RevisionLeads- there are many ways to start writing that will make the reader want to read your piece. Some include: ~ Dialogue: (Starting in the Middle of a Scene): Where's papa going with that axe?" said fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast? ~Dramatic Lead: "In 1974 my family cancelled Christmas." ~Beginning at the Ending; "One day last spring, Louis, a butcher, turned into a fish. Silvery scales. Big lips. A tail. A salmon." ~Sentence Fragments: A 42 year old man. A man of heart and soul." ~ Intriguing Detail: "My parents met in Saigon in 1968, the Year of the Smake." ~Question: "Did you know that the sucking power of an infant is five times as strong as the sucking power of an adult?" Similes and Metaphors- These tools, most often associated with poetry, can make your writing sing. Take a description that you've written and compare it to something else. ~Michael Jordan is as tall as a New York City skyscraper. ~I'm a mouse as I tiptoe through the kitchen. Active Verbs- Choose unique action words to replace words like was, were, be, is. ~The snow was hugging the ground. Sensory images- Use images that appeal to the five senses. ~The noon sun warmed my skin as the children called noisily across the playground. Unforgettable language- Use bold, surprising, dazzling words and images. ~The mountain of father-son literature does not haunt me. Be specific- Use physical details to describe things clearly. ~We placed the red plaid blanlket on the freshly mowed grass. Show, Don't Tell - Replace a summary with a scene. Not, I told the thief to stop, but ~"Stop thief," I screamed, as I ran after the robbers. |
