, descriptions and examples Includes details, descriptions and examples Often no main character, beginning, middle, end, problem Often no main character, beginning, middle, end, problem Often includes a repeated phrase or anchor line throughout Often includes a repeated phrase or anchor line throughout_____________________________________

Climbing Stories Based on a character and what happens to that character. Based on a character and what happens to that character. Usually has a setting Usually has a setting clear beginning, middle and end clear beginning, middle and end Has a specific problem and solution Has a specific problem and solution Follows a plot line Follows a plot line

Example of walking story Snow Snow is sparkly and cold. Snow falls silently and covers my yard with a white blanket. Snow gives birds a chance to make footprints. Snow is the magic of winter. Snow is sparkly and cold. Snow falls silently and covers my yard with a white blanket. Snow gives birds a chance to make footprints. Snow is the magic of winter.

Example of a climbing story George Gets Lost George the monkey lived in the jungle with his mother and his brother. George loved to swing from the trees with his tail and pick ticks from his little brothers fur. (Flat part of story. Character is introduced with some details)

One day, George got lost in the jungle. (something happens and story starts to climb) He looked everywhere for his mother and his brother but he could not find them. George climbed a tree and started to cry. (you can’t end the story here, so we need to solve the problem and end the story)

Suddenly, he saw his mother and brother down below. (Now the story is starting to come down) George scrambled down the tree and gave his mother a big hug. The end. (Now the problem is solved and the story is back down where we started)