Short+stories+Week+15


 * //14 December//**

//Silent reading//

//Review expectations for The Sniper//

//Sniper questions for those who have nothing to do.//


 * //12 December//**

//Silent reading// //Remainder of photo doc.// //Remainder of documentary.//

//Irish Civil War// //Background// //Four Courts footage//

//Review of yesterday -- not much got done.// //Expectations for rough copy by end of class Friday:// //* Vivid imagery// //* Dialogue// //* Excellent character development.// //Discuss dialogue today...time to write at the end of this.// //Creating dialogue...//
 * //16 December//**
 * //These are the things I will be looking for in your essay. Good paragraphing and sentence structure are important, too, but you know this already. I am teaching you something new. Work on it.//**


 * Dialogue is a conversation between two or more people.
 * Dialogue is essential to fiction writing.
 * Dialogue brings characters to life and adds interest.
 * Dialogue must do more than just duplicate real speech.
 * Writing dialogue consists of the most exciting, most interesting, most emotional, and most dramatic words.

RULES:


 * All punctuation relating to the dialogue goes **inside** quotation marks.

**"I can't find my favourite coffee mug!' Mr. Ball cried. "It has vanished!"**


 * Every time a speaker changes, begin new paragraph.

**"I can't find my favourite coffee mug!' Mr. Ball cried. "It has vanished!"**

**"Have you checked on your desk?" Katie asked, sarcastic in her delivery.**

**Mr. Ball stared blankly, trying to remember if he had, indeed, searched his desk.**

**"I believe that is none of your business...oh, here it is!"**


 * You may divide a line with interrupters, but be careful of punctuation.

"**I believe," Mr. Ball responded cooly, "that that is none of your beeswax."**

Brainstorm possible conversations:


 * How much money would it take for my son to pass your class?
 * Mr. Ball, could I speak with you for a minute?

In small groups -- no more than 4 -- write a conversation of at least 10 lines. The following criteria must be included.


 * Describe a Place or Character
 * Create a Sense of Time
 * Create Suspense or Conflict
 * Move the Story Forward
 * Reveal a Character's Thoughts
 * Summarize What Has Happened
 * Create a Sense of Place

//Read -- either Sedaris or MacLean// //Short story homework check. Looking for a 1-page written story. Completion mark of ten.// //HANDOUT: character building sheets. These are needed to complete quality characters.// //Time for writing.// //Check on imagery sheets...did I give these out to them already?//
 * //15 December//**