WRITING & REPORTING
Thirty Tools for Writers
By Roy Peter Clark (More articles by this author)
Senior Scholar, Poynter Institute
[Author’s note: Of the many things I’ve written for the Poynter website, none has been as popular as my "Twenty Tools for Writers." This list has been quoted, cited, praised, debated, and repurposed by writers, editors, teachers, and other professionals who care about the craft. That folks find these tools useful gives me courage. So I’m adding ten more to my workbench, and sharpening up several others.
As you can see, I’m very impressed with myself. Thirty writing tools requires a big workbench. And then I remember that I taught my first writing class 30 years ago, which means that I’m only clever enough to stumble upon one new writing tool per year. I guess an advantage of age is that things accumulate. I hope you find the new tools useful.
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You don’t have to return them. And you can pass them on. – RPC]
At times it helps to think of writing as carpentry. That way, writers and editors can work from a plan and use tools stored on their workbench. A writer or coaching editor can borrow a writing tool at any time. And here’s a secret: Unlike hammers and chisels, writing tools never have to be returned. They can be passed on to another journalist without losing them.
Below is a list of 30 writing and revising tools. We have borrowed them from reporters and editors, from authors of books on writing, and from teachers and coaches. Many come from reading the work of storytellers we admire. The brief descriptions should be enough to help you build your own tool collection.
Sentences and Paragraphs
1. Begin sentences with subjects and verbs, letting subordinate elements branch off to the right. Even a very long sentence can be clear and powerful when the subject and verb make meaning clear early.
2. Use verbs in their strongest form, the simple present or past. Strong verbs create action, save words, and reveal the players.
3. Beware of adverbs. Too often, they dilute the meaning of the verb or repeat it: "The building was completely destroyed."
4. Place strong words at the beginning of sentences and paragraphs, and at the end. The period acts as a stop sign. Any word next to the period says "look at me."
Language
5. Observe "word territory." That is, give key words their own space. Do not repeat an emphatic word unless you intend a specific effect.
6. Play with words, even in serious stories. Choose common words that rarely appear in news reports.
7. Dig for the concrete and specific: the name of the dog and the brand of the beer. Details help readers see the story.
8. Rather than settle for clichés, seek original images. Make word lists, free-associate, be surprised by language.
9. Prefer the simple over the technical: shorter words and paragraphs at the points of greatest complexity.
10. Recognize the mythic, symbolic, and poetic. Be aware that common themes of news writing (homecoming, conquering obstacles, loss, and restoration) have deep roots in the culture of storytelling.
11. When the news or topic is most serious, understate. When the topic is least serious, exaggerate.
Effects
12. For clarity, slow the pace of information. Short sentences make the reader move slowly. Time to think. Time to learn.
13. Control the pace of the story by varying sentence length. Long sentences create a flow that carries the reader down a stream of understanding, an effect that Don Fry calls "steady advance." Or slam on the brakes.
14. Show and tell. Move up and down the ladder of abstraction. At the bottom are bloody knives and rosary beads, wedding rings and baseball cards. At the top are "meaning" words like 'freedom' and 'literacy.' Beware of the middle, where bureaucracy and public policy live. There teachers are refered to as "instructional units."
15. Reveal telling character traits and the power of human speech. Avoid adjectives when describing people. Don’t say "enthusiastic" or "talkative," but use a scene or quote so the person reveals those characteristics to the reader.
16. Strive for "voice," the illusion that the writer is speaking to the reader. Read the story aloud to hear if it sounds like you.
Structure
17. Take advantage of narrative opportunities. Figure out when you're writing a story, as opposed to an article. Think of action, complication, motivation, setting, chronology, and dialogue.
18. Thaw out the Five W's: Who becomes Character; What becomes Action; Where becomes Setting; When becomes Chronology.
19. Place gold coins along the path. Don’t load all your best stuff high in the story. Space special effects throughout the story, encouraging readers to find them and be delighted by them.
20. Use sub-headlines to index the story for the reader. This tool tests the writer’s ability to find, and label, the big parts.
21. Repeat key words or images to "chain" the story together. Repetition works only if you intend it.
22. In storytelling, the number of examples has meaning: One declares. Two divides. Three surrounds. Four inventories.
23. Write endings to lock the box. Place your hand over the last paragraph and ask "What would happen if my story ended here?" Seek the natural stopping place.
The Writing Life
24. Transform procrastination into rehearsal, a way of writing a story in your head.
25. Turn every story into a workshop during which you learn something new about your craft.
26. Break long projects into parts, long stories into chapters.
27. Read for both form and content. If you want to write more clearly, read the clearest stories you can find and figure out what makes them clear.
28. Create a support network of friends, colleagues, editors, and coaches who can give you feedback on your work.
29. Limit self-criticism at the beginning of stories. Turn it loose during revision.
30. Do your best to tolerate even unreasonable criticism of your work as a way of growing as a writer.
This list contains tools, not rules. In using them, we work outside the realm of right and wrong, and within the land of cause and effect. Coaching editors can share them with writers. They are keys to unlock stories and solve problems within them.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
BioPoem
How to Write a BioPoem
(Line 1) First name
(Line 2) Three or four adjectives that describe the person
(Line 3) Important relationship (daughter of . . . , mother of . . . , etc)
(Line 4) Two or three things, people, or ideas that the person loved
(Line 5) Three feelings the person experienced
(Line 6) Three fears the person experienced
(Line 7) Accomplishments (who composed . . . , who discovered . . . , etc.)
(Line 8) Two or three things the person wanted to see happen or wanted to experience
(Line 9) His or her residence
(Line 10) Last name
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biopoem Sample
Rosa
Determined, brave, strong, loving
Wife of Raymond Parks, mother of all children
Who loved equality, freedom, and the benefits of a good education
Who hated discrimination, loved to stand up for her beliefs, and loved to help others
Who feared that racism would continue, feared losing the opportunity to make a difference, and feared that young people might lose opportunities to develop strength and courage
Who changed history as she accomplished great strides for equality and encouraged excellence for all
Who wanted to see love triumph and see an end to all bias and discrimination in a world in which respect is freely given to all
Born in Alabama and living in Detroit
Parks
From Abromitis, B.S. (1994, June/July). Bringing lives to life. Biographies in reading and the content areas. Reading Today, 11, 26. Reprinted with permission of the publisher and author.
Copyright 2004 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
(Line 1) First name
(Line 2) Three or four adjectives that describe the person
(Line 3) Important relationship (daughter of . . . , mother of . . . , etc)
(Line 4) Two or three things, people, or ideas that the person loved
(Line 5) Three feelings the person experienced
(Line 6) Three fears the person experienced
(Line 7) Accomplishments (who composed . . . , who discovered . . . , etc.)
(Line 8) Two or three things the person wanted to see happen or wanted to experience
(Line 9) His or her residence
(Line 10) Last name
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Biopoem Sample
Rosa
Determined, brave, strong, loving
Wife of Raymond Parks, mother of all children
Who loved equality, freedom, and the benefits of a good education
Who hated discrimination, loved to stand up for her beliefs, and loved to help others
Who feared that racism would continue, feared losing the opportunity to make a difference, and feared that young people might lose opportunities to develop strength and courage
Who changed history as she accomplished great strides for equality and encouraged excellence for all
Who wanted to see love triumph and see an end to all bias and discrimination in a world in which respect is freely given to all
Born in Alabama and living in Detroit
Parks
From Abromitis, B.S. (1994, June/July). Bringing lives to life. Biographies in reading and the content areas. Reading Today, 11, 26. Reprinted with permission of the publisher and author.
Copyright 2004 IRA/NCTE. All rights reserved.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Where do you stand with regard to writing?
Where do you stand with regard to writing?
FEET: What do I stand for as a foundation of writing?
STOMACH: What upsets me about writing?
HEART: What do I love about writing?
HANDS: What do I feel about writing?
EARS: What do I hear about writing?
EYES: What do I see about writing?
BRAIN: What do I think about writing?
FEET: What do I stand for as a foundation of writing?
STOMACH: What upsets me about writing?
HEART: What do I love about writing?
HANDS: What do I feel about writing?
EARS: What do I hear about writing?
EYES: What do I see about writing?
BRAIN: What do I think about writing?
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Links
Written Communications I (82A) Course Blog:
http://masterwcom.blogspot.com/
Visual Thesaurus:
http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?ad=rss
Onelook Reference Collection:
http://onelook.com/
Freemind:
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
XMind:
http://xmind.net
Invention / Brainstorming:
http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/writingcenter/invent.html
http://masterwcom.blogspot.com/
Visual Thesaurus:
http://www.visualthesaurus.com/?ad=rss
Onelook Reference Collection:
http://onelook.com/
Freemind:
http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
XMind:
http://xmind.net
Invention / Brainstorming:
http://www.csuohio.edu/academic/writingcenter/invent.html
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Syllabus
Course: Written Communication I
Department and number: English 82A
Credit: 3 units
Course prerequisites: none
Semester: Fall 2009 – Thursdays, 9:00-10:15, 10:30-11:45, 16 weeks (see schedule below)
Instructor: Dr. Sylvia Y. Schoemaker Rippel
Email: sysr@lincolnuca.edu
Course-related email for the semester: profsr20@gmail.com
Office hours and location: T, Th 11:45-12:30 and by arrangement, room 307
Office phone: 510-628-8036
Instructional Materials and References:
Required Text:
VanderMey et al. The College Writer. 2nd Edition. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007. ISBN: 0-618-74253-0
Student Textbook site: http://college.cengage.com/english/vandermey/college_writer/1e/students/index.html
Recommended Texts:
Dictionary, thesaurus
Description
ENG 82A & 82B - WRITTEN COMMUNICATION I & II
First term: A thorough study of grammar and the fundamentals of composition. Practice in writing themes, book reviews and other short papers is given. Particular attention is directed toward sentence structure, syntax, and general rhetorical principles. Second term: Critical reading and evaluation of selected texts and writings; composition of well-organized expository papers; a careful consideration of methods of research, organization in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing research papers. (3 + 3 units)
Course Objectives
Students will develop their writing skills for academic, professional, and socio-cultural purposes, in mode-centered essay writing. Students will learn editing, documentation skills, use of pre, during, and post writing strategies, topic mapping and other resources
University learner goals 1 -6, and specifically in English: To develop basic academic and professional skills (1); to develop the ability to communicate effectively in English, orally and in writing, and to read with understanding (1.1) and institutional goals, especially 1, (1.1-1.4), 2.4
Students will demonstrate written communication skills in writing and presenting their essays for personal, peer and instructor evaluation based on established rubrics, including competencies in planning, drafting, editing, and documentation skills.
Topical Outline
English 82A covers the aspects of composing well-organized written communications. The core of the course will emphasize practice in organizing ideas in a clear, logical manner and other elements involved in writing papers in descriptive, narrative, analytical and persuasive rhetorical contexts. Student and professional writing models will be used throughout the units.
Assignments Overview
Students will complete the following: Essays for 3 Units, 2 to 3 weeks each, midterm and final exams, ePortfolios/blogs/wikis, due weeks 8 and 15, notes and maps for each unit and text assignment, including reference data, in-class presentations, readings and exercises
For each of the following units (as well as additional assignments given in class), students will do the following:
· Read assigned materials with care and understanding,
· Reflect on the weekly assignments in writing keeping a learning journal, addressing primary content and points of personal interest,
· Create a personalized, three-level map for each week’s assignment using the open source program Freemind (available in the computer lab and downloadable from http://freemind.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
· Email your assignments to me at profsr20@gmail.com,
· Blog your work for sharing and presentations.
Note: The maps for your blog need to be in .graphic (.png or .jpg) format and you will need to save the native Freemind (.mm) format for submitting your work to me by email.
Assignments are due on the dates indicated in the schedule below. Additions/revisions to the schedule will be announced in class as needed. Class attendance is mandatory for content, interactions, and presentations. Researched materials must be documented using a consistent style for both in-text and end-text citations of sources using the published standards of the most recent subject-appropriate style guide, such as APA (social sciences) or MLA (humanities), for example.
82A Fall 2009 Schedule
| Date | Week | Unit | Assignments Each chapter contains an Intro, an Overview, Guidelines, Example Readings, and Writing Checklist/Activities |
| 8/27/09 | 1 | 1 Intro | I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing |
| 9/3/09 | 2 | Brief Overview Chapters | I. A Rhetoric: College Student's Guide to Writing Reading, Thinking, Viewing, and Writing |
| | | | 1. Critical Thinking Through Reading, Viewing, and Writing |
| | | | The Writing Process |
| | | | 2. Beginning the Writing Process |
| | | | 3. Planning |
| | | | 4. Drafting |
| | | | 5. Revising |
| | | | 6. Editing and Proofreading |
| | | | 7. Submitting, Writing, and Creating Portfolios |
| | | | The College Essay |
| | | | 8. One Writer's Process |
| 9/10/09-9/24/09 | 3-5 | Weeks 3-5 Unit I | Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing |
| 9/10/09 | 3 | Chapter | 9. Forms of College Writing |
| 9/17/09 | 4 | Chapter | 10. Narration and Description |
| | | Selected Reading | "Mzee Owitti" by Jacqui Nyangi Owitti |
| | | Selected Reading | "That Morning on the Prairie" by James C. Schaap |
| | | Selected Reading | "A Hanging" by George Orwell |
| | | Selected Reading | "Sunday in the Park" by Bel Kaufman |
| | | Selected Reading | "Northing" by Annie Dillard |
| 9/24/09 | 5 | Chapter | 11. Description and Reflection |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Stream in the Ravine" by Nicole Suurdt |
| | | Selected Reading | "Call Me Crazy But I Have to Be Myself" by Mary Seymour |
| | | Selected Reading | "None of This Is Fair" by Richard Rodriguez |
| | | Selected Reading | "Who Shot Johnny?" by Debra Dickerson |
| 10/1/09 | 6 | Unit I (Narrative, Descriptive, and Reflective Writing) Paper Due | Presentations |
| | | Unit II | Unit II -- Analytical Writing |
| | | Weeks 6-10 | |
| 10/8/09 | 7 | Chapter | 12. Cause and Effect |
| | | Selected Reading | "Adrenaline Junkies" by Sarah Hanley |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Legacy of Generation N" by Christy Haubegger |
| | | Selected Reading | "Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Kids" by Anna Quindlen |
| 10/15/09 | 8 | Chapter | 13. Comparison and Contrast |
| | | Selected Reading | "A Fear Born of Sorrow" by Anita Brinkman |
| | | Selected Reading | "Two Views of the River" by Mark Twain |
| | | Selected Reading | "Shrouded in Contradiction" by Gelareh Asayesh |
| | | Selected Reading | "Like Mexicans" by Gary Soto |
| 10/22/09 | 9 | Chapter | 14. Classification |
| | | Selected Reading | "Three Family Cancers" by Kim Brouwer |
| | | Selected Reading | "Four Ways to Talk About Literature" by John Van Rys |
| | | Selected Reading | "No Wonder They Call Me a Bitch" by Ann Hodgman |
| 10/29/09 | 10 | Chapter | 15. Process Writing |
| | | Selected Reading | "Wayward Cells" by Kerri Mertz |
| | | Selected Reading | "Downloading Photographs from the MC-150 Digital Camera" (from WFB) |
| | | Selected Reading | "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow" by Verne Meyer |
| | | Selected Reading | "Campus Racism 101" by Nikki Giovonni |
| 11/5/09 | 11 | Chapter | 16. Definition |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Gullible Family" by Mary Beth Bruins |
| | | Selected Reading | "Understanding Dementia" by Sarah Anne Morelos |
| 11/12/09 | | Selected Reading | "Deft or Daft" by David Schelhaas |
| | | Selected Reading | On Excellence by Cynthia Ozick |
| 11/19/09 | 13 | Unit II (Analytical Writing ) Paper Due | Presentations |
| | | Unit III | Persuasive Writing |
| | | Chapter | 17. Strategies for Argumentation and Persuasion |
| 11/26/09 | 14 | Chapter | 18. Taking a Position |
| | | Selected Reading | "An Apology for Ms. Barbie D. Doll" by Rita Isakson |
| | | Selected Reading | "In Defense of the Animals" by Meg Greenfield |
| | | Selected Reading | "Apostles of Hatred Find It Easy to Spread Their Message" by Leonard Pitts Jr. |
| | | Selected Reading | "Pornography" by Margaret Atwood |
| | | Selected Reading | "Demystifying Multiculturalism" by Linda Chavez |
| 12/3/09 | 15 | Chapter | 19. Persuading Readers to Act |
| | | Selected Reading | "To Drill or Not to Drill" by Rebecca Pasok |
| | | Selected Reading | "Soul of a Citizen: Living with Conviction in a Cynical Time" by Paul Rogat Loeb |
| | | Selected Reading | "I Have a Dream" by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Media's Image of Arabs" by Jack G. Shaheen |
| 12/10/09 | 16 | Chapter | 20. Proposing a Solution |
| | | Selected Reading | "Preparing for Agroterror" by Brian Ley |
| | | Selected Reading | "Uncle Sam and Aunt Samantha" by Anna Quindlen |
| | | Selected Reading | "The Media and the Ethics of Cloning" by Leigh Turner |
| | | Unit III (Persuasive Writing) Paper Due | Presentations |
| 12/17/09 | 17 | Final | Final Exam |
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA & METHOD OF EVALUATING STUDENTS
Students will demonstrate their level of proficiency and achievement through appropriate and accurate application of written communication theory and skills. Assessments of improved competence in writing descriptive, narrative, informative, and persuasive essays and personal and peer evaluations and reflections are fundamental to the grades attained.
Grading Guidelines
| Class Participation | 15% | |
| Quizzes, midterm | 10% | |
| Projects | 15% | |
| ePortfolios/Blogs | 30% | |
| Presentations | 10% | |
| Final Exam | 20% | |
| Total | 100% |
| 100-95 | A |
| 94-90 | A- |
| 89-87 | B+ |
| 86-84 | B |
| 83-80 | B- |
| 79-77 | C+ |
| 76-74 | C |
| 73-70 | C- |
| 69-67 | D+ |
| 66-64 | D |
| 63-60 | D- |
| 59 or < | F |
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