Friday, November 21, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
What Makes A Good Story?
The best stories have a strong theme, a fascinating plot, a fitting structure, unforgettable characters, a well-chosen setting, and an appealing style. Try for all of these.
Theme
A theme is something important the story tries to tell us—something that might help us in our own lives. Not every story has a theme, but it’s best if it does.
Don’t get too preachy. Let the theme grow out of the story, so readers feel they’ve learned it for themselves. You shouldn’t have to say what the moral is.
Plot
Plot is most often about a conflict or struggle that the main character goes through. The conflict can be with another character, or with the way things are, or with something inside the character, like needs or feelings.
The main character should win or lose at least partly on their own, and not just be rescued by someone or something else. Most often, the character learns or grows as they try to solve their problem. What the character learns is the theme.
The conflict should get more and more tense or exciting. The tension should reach a high point or “climax” near the end of the story, then ease off.
The basic steps of a plot are: conflict begins, things go right, things go WRONG, final victory (or defeat), and wrap-up. The right-wrong steps can repeat.
A novel can have several conflicts, but a short story should have only one.
Story Structure
At the beginning, jump right into the action. At the end, wind up the story quickly.
Decide about writing the story either in “first person” or in “third person.” Third-person pronouns are “he,” “she,” and “it”—so writing in third person means telling a story as if it’s all about other people. The first-person pronoun is “I”—so writing in first person means telling a story as if it happened to you.
Even if you write in third person, try to tell the story through the eyes of just one character—most likely the main character. Don’t tell anything that the character wouldn’t know. This is called “point of view.” If you must tell something else, create a whole separate section with the point of view of another character.
Decide about writing either in “present tense” or in “past tense.” Writing in past tense means writing as if the story already happened. That is how most stories are written. Writing in present tense means writing as if the story is happening right now. Stick to one tense or the other!
Characters
Before you start writing, know your characters well.
Your main character should be someone readers can feel something in common with, or at least care about.
You don’t have to describe a character completely. It’s enough to say one or two things about how a character looks or moves or speaks.
A main character should have at least one flaw or weakness. Perfect characters are not very interesting. They’re also harder to feel something in common with or care about. And they don’t have anything to learn. In the same way, there should be at least one thing good about a “bad guy.”
Setting
Set your story in a place and time that will be interesting or familiar.
Style and Tone
Use language that feels right for your story.
Wherever you can, use actions and speech to let readers know what’s happening. Show, don’t tell.
Give speech in direct quotes like “Go away!” instead of indirect quotes like “She told him to go away.”
You don’t have to write fancy to write well. It almost never hurts to use simple words and simple sentences. That way, your writing is easy to read and understand.
Always use the best possible word—the one that is closest to your meaning, sounds best, and creates the clearest image. If you can’t think of the right one, use a thesaurus.
Carefully check each word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph. Is it the best you can write? Is it in the right place? Do you need it at all? If not, take it out!
Theme
A theme is something important the story tries to tell us—something that might help us in our own lives. Not every story has a theme, but it’s best if it does.
Don’t get too preachy. Let the theme grow out of the story, so readers feel they’ve learned it for themselves. You shouldn’t have to say what the moral is.
Plot
Plot is most often about a conflict or struggle that the main character goes through. The conflict can be with another character, or with the way things are, or with something inside the character, like needs or feelings.
The main character should win or lose at least partly on their own, and not just be rescued by someone or something else. Most often, the character learns or grows as they try to solve their problem. What the character learns is the theme.
The conflict should get more and more tense or exciting. The tension should reach a high point or “climax” near the end of the story, then ease off.
The basic steps of a plot are: conflict begins, things go right, things go WRONG, final victory (or defeat), and wrap-up. The right-wrong steps can repeat.
A novel can have several conflicts, but a short story should have only one.
Story Structure
At the beginning, jump right into the action. At the end, wind up the story quickly.
Decide about writing the story either in “first person” or in “third person.” Third-person pronouns are “he,” “she,” and “it”—so writing in third person means telling a story as if it’s all about other people. The first-person pronoun is “I”—so writing in first person means telling a story as if it happened to you.
Even if you write in third person, try to tell the story through the eyes of just one character—most likely the main character. Don’t tell anything that the character wouldn’t know. This is called “point of view.” If you must tell something else, create a whole separate section with the point of view of another character.
Decide about writing either in “present tense” or in “past tense.” Writing in past tense means writing as if the story already happened. That is how most stories are written. Writing in present tense means writing as if the story is happening right now. Stick to one tense or the other!
Characters
Before you start writing, know your characters well.
Your main character should be someone readers can feel something in common with, or at least care about.
You don’t have to describe a character completely. It’s enough to say one or two things about how a character looks or moves or speaks.
A main character should have at least one flaw or weakness. Perfect characters are not very interesting. They’re also harder to feel something in common with or care about. And they don’t have anything to learn. In the same way, there should be at least one thing good about a “bad guy.”
Setting
Set your story in a place and time that will be interesting or familiar.
Style and Tone
Use language that feels right for your story.
Wherever you can, use actions and speech to let readers know what’s happening. Show, don’t tell.
Give speech in direct quotes like “Go away!” instead of indirect quotes like “She told him to go away.”
You don’t have to write fancy to write well. It almost never hurts to use simple words and simple sentences. That way, your writing is easy to read and understand.
Always use the best possible word—the one that is closest to your meaning, sounds best, and creates the clearest image. If you can’t think of the right one, use a thesaurus.
Carefully check each word, phrase, sentence, and paragraph. Is it the best you can write? Is it in the right place? Do you need it at all? If not, take it out!
Monday, November 17, 2008
No Television Assignment
From Thursday to Thursday you are required to turn off your television (unplug it if that helps!) in celebration of the Annual National TV-Turnoff Week. TV-Turnoff Network is really about more than just turning off your television – it is about making lifestyle changes in relation to our use of electronic screens, so ideally you should limit your use of computer screens including the Internet, computer and video games. Try to turn off everything that requires a battery or electricity and focus on people, play, activity and interpersonal connections for the week. You may need to use a computer screen for work or school activities, so I am not banning them, but asking you to limit their use for “productive” and “required” activities.
During this week, you will keep a journal of your daily activities and at the conclusion of the week you will write a paper in which you compare your typical week (when television was not banned) to this week. In preparation for this assignment, we will explore National media usage statistics and take a personal inventory of your media usage to create a media use benchmark and facilitate your comparison. This assignment is meant to cause you to reflect on how much time you spend engaged with the media, what impact media use has on your thinking, your lifestyle and your interpersonal activities. So, you will want to consider what other/new activities you engaged in while the television was off-limits.
Your paper should describe your media usage prior to this week based on the Media Use Inventory data we will develop in class, how your week went without television, and any long-term changes you hope to make in your media consumption patterns.
• First, draw some conclusions between your typical media use and the National averages when television is not banned from your daily routine.
• Then, reflect on your experience with banning television (and maybe even computer/video games) from your media consumption habits. Consider the following questions:
• Did you cheat? Why? How frequently?
• How did you resist temptation?
• Did you have support from roommates, friends, or family?
• How did you fill the time you typically spend watching television?
• Was your time spent more/less productively this week than normal?
• Was this assignment difficult? Why or why not?
• How did completing this assignment impact your attitudes toward television and/or media in society?
During this week, you will keep a journal of your daily activities and at the conclusion of the week you will write a paper in which you compare your typical week (when television was not banned) to this week. In preparation for this assignment, we will explore National media usage statistics and take a personal inventory of your media usage to create a media use benchmark and facilitate your comparison. This assignment is meant to cause you to reflect on how much time you spend engaged with the media, what impact media use has on your thinking, your lifestyle and your interpersonal activities. So, you will want to consider what other/new activities you engaged in while the television was off-limits.
Your paper should describe your media usage prior to this week based on the Media Use Inventory data we will develop in class, how your week went without television, and any long-term changes you hope to make in your media consumption patterns.
• First, draw some conclusions between your typical media use and the National averages when television is not banned from your daily routine.
• Then, reflect on your experience with banning television (and maybe even computer/video games) from your media consumption habits. Consider the following questions:
• Did you cheat? Why? How frequently?
• How did you resist temptation?
• Did you have support from roommates, friends, or family?
• How did you fill the time you typically spend watching television?
• Was your time spent more/less productively this week than normal?
• Was this assignment difficult? Why or why not?
• How did completing this assignment impact your attitudes toward television and/or media in society?
Television and Radio
Television Review
1. How does television work? Who invented it?
2. What are the differences between TV and HDTV?
Why is Radio Important?
1. How does radio work? Who invented it?
2. History of Radio
a. When did radio begin? ______________________
b. What significant event in 1912? _______________
c. Orson Wells’ “________ ____ _____ ___________” - 1938
d. When was radio most popular?________________
3. Why is it still popular today?
a. It’s ability to be _______________________
-
-
b. Much easier to change __________________
3. What new technologies are currently hurting the radio?
1. How does television work? Who invented it?
2. What are the differences between TV and HDTV?
Why is Radio Important?
1. How does radio work? Who invented it?
2. History of Radio
a. When did radio begin? ______________________
b. What significant event in 1912? _______________
c. Orson Wells’ “________ ____ _____ ___________” - 1938
d. When was radio most popular?________________
3. Why is it still popular today?
a. It’s ability to be _______________________
-
-
b. Much easier to change __________________
3. What new technologies are currently hurting the radio?
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Television Drug of a Nation
View one of the videos located on the right toolbar (you tube videos). Answer the following questions:
1. What images and sounds do you remember?
2. What phrases and statements do you remember?
3.What issues and questions does this work ask you to consider?
4. Whose point of view does this represent?
5. What criticisms does this level at TV? Do you agree or disagree with them?
6. How was this produced? Is there any irony in how it was produced?
The lyrics are available here:
http://www.ocap.ca/songs/televisn.html
1. What images and sounds do you remember?
2. What phrases and statements do you remember?
3.What issues and questions does this work ask you to consider?
4. Whose point of view does this represent?
5. What criticisms does this level at TV? Do you agree or disagree with them?
6. How was this produced? Is there any irony in how it was produced?
The lyrics are available here:
http://www.ocap.ca/songs/televisn.html
Interviewing Techniques
Click on the following link to complete an interactive interviewing activity:
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=nu_interview04
Post a response to this blog about one item you learned through this activity.
http://www.newsu.org/Angel/section/default.asp?format=course&id=nu_interview04
Post a response to this blog about one item you learned through this activity.
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