Write one!
Ideas, Where Do I Get Them?
Developing Believable Characters
What matters to you about your character? Are they like You?
Put together a character where all parts fit into a reasonable person.
Ask often: Do these different parts fit together in one person? Are these character traits here for a reason?
If a character seems too good to be true, make them more complex.
Does this character help or hurt the main character?
Developing My Character
Outside (what do they look like) |
Inside (personality) |
Part Mexican |
Afraid of the dark |
Luz |
artistic |
Light brown skin |
Cares for people |
Long brown hair in pony tail |
Thin-skinned |
Casual clothes |
|
Self-made dangly earrings |
|
Building the Character’s Self-View
Attitude towards self |
Attitude of others toward self |
She thinks she’s dumb, grumpy, rude, and obnoxious |
Mrs. Jorach thinks she is a great writer |
She hates her lips |
Mr. Smith thinks she is really good at math story problems |
She knows that all of what she thinks is not true but she still thinks this way |
|
Giving Characters problems and solutions
Think about their:
Collections
Favorite clothes
Special places on earth
Treasures
Worries
Quirks
Secrets
Relatives
Ways of talking. Walking, gesturing
Rituals for waking up, going to sleep
Meals
Best friends
Show Don’t Tell
Planning and Writing Scenes
Things writers include in scenes:
A beginning, middle, and end
A setting
Characters who want things
Characters who feel and think
Obstacles that get in the way of what characters want
Action dialogue (most of the time)
Every action has a setting
Matching the Writing to the Story Mountain
Start with a strong lead
Write your first draft using all of your planning notes
Make sure you have a strong ending
Revise your first draft
Edit with the six traits of writing
Share your final draft
Six Trait Writing
Ideas
My message is clear.
I include some interesting details
It all makes sense.
I use clear transition words to connect my ideas and show logical order. (first, next, finally however)
Organization:
My paper has a strong beginning.
I tell things in best order.
Everything ties together.
The ending wraps things up and makes you think.
Voice:
This really sounds like me.
My reader can tell I care about this topic.
This is what I think and feel.
I want you to read this and feel something.
Word Choice:
I use many interesting describing words.
Some of the words linger in my mind.
My verbs are powerful, my nouns are specific.
I can picture it.
Sentence Fluency:
My sentences begin in different ways.
Some sentences are short, some are long.
My sentences have power and punch.
My sentences sound natural.
Conventions:
I use capital letters for:
(Sentence beginnings, proper nouns, the word I)
Age level words are spelled correctly, using a dictionary
I end sentences with correct ending marks. (. ? !)
I remember to indent each paragraph you wrote in block style.
I write complete sentences- each has a noun and a verb.
