It’s National Novel Writing Month in November, and we’re about to embark on a journey that will free your creative spirit and create your own style as author.
But how? Let’s start by thinking about the novel we just read for #gra13 so we can Read Like a Writer.
Let’s think and discuss as writers how this novel enticed us to read to the end, and to chat and share in between. Let’s read like a writer —
Let’s look at the story as if we were writers, as if we wrote it.
Think about it: how do novelists create their stories, the ones we want to start reading and keep reading?
Let’s start thinking…
First. let’s think:
What’s most important in the story? Why do you think so?
What message did you take away? What truth about the world? What is an idea, a truth that unifies the whole story? [theme]
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If you’re having trouble, list several important subjects covered in the story.
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Evaluate these and choose one that is most important to the whole story.
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Write a theme statement (not a topic, subject, or phrase) that is specific enough that it shines through the whole story — it applies to every character, event, and detail of the story.
Now, how was that message “built” by the author — let’s ask some questions (we can skip around — these guide us). Let’s think, discuss, and then wonder how we can create a similar experience in our own novels. Think:
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How did the author open the story? How did that opening set a tone or entice us to keep reading?
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Did we learn the setting right away — how did that help us get into the story? Would another setting have worked? [Setting: time / place / social attitudes]
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How were the characters introduced? Was there action? conversation? description?
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Who’s talking and telling the story? first person? [main character] third person? [narrator]
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Describe the personalities and traits of the main characters. How do we know that ? How did the author write to help us know these characters as believable? or were they?
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Who was the protagonist? How do you know?
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Who or what was the antagonist? How do you know?
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What words and phrases, descriptions, dialogue, thoughts, actions, interactions help us understand the characters? [characterization]
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What was the problem in the story? How was it introduced? How did it develop? [plot profile: exposition, rising action, falling action, resolution]
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What parts of the plot sequence surprised you? Why? How did the author create that surprise, suspense?
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What parts of the plot did you predict? What did the author do — what clues did the author provide to help you?
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What parts of the story were mind movies? How did the author create those for you? [figurative language, dialogue, description]
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Think of your favorite part — why is it your favorite part? How did the author write it? What words helped?
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Think of the climax of the story, the part where the character made a decision and their action helped set up the end of the story. How did he author build suspense to that point?
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Were there any props in the story that were clues to what might happen or that were important to the characters? Were they repeated in the story? Where? How? Why?
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What was the tone throughout the story? Did it change? What is the author’s attitude about the characters? problem? message?
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Back to characterization: Which characters changed in the story? How? Why? How did the author’s words, style, plot help us understand this change?
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Think back on the message you considered. What is the message the author wanted us to understand?
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How do the characters show that message?
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Did the setting matter?
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How did the plot show that message?
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How did the author’s use of tone and the author’s style show that message?
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Is there anything that confused you? What could the author have done to make that part less confusing?
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Resolution: How did the author tie up all the issues in the story? How do we know it’s “the end,” and how does it relate to that main message or theme?
So.
How do novelists create their stories, the ones we want to start reading and keep reading?
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