The Writing Proces

1. The Writing Proces Revision and Proofreading Steps

2. Revision “Clocking” Activity • Pass your Foreign Film Analysis to the right: Read the essay, searching for the required components. Highlight each reference to a hero cycle step in GREEN. Highlight (or underline) each reference to a literary device in BLUE (or pink, if we don’t have enough blue).Highlight each dramatic device in YELLOW. Highlight each cinematic device in ORANGE.

3. Find the Thesis! • Pass the paper to the right again. The THESIS is the heart of the essay. Without it, your thoughts have no life. Read the essay and DRAW A BOX around the thesis. Did your writer refer to both METHOD and MEANING? Method: The film uses literary, dramatic, and cinematic devices. Meaning: The film teaches the viewer that leaders exist inside us all.

4. Method AND Meaning: Caro combines literary, dramatic, and cinematic devices to convey the message of Whale Rider: leaders exist where we least expect to find them. Write a message to your writer about the quality of their thesis. Do the devices they selected work together to capture meaning? If not, they may need to switch devices or find NEW meaning.

5. “Search and Destroy” • Pass the paper to the right again. It’s time to ELIMINATE unnecessary evils. Put an X through all of the following: • 2nd person: any reference to you, yours • 1st person: any reference to I, me, my (including phrases like “I think” or “I believe” • “a lot”

6. Expanded Ideas • Pass the paper to the right one last time. This reader is going to check for expanded ideas. When you read about the symbolism or the lighting or the camera angles, is there enough description about exact moments of the film for you to know exactly the scene the writer is describing? If not, give them advice about where they need to EXPAND.

7. Candide Time:

8. Writing Workout It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Reminders: Write ¾ a page or more. You may write about your own experiences, fiction, or “bad days” in general. Develop your VOICE through diction, imagery, details, etc.

9. Proofreading Checklist • Formatting: • Does the paper include release information for the film at the top of the page? (Title of film, year of release, country of release, director, and lead actors) • Is there a heading (name, date, class period) at the top of the page? • Is there a title that hints at the thesis? (NOT “Film Review” or “Whale Rider” or “Whale of Good Time.”) • Are paragraphs indented with one tab? • Is the paper TYPED and double-spaced? • Has the writer skipped a line between the title and the body of the paper, but NOT skipped lines between subsequent paragraphs?

10. Syntax Check • Read each sentence carefully, focusing only on the structure of the sentence. • Sentences must contain a subject and a predicate. • Joining two independent clauses requires either a comma + conjunction OR a semicolon. • Subjects and verbs must agree: • The grandmother or the uncle’s girlfriend are the goddess. • The grandmother or the uncle’s girlfriend is the goddess. • One of the fighting sticks are on the ground. • One of the fighting sticks is on the ground. • Verb tense should be consistent: • Pai touched one of the whales, and her grandfather tells her to move away, she’s done enough already.

11. Fine-tuning Mechanics • Spelling: • Read the paper backwards, focusing on each word, rather than a sentence at a time. • Avoid common homophone errors (their, there, they’re or effect, affect). • Make sure you are not using the wrong word (defiantly instead of definitely) • Titles: film titles should be capitalized and italicized (NOT set apart in quotation marks) • Punctuation: check the use and overuse of commas, semicolons, and colons.

12. Annoying things that must be destroyed… • 1st person and 2nd person -- Analytical essays should be written in 3rd person; the only exception is if “I” or “you” is used in dialogue. • “a lot” – please use sophisticated diction (avoid “a bunch,” “stuff,” and other vague words/phrases) • Contractions: don’t, can’t, won’t, shouldn’t!!

13. The Beginning and the End • Does the introduction begin broadly and narrow to a specific thesis? Does the paper grab the reader’s attention? Does the introduction provide a “road map” for the reader about where the paper is going next? • Does the conclusion drive home your thesis and leave the reader with something to think about? • Does the author deal with the purpose of the film, either in the introduction or the conclusion?

14. FINAL STEP! • Read your paper out loud. Even if you don’t have an audience, just go read it to yourself. If it doesn’t sound right – if it doesn’t “flow,” go back and fix it!