What Writers Need to What Writers Need to KnowKnow

Why do writers write?Why do writers write?

Private journal or diary writingPrivate journal or diary writingThey have ideas they want to They have ideas they want to

share with others.share with others.

Writers need readers because Writers need readers because without readers there would be no without readers there would be no one to read your writing.one to read your writing.

What do good readers do when they What do good readers do when they read?read?

Make connectionsMake connectionsVisualizeVisualizeAsk questionsAsk questions Make inferencesMake inferences In short, they think!In short, they think!

When we write from now on, we are When we write from now on, we are going to be thinking about:going to be thinking about:

HOWHOW to write to writeWHATWHAT to write to writeWHYWHY we write we writeWe want to invite the reader to We want to invite the reader to

think as they read our writing.think as they read our writing.

InvitationInvitationby Shel Silversteinby Shel Silverstein

If you are a dreamer, come in.If you are a dreamer, come in.

If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar,

A hope-er, a prayer, a magic bean buyer…A hope-er, a prayer, a magic bean buyer…

If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire,If you’re a pretender, come sit by my fire,

For we have some flax golden tales to spin.For we have some flax golden tales to spin.

Come in!Come in!

Come in!Come in!

Where do writers get their ideas Where do writers get their ideas from?from?

WHAT THEY KNOWWHAT THEY KNOWEXPERIENCEEXPERIENCE IMAGINATIONIMAGINATION

We have three BRAIN pockets!We have three BRAIN pockets!MEMORY POCKETMEMORY POCKETFACT POCKETFACT POCKET IMAGINATION POCKETIMAGINATION POCKET

Mrs D’s Brain PocketMrs D’s Brain Pocket Memory PocketMemory Pocket

(people, places, (people, places, events, pets)events, pets)

Natasha,Luca, Natasha,Luca, husband, mom, husband, mom, dad, brotherdad, brother

Cats Ali and TyCats Ali and Ty Summer campingSummer camping Track & fieldTrack & field SFUSFU First “real” First “real”

boyfriendboyfriend

Fact Pocket (things Fact Pocket (things I know a lot about)I know a lot about)

Track and fieldTrack and field Ancient historyAncient history Volleyball and Volleyball and

basketballbasketball BibleBible CatsCats Summer OlympicsSummer Olympics

Imagination Pocket (Things I imagine)Imagination Pocket (Things I imagine)Sleeping on a cloudSleeping on a cloudBeing able to flyBeing able to flyBeing invisibleBeing invisibleBeing able to talk to animalsBeing able to talk to animalsBeing a fly on the wall of another Being a fly on the wall of another

teacherteacherRiding a black stallion over rolling Riding a black stallion over rolling

hills filled with daisieshills filled with daisies

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

Every day we add new things to our Every day we add new things to our brain pockets.brain pockets.

FICTIONAL WRITINGFICTIONAL WRITINGWalking storiesWalking stories

Based on a topic or theme (describes, a Based on a topic or theme (describes, a person, place or thingperson, place or thing

Includes details, descriptions and Includes details, descriptions and examplesexamples

Often no main character, beginning, Often no main character, beginning, middle, end, problemmiddle, end, problem

Often includes a repeated phrase or Often includes a repeated phrase or anchor line throughoutanchor line throughout

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Climbing StoriesClimbing StoriesBased on a character Based on a character

and what happens to and what happens to that character.that character.

Usually has a settingUsually has a settingclear beginning, clear beginning,

middle and endmiddle and endHas a specific Has a specific

problem and solutionproblem and solutionFollows a plot lineFollows a plot line

Example of walking storyExample of walking story

SnowSnow Snow is sparkly and cold. Snow is sparkly and cold.

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

Example of a climbing storyExample of a climbing story

George Gets LostGeorge Gets Lost

George the monkey lived in the jungle George the monkey lived in the jungle with his mother and his brother. with his mother and his brother. George loved to swing from the trees George loved to swing from the trees with his tail and pick ticks from his with his tail and pick ticks from his little brothers fur.little brothers fur.

(Flat part of story. Character is (Flat part of story. Character is introduced with some details)introduced with some details)

One day, George got lost in the jungle.One day, George got lost in the jungle.

(something happens and story starts to (something happens and story starts to climb)climb)

He looked everywhere for his mother andHe looked everywhere for his mother and

his brother but he could not find them.his brother but he could not find them.

George climbed a tree and started to cryGeorge climbed a tree and started to cry..

(you can’t end the story here, so we need (you can’t end the story here, so we need to solve the problem and end the story)to solve the problem and end the story)

Suddenly, he saw his mother and Suddenly, he saw his mother and brother down below.brother down below.

(Now the story is starting to come (Now the story is starting to come down)down)

George scrambled down the tree George scrambled down the tree and gave his mother a big hug. and gave his mother a big hug. The end.The end.

(Now the problem is solved and the (Now the problem is solved and the story is back down where we story is back down where we started)started)