Teen Writers Circle Class Summary 12/2/13

with Michelle Cameron

Critique

Once again we discussed end rhyme in poetry. We also talked about the hero's quest, which is one of the famous story archetypes, stretching all the way back to the ancient Greeks.

Show AND Tell

Today's topic was when to show AND tell. The famous writer’s axiom “Show, don’t tell,” is certainly useful for very important scenes – which should always be shown. But there are times when tell is a suitable writing technique – including back story, the framing of flashbacks, and certainly story transitions.

We discussed what goes into a “show” scene, which includes:

• Description
  
• Creating a scene a la a motion picture (which is rarely “told”)
  
• Dialogue
  
• Showing emotion on the body and face, rather than using adverbs or adjectives. For instance, instead of “He was angry,” say “His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed.” 
  

We then did a number of short writing exercises to practice showing emotion on the body and face. I told them that Charles Dickens famously used a mirror to be able to show himself what emotion looked like, which he would then describe in words.

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(We briefly diverted into some Dickens-related lore: how he was paid by the word, making some of his many novels quite long, as well which of his books were most famous and which he didn’t write. I’d love to suggest that, with the coming holiday season, everyone reads “A Christmas Carol” to begin to become acquainted with his writing.)

So we used a mirror, having one student model sadness and another happiness. After that, we embarked on a few more layered emotions:

• Confusion
  
• Pain (half the class wrote as if they had a toothache, the other half as if their character were shot)
  
• Victory/Defeat – again, half taking the opposite side
  
• Terror – a request by Mason, which ended by featuring him in a number of terrifying situations

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Homework

Next week we’re doing our final in-class revision. I asked the kids to bring one of the pieces they’ll be submitting to our online journal – and they should work on polishing anything they wish to submit (more on that in a moment).

They should bring in two double-spaced copies for revision next week. I didn’t give them any other writing to do, so please have them really focus on all of the pieces they’re going to submit.

They should consult the revision guidelines I gave them early on. If you need a reminder, revisit them here: http://www.mosaicfreeschool.com/1/post/2013/09/teen-writers-circle-class-summary-93013.html. 

Online Journal Submissions

We are getting close to the end and I’d like the kids to focus on their online journal submissions. Each student can submit:

• Two stories
  
• Four poems
  
• One story and up to three poems
  

I’d really like to see more than one submission from every student.

I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!