SESSION VIII SESSION VIII Studying Published Texts Studying Published Texts to Write Leadsto Write Leads

Today I want to teach you that just when Today I want to teach you that just when a writer is most fired up to write, most a writer is most fired up to write, most ready to charge into page after page of ready to charge into page after page of writing, we force ourselves to pause. We writing, we force ourselves to pause. We pause, rewind, and then we listen to what pause, rewind, and then we listen to what we’ve written. And we revise it. We revise we’ve written. And we revise it. We revise our lead because by doing so, we revise our lead because by doing so, we revise our entire story. Sometimes, we do this our entire story. Sometimes, we do this with help from a pro.with help from a pro.

You already know that the beginning You already know that the beginning piece of writing, any piece of writing, piece of writing, any piece of writing, is called a lead because these is called a lead because these sentences are the way an author sentences are the way an author leads readers into the text. leads readers into the text.

I always work hard on my lead I always work hard on my lead because I want it to draw readers because I want it to draw readers along.along.

How can a lead do that? What How can a lead do that? What techniques do writers use?techniques do writers use? When writers want to learn how to do When writers want to learn how to do

something, we study texts written by something, we study texts written by authors we admire. After we look authors we admire. After we look really closely at exactly how other really closely at exactly how other authors pull something off, we try the authors pull something off, we try the same techniques in our own writing.same techniques in our own writing.

Peter’s Chair leadPeter’s Chair lead Peter stretched as high as he could. Peter stretched as high as he could.

There! His tall building was finished.There! His tall building was finished. This reminds me of what we learned This reminds me of what we learned

earlier. It often helps with writing the earlier. It often helps with writing the exact words one character is saying or exact words one character is saying or with a small action and to start close to with a small action and to start close to the main event. What was the main the main event. What was the main tension or problem in this story? Notice tension or problem in this story? Notice that the lead of a story hints at what will that the lead of a story hints at what will come later.come later.

student example p102student example p102

What has Brinckloe done that What has Brinckloe done that we can learn from?we can learn from?

On a summer eveningOn a summer evening I looked up from dinner, through the open window to the I looked up from dinner, through the open window to the

backyard.backyard. It was growing dark.It was growing dark. My tree house was a black shape in the tree and I wouldn’t My tree house was a black shape in the tree and I wouldn’t

go up there now.go up there now. But something flickered there, a moment-I looked, and it But something flickered there, a moment-I looked, and it

was gone.was gone. It flickered again, over near the fence.It flickered again, over near the fence. Fireflies!Fireflies! “ “Don’t let your dinner get cold,” said Momma.Don’t let your dinner get cold,” said Momma. I forked the meat and corn and potatoes into my mouth. I forked the meat and corn and potatoes into my mouth.

“Please may I go out? The fireflies-” Momma smiled and “Please may I go out? The fireflies-” Momma smiled and Daddy nodded. “Go ahead.” they said.Daddy nodded. “Go ahead.” they said.

Brinckloe’s used lots of techniques here; Brinckloe’s used lots of techniques here; the lead is one we could examine and talk the lead is one we could examine and talk about for hours. So let’s read it again. As about for hours. So let’s read it again. As you listen this time, let a section of the lead you listen this time, let a section of the lead stand out for you, and then when I finish stand out for you, and then when I finish reading it, turn and point out that part to reading it, turn and point out that part to your partner. Name what Brinckloe has your partner. Name what Brinckloe has done that you could do to in your writing.done that you could do to in your writing.

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Sometimes stories begin not with a big Sometimes stories begin not with a big action but with a small action, and this can action but with a small action, and this can be an action in the setting, as when the be an action in the setting, as when the firefly flickers on and off.firefly flickers on and off.

Some stories begin with creating a mood Some stories begin with creating a mood and a place, and only afterward does the and a place, and only afterward does the sequence of actions begin.sequence of actions begin.

Sometimes the time and the place are Sometimes the time and the place are revealed slowly, bit by bit, as the revealed slowly, bit by bit, as the character sees or moves into the setting.character sees or moves into the setting.

Listen to student’s lead again, and Listen to student’s lead again, and think whether the techniques we’ve think whether the techniques we’ve learned from Blinckloe could help learned from Blinckloe could help student as he gets ready to revise his student as he gets ready to revise his lead.lead.

Each of you needs to decide what you need to Each of you needs to decide what you need to do. Some of you are probably realizing that in do. Some of you are probably realizing that in order to write with detail, you need to rethink order to write with detail, you need to rethink your story plan, figuring out how you can zoom your story plan, figuring out how you can zoom in more on just two Small Moment stories. Some in more on just two Small Moment stories. Some of you may decide that you need to do some of you may decide that you need to do some revisions that are similar to those student has revisions that are similar to those student has done. Some of you will want to study published done. Some of you will want to study published leads for yourself, learning more techniques. All leads for yourself, learning more techniques. All of you will be drafting and revising leads, but of you will be drafting and revising leads, but you’ll decide how to go about doing that.you’ll decide how to go about doing that.