If any of you have questions, clarifications, uncertanties or doubts concerning any area of the subject, please post them as comments and I will do my best to reply to them asap.

 

All fiction is created out of 5 different ways of presenting information to the reader, called narrative modes: dialogue, description, action, thoughts and exposition.

Some writers rely more extensively on one mode than on others. A complete story will use all five, but very often the opening scene is characterized by the predominance of one mode.

Stories can start with the description of a setting, person/character or object that will have thematic significance. Or with a character performing some action that both launches the plot and offers insight into her as a person. Or with thoughts presented in the point-of-view character’s voice. Or with exposition (this is the trickiest), in which facts are told to the reader in summary form rather than dramatized.

Let’s try all five with the familiar story of Cinderella.

Traditional beginning uses exposition, summarizing events in a brief lecture.

Once upon a time there was a man with a beautiful daughter and a beloved wife. His wife died and after a year of grief the man married again. His new wife was beautiful but selfish and vain. She and her two daughters, who were just like her, made her life very hard for the motherless girl. They made her do all the washing and cleaning and cooking. After the man unexpectedly died, things became even worse for the poor child. Her stepmother made her move out of her pretty bedroom and sleep in the cinders on the hearth. From this she became known as “Cinderella.”

 

 

Dialogue

“Cinderella! Have you finished the laundry yet?”

“N-no, ma’am. I was scrubbing the hearth…”

Her stepmother glared at her. “That should have been done hours ago!

You’re a lazy undisciplined girl!”

“Please, ma’am, the hearth was so filthy after Cook roasted the whole boar“

“Silence! I will not be contradicted in my own house!”

Once it was my house, Cinderella thought – but she didn’t dare say that out loud.

 

 

 

Action

Cinderella ducked with well practiced agility beneath the flying shoe and crumpled dress of her two sulking and angry step-sisters. Another round of verbal abuse was flung nonchalantly and with biting venom in her direction but with the same grace, she met the acid remarks with a smile and ‘accidentally’ poured the hot tea on their beds as she ‘tripped’ over a shoe on the floor. The howls of pain and shock drove her half-smiling, scurrying out of the door only to meet the sudden imposing and dominant figure of her stepmother. She was too slow to react to the hand that smacked her hard on her right cheek and she fell crying to the floor. Another day at the Triben household had begun.

 

 

 

Description

Cinderella’s beauty could not be hidden beneath the torn hand-me –down, ragged and tattered dresses she had to wear at home. Nor could the blackish ash of the cinders she was forced to sleep in near the hearth every cold night diminish the radiance of her complexion. Hers was a beauty of gracefulness and truth, qualities which her heart and spirit also possessed in abundance. This was further enhanced by an inextinguishable belief in human goodness, all qualities which her stepmother and stepsisters took daily opportunities to challenge and obliterate, fueled by jealousy and hatred at what they could never possess or be.

 

 

 

Thoughts

It wasn’t fair. No it wasn’t. She was trying hard to please her Stepmother and her ‘real’ daughters, but everything she did was met with more scoldings, sarcasm and even beatings. How much more of this could she take. She tried to do everything quickly and perfectly, trying hard not to be in their presence for too long but they just seemed to take so much pleasure in mocking and sneering at her blackened skin and tattered clothes, chastising her for any small mistake. Calling me Cinderella! Even mocking Father!

 

 

Questions to ponder

When is a particular mode most effective in a narrative? Why?

What happens when you mix modes?

Which mode works best when begiining a story?..When ending a story?

What are the modes used in the books/stories I have read? Why and when do the writers use these modes? What is the impact on me, the reader?

 

 

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Exercise 1

Write paragraphs of not less than 80 words each using the 5 different modes for any of these 3 fairy tales:

1) The 3 Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf

2) Jack and the Beanstalk

3) Snow White and the 7 dwarves

Post your modes (for 1 fairy tale) in the comments section. This section is compulsory for those who have finished the Biography 2nd drafts at home and is optional for the rest!

 

Exercise 2.

Choose either “Charlotte’s Web” or ” A Wrinkle In Time” and use the 5 narrative modes (paragraphs of not less than 80 words) to narrate one chapter or part of it, of either novel.

This is optional for everyone.

Post your work in the comments section.

These post is for the pupils whom I have asked to write poems for the Rosyth Writing competition and for all of you who are interested in writing poems. I know you are out there!
Read the write ups , examples and pointers. Try some of the interactive sites.

Post your efforts and share your creativity with all of us.

 

 

DIAMANTE POEM FORMAT

Winter
Rainy, cold
Skiing, skating, sledding
Mountains, wind, breeze, ocean
Swimming, surfing, scuba diving
Sunny, hot
Summer

1. Noun (beginning topic)

2. Adjective, Adjective (about beginning topic)

3. Gerund, Gerund, Gerund (–ing words about beginning topic)

4. Four nouns -OR- a short phrase (about both beginning and ending topics)

5. Gerund, Gerund, Gerund (–ing words about ending topic)

6. Adjective, Adjective (about ending topic)

7. Noun (ending topic)

Diamante Interactive Site – Try it!

CINQUAIN

A cinquain is a five line poem.

Triangles
pointy edges
revolving, rotating, angling
Triangles are all different.
180^o

Line 1: one word (subject or noun)

Line 2: two words (adjectives) that describe line 1

Line 3: three words (action verbs) that relate to line 1

Line 4: four words (feelings or a complete sentence) that relates to line 1

Line 5: one word (synonym of line 1 or a word that sums it up)

How to Write Acrostic Poems

by Bruce Lansky

 

Acrostic poems are easy to write, and some of the easiest acrostic poems use names. Try this exercise: Write your name vertically on a piece of paper or type it vertically on your computer. For this example, we’ll pretend your name is Joe.

J
O
E

Now think of a word or a phrase that describes you that begins with the letter J. Then think of a word or phrase that begins with O. Finally, think of a word or phrase that begins with E. Here’s what your acrostic poem might look like:
Joe

Jolly
Outgoing
Excellent
After you’ve written an acrostic poem using your name, try writing poems with other words, such as “football,” “horse,” or “summer.” For a real challenge, see if you can make the acrostic poem tell a story rather than just describe the word you chose. These examples may get your creative juices flowing:

Garbage

Grounds (coffee)
Apple (core)
Rinds (mellon)
Banana (peel)
Anchovies (from a pizza I wouldn’t eat)
Grapes (too ripe to eat)
Emptying the stinking bag (my job)

Bruce Lansky © 2002

Candy

Charleston Chew
Almond Roca
Nestle’s Crunch
Dots from Mason
Yummy

Bruce Lansky © 2002

Notice that both of these poems tell a story. In the first, the speaker knows what’s in the garbage bag because it’s his duty to empty it when it’s full. In the second, the speaker has candy on the brain and would spend his last quarter at a candy store or movie theatre.

Have fun writing!

–Bruce Lansky

Acrostic Interactive Site – Try it!

SHAPE POEMS

This is a ’shape poem’. Ideally, it should describe the shape it is, and rhyme,
but as you can see, this one doesn’t. But this will give you the idea:

 

FUNNEL

Here is a little poem … well, maybe it’s not so little, but it
certainly is a poem … although, come to think of it,
this doesn’t really rhyme, so maybe it’s not
a poem either; but anyway, here it is,
and as you can see, it is of course
funnel shaped, and before too
long, quickly comes to
the point, and right at
about this place
down here
at the
end
!

 

Here’s another. This one rhymes:

 

A SPIRAL

Shape Poem Interactive Site – Try It!

LIMERICKS

A limerick is a five-line poem written with one couplet and one triplet. If a couplet is a two-line rhymed poem, then a triplet would be a three-line rhymed poem. The rhyme pattern is a a b b a with lines 1, 2 and 5 containing 3 beats and rhyming, and lines 3 and 4 having two beats and rhyming. Some people say that the limerick was invented by soldiers returning from France to the Irish town of Limerick in the 1700’s.

Limericks are meant to be funny. They often contain hyperbole, onomatopoeia, idioms, puns, and other figurative devices. The last line of a good limerick contains the PUNCH LINE or “heart of the joke.” As you work with limericks, remember to have pun, I mean FUN! Say the following limericks out loud and clap to the rhythm.

There was a young lady from Niger.
Who smiled as she rode on a tiger.

They returned from the ride
With the lady inside,

And the smile on the face of the tiger.

ENjoy yourselves.

This is an interesting article I found. Hope its helpful.

See how it can improve your writing.

The Top Ten Mistakes New Fiction Authors Make

by Sally Zigmond

Are you wondering why your short stories keep coming back with polite rejection letters? It could be that one of these ten “fatal errors” is standing between you and publication!

Lack of Editing

The best writers re-write and re-write. New writers tend to think that editing merely means a brief read through for typos and spelling errors. That’s the very last thing to do. The first draft of a short story is like a lump of wood. Removing unnecessary waffle, sharpening up images and choosing the exact word will reveal the beauty of the grain.

Dull Writing

Too many new writers don’t give their imagination full rein. They seem afraid look beyond and beneath the surface. Their characters are dull and lead dull lives. Above all, fiction must intrigue and entertain. Avoid stereotyped characters and situations. Why can’t a rich business man be kind and compassionate? Why are unemployed men always lazy and sit around in their vests swigging out of cans? Why can’t one or two learn Latin or take up line-dancing?

Too Much Irrelevant Detail

In short fiction especially, include information only if it furthers the plot, aids characterization and provides a sense of place and time. Too much background information makes a story all tell and no show. Don’t go into detail about characters if they have no significant part to play in the fiction. Never give bit part players a name. If all a postman has to do is deliver the all-important letter, don’t say he’s Stan, the postman whose wife nags him and has a bad back after falling off his bike in 1976. His function is just to be a postman. Don’t lead up to an event. Jump in straight away. Drip-feed vital information subtly. Don’t drop in heavy indigestible chunks of history or description. Make it a central part of the current action.

No Attention to Language

Too many writers are so busy “telling a story” that they fail to choose their words carefully enough. All writers should try to increase their vocabulary; not by using fancy words just for the sake of it — writing should always be clear — but by using intriguing language in new ways. Wind doesn’t only blow. It can rip, roar, strangle, whip. Be imaginative. It’s not only what you say but the way you say it.

Absence of Imagery and Reliance on Cliches

Too much fiction is flat because it lacks vibrant images. Cliches are similes and metaphors that have been so overworked they cease to mean anything and sound limp and stale, like as cold as ice, as black as coal. Don’t say, “she sighed with relief”; think of another way someone might show relief. Match your imagery to the story and character. If your main character is always rushing about, use imagery relating to speed. Send him to the greyhound track to act out his scenes or place him by a railway line where express trains thunder past. If your character is depressed then send her into tunnels, underpasses, cellars and basements. Reinforce the prevailing mood, but avoid the obvious. Don’t draw the reader’s attention to what you’re doing. Just do it.

No Sense of Place

People are not only the result of their genes, but are shaped by their environment. Show the readers where your characters live and work. If it’s the sprawling suburbs, then show us. What does a suburban avenue, sound and smell like? How does the light shine on it? Show us its life — a man delivering charity bags from door to door, wheelie bins standing by gates. If someone lives in a filthy hovel behind the gasworks, let’s see, hear and touch it. Too many writers let their characters float around in a vacuum. Don’t forget to engage all the senses. Most writers describe how things look, but how does fear taste? How does anger smell? What does beauty sound like? Be adventurous.

No Shape or Structure

All fiction, but especially the short story, works best when it concentrates on one person in one situation that takes place in a reasonably short space of time. A short story expresses a moment of change and charts the journey through this change and shows what happens at the far end. Begin the story as close as possible to the moment of change. Don’t waffle on once the change and its aftermath has happened. Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked. Learn how to pace a story, when to give and when to withhold information, when and how to create tension, speed things up, slow things down. This is done by carefully choosing words, not only for the sound they make but the length of syllables etc. Writing is a craft as much as an art. If a writer needs to introduce flashback, it should be carefully sign-posted in and out, to avoid confusion. Shifts in viewpoint should also be carefully introduced.

Poor Dialogue Skills

Dialogue in fiction isn’t real but it must sound real. Keep it sharp. Don’t allow your characters to make long confessional speeches or engage in too much cozy chit-chat. Use it to provide essential information and above all to show character.

Lack of Technical Knowledge

All writers should learn or brush up their grammar by learning why things are so. The most common mistakes, such as confusion of “it’s” and “its,” “your” and “you’re” mark you as a beginner. Learn the reasons behind the rules and you can’t possibly get it wrong. Only when you know the rules inside out can you be brave enough to break them. The best way to learn how to do it is to read as much published fiction as you can. If you read plenty by a variety of authors you cannot possibly “pick up” their style. It will, on the contrary, help develop your own.

My Top Tip

When you think your story is the best you can make it, put it aside and leave it for as long as possible — minimum one week. Then read it out aloud. Your errors will leap up at you like snarling dogs! Now rewrite it.

Copyright © 2002 Sally Zigmond

 

 

Post your comments in response to the following questions as to what figurative language is on this blog before ‘hitting’ the links.
1) Define ‘figurative language’ in your own words.
2) Give 2 different examples of ‘figurative language’.

Go to these two links to construct 2 poems using at least three instances of figurative language in each.

http://www.magneticpoetry.com/magnet/

http://www.shockedpoetry.com/

 

Read through this extract and :

a) Comment on what you have read

b) Write your own great brginnings through the reply boxes.

 I’ve been thinking a lot about opening sentences recently. The book I’m writing at the moment started because one day this whole sentence came into my head -

 ”I’ve never told this story to anyone because when I was 11 I swore an oath in blood never to tell it.”

I liked the sentence – it intrigued me and it posed all sorts of questions: what happened when this person was 11? Who did he swear the oath with? Why can he tell it now? From that one opening sentence I kept asking questions and coming up with answers. I have now written 75,000 words of a book!

Opening sentences have been important for me since my first book – I wrote that book for a Year 9 class I was teaching. I’d told them I could write something good and I wanted to prove I could. So I wanted to grab them from the very first line. The book was ‘Collision Course’ – have a look at what I wrote. It worked – my class wanted to know what the dare was. They wanted me to go on reading. I’d got them hooked. Since then I’ve always tried to do the same thing: grab my reader from the first line. You’ve got a list of some of my opening sentences – so you can see how I’ve tried to do that.

Now it’s your turn. What you’re aiming for: Something to fire the imagination of reader. Make the reader want to know what happens next – something that pulls them into the story. Makes them ask questions – who is this, what’s happening, what’s going to happen? Not really looking for scene setting or establishing character – that comes later.

It’s about grabbing the reader – a bit like saying to your best mate – “hey – you’ll never guess what happened to me last night.” They’re bound to say “what???”

Dramatic openings should try and put you right in the middle of things. One of the best opening sentences I know is from George Orwell’s book ‘1984′:

“it was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking 13.”

There’s a great balance to that sentence – the first half seems ordinary and reassuring and then, bang, he hits you with the twist. Clocks striking 13 – what kind of world is this? So how about trying to come up with a killer opening sentence for a one of these stories? (if you want, you can make it more than one sentence – a killer opening two sentences or short paragraph):

a murder story- from the point of view of the detective investigating, or from the murderer’s eyes fantasy story for young kids – involving witches, or wizards or trolls or dragons. love story – people meeting and falling in/out of love horror/ghost story – an empty building or dark woods. Someone alone. family drama – some big event that’s going to tear a family apart – a secret or an accident or an arrival. science fiction – set in space or in a future that we can hardly recognise. Good luck! I’m looking forward to reading what you come up with. I warn you, though – if there’s something really good I might pinch it for my next book!!!!!

——————————————————————————–

Alice

I was stuck in the cupboard gasping for breath. I could hear them arguing in the kitchen, dishes being smashed against the door.

Nigel Hinton This is good and dramatic.

——————————————————————————–

As I was walking home I could see a bright light coming from the end of the lane. It was blinding. They’d come to see me again, the fairies. Nigel Hinton I like this, Alice, but I think you should have held back the information that the light came from ‘fairies’ until later in the story. The opening two sentences are intriguing then you give things away too quickly.

——————————————————————————–

Nick Suspense

Why? Why did it happen to me? That day? That year?

Nigel Hinton Nick – like the suspense suggestion. Questions are always a good way of getting the reader involved.

 ——————————————————————————– Mark’n'Tom

Science Fiction. There we were floating in space. No one to help us. Then it happened. Science Fiction The shadow of the ship covered us, it oozed green slime, almost life-like Spy fiction The figure sprinted in the opposite direction, he seemed to turn toward an ally. I raced to pursue. Nothing only a solid brick wall

Nigel Hinton Mark and Tom -

a great creative team. The Sci Fi stuff is terrific. Great rhythm in the sentences and ace ideas. I love the end of the Detective one – the blank wall. What’s happened? Exactly what you want the reader to feel.

——————————————————————————–

Roland Young Crime Friction

The inventors of ‘Supagrip’ may not have anticipated the use to which I would put their product.

Nigel Hinton Roland – I laughed out loud sitting here alone at my desk. A brilliant start. ——————————————————————————–

Sarah Lowman Fantasy

As I walked through the field of poppies I felt drowsy, and I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw a dozen or so small fairies dancing among the flowers. Nigel Hinton Sara L – a good start for the fantasy idea. Sets the mood and is intruiging. Like the idea that the vision might be caused by the druggy poppies.

——————————————————————————–

Nick Crime Fiction The blood, it was everywhere, blood, the smell of death, the eeryness of the room!

Nigel Hinton Nick – blood is always an attention grabber then when you add the smell of death – irresistible. You’ve got it, mate!

——————————————————————————–

 Sam Wass Crime fiction

Sam slipped into the apartment, the necklace dangling from his pocket. Horror It was clear night, the moon was shining through the trees but what was that moving in the clearing.

Nigel Hinton Hold on a minute – am I dealing with professionals here??? Sam – a really terrific start to a detective story. This stuff is guaranteed to make people read on.

——————————————————————————–

Sarah Lowman Horror

I was alone in the house, my parents were out but there was this strange creaking sound coming from the cellar Fantasy I was playing in the garden. It was all tranquil and calm, but I knew something was watching me. Then from the corner of my eye I saw it.

Nigel Hinton Sarah – I like both of them but think I prefer the Fantasy. I like that balance you get – everything’s OK but… I’d read on for sure!

——————————————————————————–

David Tree Horror 1

 I felt the pain as the blood gushed out of my fearful heart. Horror 2 The dagger of doom was raised above my head and the fear came dribbling. Pain rolled down my face. Horror3 The dark and spooky building made my skin stand up on end and the shivers went down my spine. Nigel Hinton David – you instantly get the reader in the mood for the thrills and blood to come! Terrific

Extracted and adapted from “Great Openings”by Nigel Hinton

MINI SAGAS 

A mini-saga is a story that has exactly 50 words (not 49, and not 51!).

How to write a mini-saga

A mini-saga is a story which has exactly 50 words. Here is one way that you could write a mini-saga.

1. Start by thinking of a story that you have written or would like to write, or think of a well-known story, or something that you have read.
2. Get a written version of the story – write it down, or print it off the Internet.
3. Shorten your story. Take out any words that are not absolutely necessary. How many words are there?
4. Now shorten your story again. How many words are there? At this point you may need to change words or sentences to make exactly 50 words.

An example of writing a mini-sagaStart with the story:

The Cobbler – First Draft (233 words)

Once upon a time there was a man named Roddy Biggs, who was a bank robber. One day he took a pair of shoes to a cobbler to get new soles put on them. The cobbler gave him a ticket, which he put in his pocket. The next day Roddy was arrested by the police for a bank robbery he had committed the week before.
Time passed slowly and 20 years later Roddy was released from gaol. As he was walking away form the prison, he put his hand in his jacket pocket, and found a piece of paper. Pulling it out, he saw the cobbler’s ticket and remembered taking his shoes there all those years ago.
“Why not?” he thought, and went off to see if, just by chance, the cobbler was there and still had his shoes. When he got to the address on the ticket he saw, sandwiched between a supermarket and a multi-storey car park, the cobbler’s shop. He went in and found an ancient man working in the dark little room. He gave him the ticket. The old man examined the ticket closely and then took down a huge ledger from the shelf. Blowing of the dust, he opened it and ran a shaking finger down the columns of names and dates inside. His finger stopped at an entry. Looking up, he said, “They’ll be ready next week!”

Take out words you don’t need:

 

The Cobbler – Second Draft (100 words)

A man named Roddy Biggs took a pair of shoes to a cobbler. The cobbler gave him a ticket, which he put in his pocket. Next day Roddy was arrested for a bank robbery. He was sent to gaol.
Twenty years later Roddy was released from gaol. He put his hand in his pocket, and found the ticket.
He went to see if the cobbler still had his shoes. When he got to the address he went in and found an ancient man. He gave him the ticket. The old man examined the ticket and said, “They’ll be ready next week!”

Take out words you don’t need, and change some words to leave exactly 50 words:

 

The Cobbler – Final Draft: the mini-saga (50 words)

A man took his shoes to a cobbler. Next day he was arrested and sent to prison for robbery. Twenty years later he was released, found the cobbler’s ticket and, just in case, took it to the cobbler’s shop. Examining it closely, the old man said, “Come back next week”.

 

You do not have to follow this method!

Here are some exampes below.

Write a few of your won though the comment boxes.

Four friends went on a journey. After walking they found a place to rest and eat. Each said they would do something. One said “I’ve prepared a meal”. Another said “I’ll start a fire”. The third said “I’ll build a shelter”, while the fourth said “I am ready to eat”.

 

 

“I don’t like robots,” I said to my new boss after a cup of coffee. “I hate them, I don’t like working with cold machines.”

“Perhaps you really should try to open your mind.” My boss put down his cup and opened his body, then put two new batteries inside.

 

 

One day a man was counting the storeys of a building.

A woman said “Anyone who counts here is punished. How many floors have you counted?”

The man answered “Thirty”.

“30 Yuan please,” the woman said.

The man gave her 30 Yuan and thought “You fool, I counted 50 floors”.

 

 

I met a man,
He was the best.
But then he left,
I was depressed.

All I have now
Are memories.
So I can
Think of him at least.

If only I could rule the world!
Then I would never let him go.
But he is gone,
I am alone.