|
|
|
|
|
|
Standing in a long check-out line can bring out the best and worst in people. Because some people in the line are in a hurry--perhaps the dog or baby is waiting in the car--and because others are not in a hurry and would rather take their time sorting out their coupons, writing their checks, and disputing the expiration date on the coupon to save a nickel on paper towels, this context is fraught with drama. Given the emotional investment in check-out lines and the potential for conflicts, this is a context ripe for creative exploration.
Assignment:
Take
yourself to a busy public place--a supermarket, a park, a train station,
a restaurant, a hospital lobby, a waiting room, the library--where you
will inconspicuously observe the people around you and choose one person
to focus on. Find someone who interests you and try to observe this
person for at least 20 minutes. Look at what he or she is wearing.
What is in his or her basket if you are in a supermarket? Describe
this person, what his or her life is like, and the lesson you learned from
this person in an essay. Try to allow for at least twenty minutes
of observation. Follow your person around, remaining inconspicuous.
You may listen to any conversations the person may have and may talk to
your subject yourself, as long as you don't reveal your purpose.
In writing your essay, be sure to also consider the following questions:
1. What is the person's physical appearance?
2. What is the person's approximate age?
3. What do you think this person's occupation might be?
4. Where do you think this person might live? Why?
5. What kind of personality does this person have? What are
the clues?
6. What are the habits of this person?
A good way to learn to write fiction / children's literature is to scrutinize the work of published authors. For this assignment, you will study the anatomy of a book, determining what gives the book appeal.
You will select one book that is comparable to what you are writing. Choose a book you have never read before to secure a fresh and varied response. Answer the following questions in paragraph form based on a study of your book:
1. How does the story begin? Does it lure the reader in or
is it a contrite and boring beginning? What do you learn
on the first page or in the first paragraph?
2. Discuss the characters. Are they real? Do they act in character? How do they drive the plot?
3. Describe the setting. Is there a setting description? Do the pictures describe / tell the setting?
4. Describe the plot / story line. Is the plot obvious or is
there more of a developed middle? If you are dissecting
a picture book, discuss the use of the pictures to tell the story as well.
5. Discuss why you feel this is or is not a good example of children's
or young adult literature.