- Cathy Beveridge inservices 2011 - 2012

1. Story Writing
- “Planning is most important when trying to create stories; it provides structure for the story”
It’s important to read short stories to students so they can see the author’s planning
choices clearly.
A teacher should conference with the student once the planning document is
complete.
Use the writing planning tool when you read to students at the beginning of the year,
then proceed to use this tool for the writing process.
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012

2. When a writer creates a story, they write it in “chunks” or scenes.
The main character is always making “choices” in these scenes.
The beginning usually involves just 1 main character.
The story takes place over only 1 day.
Write “how” the main character is feeling as the story progresses.
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012

3. Cathy says a writing planning tool will help students
- click on image for larger version
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012

4. The writing process involves planning in this order … with these elements:
1. story problem
• no “hurting”
• get to this part quickly once the story writing has begun
• no more than half a page
• a problem means the main character feels:
guilty, grumpy, lonely, confused, worried, jealous, scared, sad,
angry, disappointed, frustrated
2. solution
• make this short
• something has to happen which is the opposite of the problem
• must be “workable”
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012

5. 3. middle
• this is the hardest part to plan
• things are tried, but they don’t work in solving the problem
• two tries are fine here, at solving the problem
4. beginning
• characters, setting, background information
5. end
• make this short
 “reflect on the past”
 “wish for the future”
 “feel the present”
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012

6. Scene writing should always involve what Cathy calls the 4Ss
1. specifics
2. sensory details
 touch, taste, see, hear, smell
3. strong verbs
 only use an adverb if a verb is not “strong”, eg. walked slowly …
rather than trudged
4. show, don’t tell
 the writer should make the reader “see” details and “feel”
emotions
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012

7. A 4Frame (or 3Frame or 2Frame) frame or comic strip will help in scene writing
• draw a quick sketch in each box showing what happens as the scene
progresses
• under each box, write 2 or 3 sentences describing what is happening
• students can work in groups; each writes something for only 1 box
Cathy Beveridge / Ross Ford School / 2011 - 2012