So, You Want to be a Writer?

Student Handout

BACKGROUND

In the human struggle to communicate, writing has emerged as one of the most significant channels of expression. Its forms are as varied as the records of history, the poetry of Shakespeare or email business memos. It is an unavoidable tool through which we shape an understanding of the world around us.Writing is a process which shapes content - the living and observing of life. But writing, like its subject matter, is not simple; it is full of conflict, suffering, and joy. Writing is not the product of magic or the Muse; it is the result of hard work and habit.

This Achievement Television program focuses on the creative process of writing and explores how writing inspires one to utilize the natural inclination to imagine, to invent, and to pretend.

A panel of prize-winning journalists, novelists and poets discuss their personal experiences, struggles, and achievements in the field of writing and how writing has shaped their lives.

MASTERS AND THEIR WORK

Form a small group with your fellow students. Each member of the group will need to work with a different novel. You may want to select a book by one of the program guests: Jean Auel, John Grisham or Tom Clancy.

Each of you should do the first part of this activity by yourself. Read page one of the novel three or four times. Start looking for the style of the author. Is the first page action or description?

Is a character and/or conflict introduced? Are the sentences long or short? Are there any surprising words? What technique did the author use to get a potential reader/buyer to turn to page two?

Now write a beginning for a story of your own by imitating the style of the author you have been studying. Invent your own character, setting and conflict; but capture as much of the author's style as possible.

Return to your group; share your writing. Point out how it is modeled on the original. After enjoying each other's work, compare the styles of the published authors. How are the three writers similar/different? Which writing style does your group prefer? Do the authors have the same target audience?

Finally, summarize what your group has learned and present the conclusions to the entire class. Do the various groups agree?

WEB GUIDE

Check out the WEB site, Aesop & Me

Two additional interesting sites can be accessed through the Webcrawler, a tool for browsing the Web. Simply key in KIDLINK; then try Project Gutenberg.

FOCUS QUESTIONS

After you watch the program, please respond to the following questions:
1. What was the single most important piece of advice the guests gave to would-be-writers?
2. What did Tom Clancy mean by the metaphor that a writer should be a sponge?

CAREER CORNER - School to Work Transition

The field of writing offers a myriad of career opportunities for people with a variety of talents, skills and abilities. Here are some examples. Pick one that interests you and explore it as a career possibility. What does the person do on a daily basis? What educational background and work experience is necessary? Where is the work done? What are the rewards? You may be surprised by what you find!

• Advertising Creative Talent
• Biographer
• Cartoonist
• Copy Editor
• Editor
• Designer
• Ghost Writer
• Historian
• Journalist
• Lawyer
• Lyricist
• Novelist
• Poet
• Public Relations Consultant
• Publisher
• Researcher
• Script Writer
• Short Story Writer
• Teacher
• Technical Writer
• Web Page Columnist