Empowered Fiction Writers: Generating and Organizing Ideas for Story Writing
- Resources & Preparation
- Instructional Plan
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This three-part lesson introduces students to the use of speedwriting (also called free writing) as a prewriting technique. Learning the technique of speedwriting allows students to generate a foundation of ideas on which they can build a narrative structure. The goal is to fill up the blank page without worrying about grammar, spelling, or even coherence. Students then identify key ideas and phrases in their speedwriting, and use a graphic Story Organizer to develop the ideas into the main elements of a story (exposition, rising action, climax, conclusion).
Featured Resources
- Story Organizer handout
From Theory to Practice
- Speedwriting requires that all learners become actively engaged.
- The purpose for setting a time limit on the task is twofold: to capture students' dwindling interest and to help students develop the ability to think quickly and spontaneously.
- The goal is to generate as many ideas as possible without regard to accuracy or feasibility.
Common Core Standards
This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.
State Standards
This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.
NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts
- 5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
- 12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).
Materials and Technology
- Computers with Internet access
- Timers (optional)
- Highlighters or colored pencils (optional)
- Overhead projector (optional)
- Purpose of Speedwriting poster
- Benefits of Speedwriting poster
- Important Rules for Speedwriting poster
- Plot Plan poster/handout
- Student Speedwriting Log
- Story Organization Rubric
Preparation
Student objectives.
Students will
- Understand the purpose and process of speedwriting
- Review and understand the elements of story structure
- Use a graphic organizer to organize ideas into a narrative structure
Session 1: Understanding and Engaging in Speedwriting
- Remind students to forget temporarily about grammar and commas and everything they have learned in school about formal writing.
- If they get stumped, encourage students to write the same phrase over and over until they can either move on from it or start over with something new.
- Explain that there are only three rules: (1) write as fast as you can, (2) don't think too much, and (3) don't stop or lift the pen from the paper until the time is up.
Session 2: Excavating Gems From Speedwriting
Session 3: organizing ideas generated from speedwriting.
- Turn off the monitor and follow the speedwriting procedure. Type for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
- Then turn the monitor back on to see what was written and extract the most relevant, interesting, or useful points.
Note: Consider the typing skills of your students for this activity. If typing skill and speed is not sufficient, this extension activity may not be appropriate.
Try "looping" your speedwriting. Have students look back over an earlier speedwriting piece and find a sentence or phrase that stands out for them. Write it down and use it as the starting point for a new speedwriting exercise. Repeat the process.
Student Assessment / Reflections
- Have students track their own speedwriting development using the Student Speedwriting Log . The goal is to generate more words and ideas with more practice.
- Use the Story Organization Rubric (used for formative assessment in Session 3) as a summative assessment to evaluate students’ work.
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How to Write Mind-Blowing Fantasy Fiction
Taught by: Campfire
A good fantasy tale needs more than just wizards and dragons. While every book needs great characters, a believable world, and a compelling story, there are many other elements that fantasy fans will look for in their next big read.
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Brought to you by Campfire
Levi Johnson is a writer and content creator at Campfire . He creates educational content in hopes of making writing as accessible as possible for everyone, from newcomers to veterans. Follow his writing journey on his podcast Around the Campfire .
Adam Bassett is a UX/UI designer at Campfire and works on much of the content for Campfire Learn . Outside of his work, he's a Lead Game Designer at Smunchy Games, volunteers with Worldbuilding Magazine and Worldcasting Podcast, and likes to write or draw in his spare time.
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SciFi & Fantasy Lesson Plan Topic: SciFi & Fantasy Materials Needed: Paper Writing/drawing utensils Digital or hard copies of hyperlinked readings (below) Standards: College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards: W.CCR.3. Writing: Text types and purposes (grades 6-12). W.CCR.4., W.CCR.5., and W.CCR.6.
This lesson plan utilizes a video lesson describing the traits of modern fantasy literature, as well as an activity involving writing an original fantasy story.
This three-part lesson introduces students to the use of speedwriting (also called free writing) as a prewriting technique. Learning the technique of speedwriting allows students to generate a foundation of ideas on which they can build a narrative structure.
In this free 10-day course, you will be thrown headlong into the world of fantasy writing. With the help of bonus resources and plenty of cool examples, you will discover what it takes to craft a compelling fantasy story from the ground up. What you'll learn in this course When you sign you, you can expect to learn:
Fantasy writing can be hard for students to plan and organize! Use this digital resource to make the planning process easier and more fun. Students begin by planning out the main character, setting, problem/solution, and supporting characters. They can even plan out the magical item and "bad or evil character".