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Storytelling
COM597 – 13 Apr 2004Kathy E. Gill
Structure, process, readers
Small group work Discuss selected articles Develop five tips for the budding
digital media writer
Some types of writing
Creative writing – designed to evoke emotionNonfiction – discusses real world eventsProse – any literary work in sentences and paragraphsPoetry – any literary work in lines and stanzas
Some types of writing
Script – any literary work written in dialog and scenes; may be written for radio, TV, film, theatre, AV, Flash, etc.Essay (article) – short work of prose focusing on a specific topicShort story – brief work of fiction, usually less than 10K words
Story structure
BeginningMiddleEnd
Global structure
May differ by type of writing Challenge of hypertext (breaking linearity)Cues (title, abstract, heading, contents, etc)
Visual organization
Spatial organizationTypographic conventionsCoordinated use of color
Words for structure
ParagraphsSentencesSub-headingsTitlesRemember: on screen, content should be more “bite-sized”
Words for transition
Time: at length, finally, immediately first/second/etc. …Addition: again, and, furthermore, next, too, finally, first/second/etc. …Comparison: after all, conversely, nevertheless, however, contrast, on the other hand …Summary: in conclusion, on the whole, thus, as I have said, in brief …
Developing structure
Outline (Word)Flow chart (Visio, SmartDraw…)
http://www.smartdraw.com/resources/centers/flowcharts/tutorial1.htm
StoryboardConcept mapping
http://www.dc.peachnet.edu/~shale/humanities/composition/handouts/concept.html
Creation process
Is there “one” way to create a story?No – each person’s creation process is unique
Stages of writing
1. Pre-writing 2. Drafting 3. Revising
1. Pre-writing
Thinking about subject/purpose and begin organizing thoughtsResearch, interviews, storyboards … are all pre-writing
Jumpstarting thinking
Journal, notebookTape recorderMind mappingJust start writing
Exercise (1/3)
Look at the phrase on the next slide… you will then have three minutes to jot down the things, people, animals, ideas, experiences and sensations that come to mindReady?
Exercise (2/3)
Things That Are Very Important To Me
(hint: sex, food, sleep ….)
Exercise (3/3)
Things That Fascinate MeThings That Infuriate MeThings That Bring Me JoyThings That Drive Me CrazyThings I LoveThings I …..
Recognize that …
Nothing will teach you more about writing than the act of writingWrite what you would like to read
2. Drafting
Finalize thesisFlesh out the pointsDevelop introduction and conclusionLet others review
Jumpstarting drafting
If the right word/phrase/illustration doesn’t come to mind … skip and and keep goingWrite more words than you need; edit laterRecognize you don’t have to write in order the piece will be read
3. Revising
Review (edit) for completeness, grammarEliminate wordiness, vague sentences, passive voiceSharpen details/purpose/structureProofread
Jumpstarting revising
Set work aside before editingEdit in stages (content first, then proofread)This is not a linear process
Understanding readers
James Souther asked Westinghouse decision-makers what they expected of the reports engineers submitted to them. Of interest to us: how frequently they read summary, introduction, body, conclusion, and appendices.
From: Professional Writing Online
Understanding readers
Understanding readers
Summaries, 100% Introductions, 60%Conclusions, 50%Bodies, 15%Appendices, 10%But ….
Understanding readers
They had advisers read the reports and make recommendationsOut of this came the “two minute read” … multiple audiences … multiple paths
Technical reading process
Putting ourselves in their eyes
Why I would read this report/story/editorial?How might my values be challenged?What I would find difficult, and what aids are available to help me?What I would want to find out over the course of the reading?How might I use the findings (positively or negatively)?
Understanding the web reader
More on that later … but the key factoid is that readers online “skim” even more than they do offline
What is noise?
JargonInappropriate examplesMisspellingPoor grammar
Grammar tips
Use active voiceAvoid mixed metaphors (metaphor compares one person/thing/event to another)Avoid misplaced modifiersDon’t waste wordsUse parallel structure
Use active voice
Writing so that people, organizations, animals and groups do things and act on their environments Pass me the salt … versus … The salt
was passed. All speakers shook their heads …
versus … Heads were shaking around the table.
Avoid mixed metaphors
Two metaphors used confusingly or inappropriately together Walk softly and carry a big stick.
Home is where you hang your hat.
Avoid misplaced modifiers
A modifier is an adjective or adverb – words that add something to other words Chasing a ball into the street, the
delivery truck almost killed my dog. John was convinced on Friday that he
would be picked for Survivor. How to fix?
Don’t waste words
Professor: I believe the lagoon is ripe with savory crustaceans.
Gilligan: Yeah, and it has a lot of good shellfish, too.
Parallel structure
My sister is a poet, a dancer, and she plays the violin.My sister writes poetry, dances, and plays the violin.How else might this be fixed?