lesson 11: author's tool box enhancing the story
In this course so far, we have examined many different aspects of fiction writing; from the sci-fi stories in unit 1, to the novels we've read in unit 2, to the techniques used by authors to develop plot, character and theme.
With the remaining three lessons in this unit, you'll now have a chance to practice your story writing skills!!
In this lesson, we will learn about two more techniques skilled authors use to make a story:
PACING
and
DIALOGUE
With the remaining three lessons in this unit, you'll now have a chance to practice your story writing skills!!
In this lesson, we will learn about two more techniques skilled authors use to make a story:
PACING
and
DIALOGUE
PacE
The pace of a story can be fast or slow. Or it can be a happy mixture of both.
It's similar to a movie--a movie can either be fast or slow, too, right?
A fast-paced movie generally has lots of action, while keeping the conversations between characters short and to the point. Can you think of a fast-paced movie?
A slow-paced movie generally has lots of speaking, while keeping the action to a minimum. Can you think of a slow-paced movie?
A well-paced story has both periods of action and speaking--keeping the audience informed of why and how things are happening (through characters speaking) and also giving the audience a bit of entertainment with the action.
As an author yourself, it is good to know the skills of how to provide your audience with an appropriately paced story.
Slide 2 in the lesson gives an interactive that shows you how to use sentences of different lengths to make a story fast, slow and medium.
It's similar to a movie--a movie can either be fast or slow, too, right?
A fast-paced movie generally has lots of action, while keeping the conversations between characters short and to the point. Can you think of a fast-paced movie?
A slow-paced movie generally has lots of speaking, while keeping the action to a minimum. Can you think of a slow-paced movie?
A well-paced story has both periods of action and speaking--keeping the audience informed of why and how things are happening (through characters speaking) and also giving the audience a bit of entertainment with the action.
As an author yourself, it is good to know the skills of how to provide your audience with an appropriately paced story.
Slide 2 in the lesson gives an interactive that shows you how to use sentences of different lengths to make a story fast, slow and medium.
dialogue
Dialogue is the fancy term for characters speaking.
In a movie, it's easy to tell when the dialogue happens because you can hear it.
In a written story, dialogue is obvious also! The words that are spoken out loud by the characters are the ones that are inside the quotation marks [" "].
There are typing rules for creating dialogue in a story.
Spend some time on slide 3 and 4 of the lesson getting familiar with the 4 rules for writing dialogue into a story. I highly suggest taking notes on the rules, so that you can use them in this lesson's assessment and the next story you'll write in lesson 13 of this unit.
In a movie, it's easy to tell when the dialogue happens because you can hear it.
In a written story, dialogue is obvious also! The words that are spoken out loud by the characters are the ones that are inside the quotation marks [" "].
There are typing rules for creating dialogue in a story.
Spend some time on slide 3 and 4 of the lesson getting familiar with the 4 rules for writing dialogue into a story. I highly suggest taking notes on the rules, so that you can use them in this lesson's assessment and the next story you'll write in lesson 13 of this unit.
assessment: Portfolio
On slide 5 of the lesson, you are provided a link to the worksheet that needs to be completed for this lesson.
Please follow the directions given on the worksheet,
Basically, you'll write a short (super short--no more than half a page) story that has a beginning, middle and end.
To get full points on the assignment, you'll need to demonstrate your skill with pace and dialogue, highlight where directed and answer the two questions at the bottom of the worksheet.
I can't wait to read your (super short) stories!!
Please follow the directions given on the worksheet,
Basically, you'll write a short (super short--no more than half a page) story that has a beginning, middle and end.
To get full points on the assignment, you'll need to demonstrate your skill with pace and dialogue, highlight where directed and answer the two questions at the bottom of the worksheet.
I can't wait to read your (super short) stories!!