Writer's Workshop Begins Monday

Our Writer's Workshop begins on Monday. You are in charge of your writing. But, you must come to class with ideas. This is where your Writer's Notebook will become part of your everyday life.

You must carry your notebook almost everywhere you go this weekend.
Please print this list and paste it on the inside cover of your notebook.

You must make at least four substantial journal entries per week. Choose from the list of ideas below:

Keep track of story ideas, possible characters, lines that come to you in a moment, etc.
Make lists of things: words, books, famous people, cartoons, fuzzy animals, etc.
Explode a moment by fast-writing about it for at least seven full minutes. Make sure that you write with as much detail as possible, drawing on all your senses. Write in the present tense if it helps.
Write down snippets of conversations you hear during your day.
Wake up in the morning and immediately write down everything you can remember about your dreams.
Record your favorite lines from songs, books, stories, movies, or TV shows.
Draw pictures and doodles. See if one of your drawings inspires you.
Keep track of your thoughts. What have you been pondering today?
Keep a daily journal. Record the events of your day.
Record very close observations of things. Be sure to capture sights, sounds, textures, moods, and so on.
Keep a list of interesting and unusual facts.
Make a detailed list of character traits that you collect from your observations of people.
Interview someone who may have personal experience with something that interests you.
Make a list of several questions about a particular person, place, thing, idea, or event.
Collect a series of photographs from a newspaper and respond to each individual picture.
Respond to stories in the news. Cut out articles, watch CNN, or go online.
Paste pictures, leaves, flowers, or whatever you like into your book.
Write down a traditional family story.
Keep a record of school related issues and give a personal response to each.
Research facts about things that interest you: hockey, hiking, vacuum cleaners, snakes, or whatever strikes you.
Keep a list of words you like.

Make Wordles or other word clouds and paste them into your notebook.

Write anything in your Writer’s Notebook. Just write.