Writing Fiction: Bringing Stories to Life with Evidence and Action

1. 7th Grade Writer’s Workshop-Writing Realistic Fiction Bend 2 Session 7

2. Teaching Point • Today I want to teach you something that fiction writers know: it’s not enough to have good ideas for stories. To make 2-D ideas feel 3-D, those stories need to come to life. Fiction writers can make this happen by asking, “Is there evidence in my story’s events? Does my writing show, not tell?” and then making sure that they story-tell, bit by bit.

3. Remember you need balance between summary and scene! • For example: • On Friday afternoon, Mrs. Ward’s snake escaped from the tank in the science lab. (Summary) • The breeze rattled the shades as it blew into our classroom windows. There was soft music playing in the background. The classroom swung open with a slam. Mrs. Ward stood in the doorway, her glasses slightly crooked, her forehead beaded with sweat, “The snake escaped!” (Scene-Storytelling) • Which is better???

4. Is there evidence? • Don’t just tell the readers something and expect them to believe it, but rather, be like a criminal who wants to be CAUGHT, and leave evidence EVERYWHERE!

5. Esmeralda Story • I stood in the doorway of the lunchroom, half hiding behind the vending machines, clutching my lunch bag. There were a few kids who also brought their lunch from home, but almost everybody else bought from the cafeteria. I waited for Tilly to come through the kitchen doors. Then waved to her as she headed to our table, the one closest to the janitor’s closet. As I walked past Liz and Maeve’s gossip table, I overheard them. As the two girls talked, I felt uncomfortable. • Where’s the evidence of her being uncomfortable? There isn’t any! Let’s read on and see if it was added in.

6. I slowed so I could get a good listen. “I know, right?!” said Liz. Maeve giggled and responded, “Yes, Tilly’s hair today is atrocious! Who taught her how to style her hair?” The room felt really hot all of a sudden. I was beginning to wish I had worn a lighter shirt. This one was making me sweat. Just then I noticed that they knew I was listening in. I didn’t know what to do. • The things in bold are the evidence that proves she was uncomfortable. • But where’s the evidence that proves she doesn’t know what to do?

7. I looked down at my phone, checking for text messages that weren’t there. Then I noticed how dirty it was and made myself concentrate on slowly cleaning the screen with the bottom of my shirt before continuing my journey to the lunch table and to Tilly. • All of this paragraph proves that she didn’t know what to do because she was trying to find other things to do to not be noticed!

8. Push your writing! • Don’t just summarize! Ask yourself “Where’s the evidence?” and add to your stories. • This makes them exciting and fun to read!

9. Let’s try it together! Handout • Read this story starter and add in 3D details to prove how the character is thinking or feeling (work with a partner): Suddenly the teacher explained, “We will all be participating in a Color Run together next week.” You could hear in her voice that she was excited. (Besides hearing it, what else did she do that shows she was excited?) Students began getting nervous that they would have to raise a lot of money in one week. (Show how they were nervous-What did they do, say?)

10. Share! • Volunteers to share their writing???

11. How to Write Compelling Fiction • Brainstorm a great story idea • Make your characters come alive • Test-drive your character in scenes • Plot several versions of your story, aiming to intensify the problem • Draft a 3-D story (story-tell bit by bit, include evidence of your characters’ actions, thoughts, feelings)

12. Adding Action • WE NEED ACTION! Without it, there’s not much tension. As you know the best stories have action and conflict.

13. Now it’s your turn… • Turn your plot diagram from the other day into a story. Add evidence (details, action, dialogue), so it reads like a story and shows how your characters are thinking/feeling/acting.

14. Transitional Phrases • Don’t forget that you can use these to signify passage of time, change of place, or to summarize parts of the story! • All of a sudden • And suddenly • Afterward • Meanwhile • The next day • That night • In the distance • On the other side • If only

15. How to Write Compelling Fiction • Brainstorm a great story idea • Make your characters come alive • Test-drive your character in scenes • Plot several versions of your story, aiming to intensify the problem • Draft a 3-D story (story-tell bit by bit, include evidence of your characters’ actions, thoughts, feelings) • Manage space and time • Use summary to quickly move character across space and time • Use transitional words and phrases to show changes in time or place

16. Homework • Begin drafting your story in a Google Doc. • Title it with your Story Title and your name. • Share it with me: schubertriverview@gmail.com • Experiment with when and how in your stories to move from summary to scene and from one place to another. • Add at least three transitions.