Best Short Stories

Go find a short story somewhere...online, at home, siblings etc. Read it, if you like it post the title here along with a short description of the story and why you liked it. Then read one of the stories that someone else has posted, comment on whether you enjoyed it or not and why. I will start..."The Man" by Ray Bradbury (note that short story titles go inside parentheses). This story is about a group of intrepid space travelers searching for life and truth and the answers to the mysteries of our universe. They encounter an alien people who seem to have just had a visit from some unknown diety...very interesting stuff.

Separation of Blogs

I am going to separate the two class blogs into reading and writing. Anything you have to say/ask/add about writing should be posted on the Just Write blog. Remember that everyone must post a full-length creative piece on that blog before the end of the marking period and students should also comment on that writing as well. If you have not added yourself as an author by giving me your email and responding to the author inquiry...you need to do so soon!

Book Clubs

Don't forget to vote on your next choice for Book Club Books. Just like the real world, your vote is your way of making your voice heard in here. If you don't vote, then don't complain when the Book Clubs are on a genre you don't like.

Comment Names

Anyone who posts under anonymous needs to change it to an actual posting name...comments labaled anonymous will not be accepted for credit as of 10/18.

Questions Questions

Your best resource for success in LA this year are those people that go to class with you every day and encounter the same challenges and difficulties as you do. Some of these people have found strategies to help them succeed. This post is a place for you to ask and answer questions that pertain to anything that will help you succeed. This could be anything from "I was sick on Tuesday...what did we do in class?" to "I can't figure out how to create a simile. Does anybody have a trick?" Whatever your question is, post it here and make sure to check back frequently for answers as well as to answer questions for others.

Just Write Blog

After reading the comments on the personal blog post I noticed that many of you were enthusiastic about the idea but did not want to share EVERYTHING that you write. What I have done is created a new blog called Just Write. This blog is linked to my blog on the left of this page. Anyone can post their creative/critical/persuasive writing or ideas there. In order to do this I have to add you as an author on the page. All I need for this is your email address. Once you have given me your email I will add it to the list of accepted authors for the page and then you can post to it whenever you want. Anyone can go to the blog and comment on the posts and I encourage this. This should be a place where you can have an open forum for creative pursuits. Take it and run!

Personal Blogs

A lot of my students last year set up their own blogs. They gave their blog addresses to friends and teachers etc. Some wanted to share their thoughts with everyone on our class blog and I offered a spot on the blog to link to student blogs. If you have a blog/tumblr etc and want to give your peers access to your thoughts and writing just let me know anfd I will put your blog link on the homepage of the class blog.

Writing Goals

To help you decide what you want to set as a personal writing goal for the next two months I am compiling a list below. Feel free to add to that list if you see that I missed something. Remember, YOU are responsible for working on your writing goal independently. You will be graded based on a piece of writing from before you began working on your goal and your most current piece of writing at the end of the two month goal time. You will be asked to provide strategies that you worked with, reflections on your progress etc in order to justify your independent work towards achieving success.

Possible Writing Goals:
Writing Stronger Leads
Using figurative language to add style to writing
Replacing telling with elaborate dialogue
Developing dialogue by using dialect
Showing events unfold instead of telling the reader that they occurred
Elaborating on main ideas
Including sensory details to make writing more visual
Focusing on specific detail and evidence instead of general support
Organizing paragraphs
Utilizing transitions or transitional language
Writing strong clinchers that drive home a point or finish with style
Generating Ideas
Generating supporting detail
Using strong active verbs
Incorporating adages into writing
Using adjectives/adverbs to expand writing and not to weigh it down
Utilizing allusion to build context into writing
Creating analogies
Anecdotes
Writing in different tones
Characterization
Avoiding cliches
Varying Sentence Structure
Varying sentence length
Using connotation to develop tone/mood etc
Elaboration in general
Using concrete examples to elaborate
Using clear explanation that is not boring
Using researchable facts to add authority to writing
Wordplay such as euphemisms
Expanding moments to slow pace and build suspense etc
Extending metaphors
Using quotations effectively
Adding flashback for style and interest
Foreshadowing in all forms of writing
Using fragments correctly (for effect)
Hooking the reader
Playing with humor in all writing
Including idioms
Writing using implication
Irony
Creating strong Magic 3's to help elaborate and add style
Building motif
Working with paradox
Using setting to builid mood etc
Working towards poignancy
Avoiding redundancies
Using repetition to emphasize emotion or strengthen points
Using clauses to add refinement to writing
Building writing vocabulary

October Books of the Month

Remember: Reading a "Book of the Month" selection will get you some extra credit. Write a short response to the novel under this post and then see me the next day to get your "thumbs up" and some extra credit.

Books of the Month:
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey

Lever's Picks:
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
Fallen by Lauren Kate

Partner Pick:
On the Devil's Court by Carl Deuker

Classic Pick:
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Dracula by Bram Stoker

Celebrity Pick: (by Miss Healy)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett