We're English 10 Nerds and Loving It: January 21, 2014

Focus: How I turn my jumbled writing into something that resembles a story?

1. Warm-up: Slowing down a moment

2. Browsing sample memoirs for slowed-down moments and sensory imagery

• Where does the author slow down to describe a moment?

• How does the author slow down (what techniques does he or she use)?

• Why did the author pick those moments to slow down? What makes these slowed-down moments work?

3. Thinking about the structure of your memoir

Exposition: Description/action/information that sets up background for your story, such as characters, time, and place

Rising action: Events that lead up to your story's turning point

Climax / turning point: The most important moment of the whole story...the moment that causes a change in the narrator

Falling action / resolution: The events after the turning point and the story's conclusion.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw5NFlXPmTw3SW5WSnJUcll0LUk/edit?usp=sharing


Central conflict:  Sam vs. _________________

4. Sorting out the structure in your story (see graphic organizer)

Tips:

• Use sensory imagery (all five senses) to slow down significant moments.

• The turning point of your story should be a slowed-down moment, but it doesn't have to be the only one.

• Think about where your story is weak right now in terms of structure, and add to that part.  For example, if you don't have much rising action because your story jumps to the turning point, then think about what thoughts, events, etc. lead to the turning point and include those. Build the tension and conflict!

HW:
1. Signed memoir proposal due tomorrow; click HERE for the proposal form.

2. Finish the structure graphic organizer for your story if you did not finish in class; then, edit your draft to establish some structure (use the worksheet as a guide).