Reading and Writing

1. Reading and Writing • In our class, we will use READING as a tool to enhance our WRITING. • With each essay, we will have required readings – both instructions and tips on that particular type of writing AND essays/articles that are examples of that type of writing • The readings are essential and are NOT to be skipped, ever. They are carefully selected for their content that will help your writing.

2. Analytical Reading Strategies • In this class, we will be reading like writers. • That means that in addition to understanding the ideas in the assigned essays, I will also be asking you to think about the authors’ writing choices and structure/organization. • Discuss the “Great Conversation” metaphor on page 7. • Rhetorical Reading/Thinking/Listening Strategies p. 8--10

3. Brainstorming • Brainstorming is a writing activity that asks you to write down ideas quickly, in short bursts without worrying about correctness. • See page 26 for different brainstorming methods. • You might use an idea web, also called “clustering” (show example) • bubble.us  website for making idea webs • You can use bullet points to write down ideas as they come to you.

4. Brainstorming Practice • On a new sheet of notebook paper, brainstorm about the following topic: • “Events and people who have shaped my attitudes about reading and writing.” • Brainstorm for three minutes. Write down everything you can think of. • Try not to let your pen stop moving. No ideas are bad ideas when you are brainstorming. Just get all your thoughts down.

5. Freewriting: • Freewriting is much the same as brainstorming, but it usually involves stream of consciousness writing, organized into rough sentences. • When you freewrite, you write whatever comes to mind about a topic without worrying about organization, spelling, "making it sound good," etc.

6. Freewriting Practice: • Pick an idea or a related group of ideas from your brainstorming and highlight/underline them. • Now, freewrite about the idea(s) you picked for 5 minutes. • Again, write as fast as you can. Don’t worry about anything but getting down your thoughts.

7. Diagnostic Essay: Now that we have done our brainstorming, we will be writing a diagnostic essay. • “Diagnostic essay” simply means a brief, in-class writing that I will use to see where people are in their development as writers and what issues we need to address as a class. • Please don’t stress it. You will receive full credit simply for doing it and turning it in.

8. Diagnostic Essay: Prompt: Agree or disagree with the following statement: “I am a writer.” • Why do you answer this question the way that you do? What events and circumstances have led you to this conclusion? • If it helps, you can look back at your brainstorming and freewriting. • If you are stuck, you may wish to begin with, "I believe that I am a writer because…" or "I don't believe that I am a writer because…"

9. Discussion of Diagnostic Writing • How are you defining “writer”? Would a different definition change your answer? • What do you think of the definitions your classmates offered that are different from yours? Are there any new definitions with which you strongly agree or disagree? • If you were a successful writer, what would you life be like?

10. What Do Successful Writers Do? • Successful writers plan. • They use brainstorming and freewriting to get their ideas flowing. They make outlines to organize their ideas. They spend time thinking about their subjects and consider various ways of approaching the topic before beginning. • Successful writers write. • This may seem obvious, but successful writers are the ones who write often. They write in order to complete class assignments, but they also do outside writing that is not required. They keep journals and write letters. For them, writing is a way of interacting with and learning about the world.

11. Successful Writers • Successful writers read. • Successful writers make a habit of reading. They read books, magazines, newspapers, and other media that interest them. Reading helps them to explore new ideas they might want to talk about in their own writing. It also develops their vocabulary, sentence structure, and grammar skills. • Successful writers seek advice. • Even professional authors and writers do not write alone. They constantly seek the advice and feedback of friends, family, editors, and fellow writers. In a classroom setting, they seek the advice of other students and their instructors. They know that having another opinion and another pair of eyes can improve a piece drastically.

12. Successful writers revise. • Successful writers know that the first draft isn't perfect. What's more, they know it doesn't have to be. They use their first drafts to get the ideas down, to experiment, to try different ways of expressing their ideas. They know that they will always have a chance to revise it and make it better. • Successful writers do close, careful work on their drafts, looking for places where they need to add detail, correct confusing passages, and make their writing more vivid and interesting. • Successful writers know that being a good writer isn’t something you are born with, it’s a skill you can LEARN if you stick with it! You CAN be a successful writer this semester!

13. Announcements • I will be passing out the Prompt for Essay 1 next week (Tuesday)

14. Reminders for Next Week • Tuesday, February 18 Topics: Introduction to Narrative Writing and Introduce Essay 1. Discuss example narratives in class. • Homework Due: • Read Everyone’s an Author Chapter 8, p. 101—105 and 108—117. • Read 2 examples of Narratives: “Lydia’s Story” p. 128—131 and “Bidding Farewell to Arms” p. 118—121. • Thursday, February 20 Topics: Discussing the writing process and working on your first rough draft of Essay 1. • Homework Due:  • Read “Writing a Narrative: A Roadmap” p. 121-127. • Read an example of a Literacy Narrative, “Literacy: A Lineage” p. 132—136.