1. THE 6 TRAITS OF WRITING Ideas Organization Word Choice
Sentence Fluency
Voice
Conventions

2. IDEAS
Good writing has clear ideas, a purpose, or focus. It should have specific ideas and details.

3. If you don’t care about what you write about, your reader will be bored!

4. IDEAS & CONTENT A writer should:
Narrow the topic to something specific
Use a fresh, original perspective
When possible, write from experience
Use important, interesting details
(not just common knowledge)

5. ORGANIZATION
Writing should have a beginning, middle, and an ending and be well organized and easy to follow.

6. ORGANIZATION A writer should: Use a catchy lead that hooks the reader
Use logical and effective order, structure, & sequence
Use smooth transitions to emphasize main idea
Place supporting details where they are most appropriate
Use a conclusion that gives the reader a sense of resolution (clincher)

7. WORD CHOICE
Good writing has specific nouns and verbs and strong words that deliver the writer's message.
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”
--Anton Chekhov

8. WORD CHOICE A writer should:
Use words that create a mental picture for the reader
Use powerful action verbs (vivid verbs)
Use specific nouns and adjectives
Use language that is natural and not overdone
Be concise (tighten sentences)
Use words correctly
Avoid repetition, slang, and clichés

9. SENTENCE FLUENCY
Sentences should vary in length, with a variety of sentence beginnings. The writing should flow smoothly from sentence to sentence.
“To me the greatest pleasure of writing is not what it’s about, but the music the words make.”
--Truman Capote

10. SENTENCE FLUENCY A writer should:
Vary sentence beginning, structure, and length
Use complete sentences (subject and predicate)
Use transitions to promote flow from sentence to sentence AND paragraph to paragraph

11. VOICE
Your writing should connect with your audience, fit your purpose for writing, and reveal your voice.

12. VOICE A writer should: Write honestly and from the heart
Interact with the reader
without using YOU
Use language that brings the topic to life
Care about topic
Use expression to voice personality

13. And lastly…
CONVENTIONS

14. CONVENTIONS
Strong writing is edited for grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and spelling so the writer's ideas are easily understood.

15. CONVENTIONS A writer should:
Turn in a clean, edited, and polished final draft
Reinforce the organization with good paragraphing
Use correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar

16. QUOTATIONS TO INSPIRE
“ What is written without effort is in general read without pleasure.”
- Samuel Johnson
“ We write to taste life twice.”
~ Anais Nin

17. WORKS CITED
“Grammar Cartoons.” Google Images. 6 July <
Great Source I-Write. “The Six Traits of Effective Writing.” 10 September <
Roberts, Bethany. "Writing for Children Workshop: Writing Quotes." 16 June
2005. <
Spandel, Vicki. Creating Writers Through 6-Trait Writing Assessment and Instruction. New York: Addison Wesley Longman, 2001.
Steele, Kimberly. “Ideas for Teaching Writing.” 23 June July <