What is a WRITER S NOTEBOOK? A writer s notebook is so much more than a journal or diary. It s the writer s place to play, to practice, the equivalent of an artist s sketchbook or a musician s jam session. It s where we get in the habit of putting our thoughts into words, and practice the techniques that will make us better writers.
Strategies you can try: Free-writing write as much as you can as fast as you can. Time yourself; when you re through, go back and read what you wrote, and see if there s anything interesting there that you d like to explore. Brainstorming Make a list of topics, as quickly as you can, then choose one and write about it. Save the list so you can add to it later; for example, put it in the back of your notebook and try again some other time. Looking at your surroundings Look out the window and write what you see, or listen and write what you hear. Don t just describe it; try to think about whatever is out there. For example, a bridge might make you wonder about all the people crossing over it and where they re going; a house might inspire thoughts about who lives there, or who once lived there.
Strategies you can try: Writing to an object Take an object and see how many different things you can say about it. Again, don t just describe its physical characteristics; what can it be used for? Where did it come from? What does it represent? Etc Eavesdropping Write bits of conversation you overhear. Listen to someone talking on the phone and try to figure out what the other person is talking about. Watch people talking from a distance and imagine what they might be saying. Observe how people behave, how they speak, how they react. (Be careful with these; be discreet.) Writing from a life experience Think about an important life experience and write down every detail you can remember. Try to remember as much as you can, right down to the smallest bit.
Strategies you can try: Creating Lists things you enjoy, things that make you happy/sad/angry, things that bother you, words and expressions you hear, people you know, etc., etc., etc. Test your memory see how much you can remember about a familiar topic. Problem Solving Work out a problem, make a decision, or make plans. Weigh the pros and cons by writing them down. Writing from an image Cut out a picture or an article from the newspaper or a magazine, paste it in your notebook and write about it. One idea: make up a story from what you see in the picture.
Strategies you can try: Interview yourself Write on one side of the page, then respond on the other. Don t ask yourself things you already know, like your age and hometown; try to find out things you don t know about yourself. Response Respond to music, a song, a TV show, a movie, or anything else you see or hear. Write in different places, besides the classroom and your home.
A look inside some WRITER S NOTEBOOKS: Sample Writer's Notebook
Expectations for the WRITER S NOTEBOOK: The expectation is that students fill 2 pages per week with ideas, writing activities, etc. Any part thereof will be graded for partial completion Each week, 4 points have been allotted to the writer s notebook Each entry should be dated, and have a brief description of the activity Thursday, February 3 rd Intro to Writing Prompt Monday, March 1 st Writing to an object
Discussion Questions about the notebook: What does an entry look like? How long should it be? What kinds of items should/can be included? What is the purpose of a writer s notebook?
Notebook Prompt: This will be the first entry in your Writer s Notebook. Respond to some or all of the following questions in a piece of writing, a sketch, a diagram, a list, or whatever means you see fit: What is the purpose of the writer s notebook? What role has writing played in your life? Why is it important to be a clear and effective writer? What do you feel are your strengths in writing? Your weaknesses? What do you like about the writing of others? Why is writing a useful and important tool to have? What function does it play in society?
Let s create a list of possible lists