Welcome to my writing workshop for budding young authors. Learn how to create your characters and "show don't tell" their feelings. Write beginnings that "hook" your readers. Learn to use a "writing camera" to freeze a scene, and more! Download free worksheets. Click LESSON 1 on the left sidebar to begin.
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Sep. 2, 2007
Lesson 10 & 11- Nutshell Summaries
I decided to include both Lesson 10 and Lesson 11 in one post because Lesson 10 is a one-page download. Basically, it's a call to all you students that if you haven't yet begun your story, do it! You've learned how to create characters, take writing snapshots, and write a great beginning to hook your reader, so dive in and get started on your story! You can post the first page of you story on your blog. I'd love to read it!
Here's the download: LESSON 10- BEGIN YOUR STORY
OK....moving on to Lesson 11...
Remember the 5 elements of a good story?
1) Character (We've done that)
2) Setting (Yep, our writing camera)
3) Problem & 4) Plot: LESSONS 11 - 15
5) Solution (Ending). (This will be one of our last lessons)
Do you also remember the KEY to writing fiction?
Create a character with a problem he must solve, and give him something interesting to do in order to solve it.
Our next few lessons will focus on making sure our stories have a plot, a POV (point of view), and peaks and valleys. We want to write scenes that we can put together to take our readers on a roller coaster ride as they travel on our story adventure with us.
This week we are going to focus on Nutshell Summaries.....or....What's Your Point? Your story must have a point. A purpose. Otherwise it's in danger of falling into the B category (Boring). When you can take your entire story idea and summarize it in one or two sentences (just enough to stuff into a walnut shell), then you have created a Nutshell Summary! If you can't do this, then you probably don't have a story plot strong enough to keep your readers interested in your whole book.
If you're not sure how to write summaries, don't worry! You can go on-line to a library site and read about the books. Usually the book description is about one sentence.Today's Lesson 11 download also has examples of some well-known books (like The Hobbit) that have been summarized in one sentence!
This was one of the hardest things I ever had to learn to do when I wrote my own books. I had no idea what a Nutshell Summary was until my publisher told me to write one for them. It was difficult to do, but with practice, I'm getting better. The best time to write a nutshell summary is when you are just starting to write the story. Here are 3 examples from my own books to show how I did it: Nutshell Summary #1 from Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home: Andi's poor choices plunge her into danger when she takes her horse Taffy and leaves her home on the Circle C ranch. Nutshell Summary #2 from Andrea Carter and the Dangerous Decision: Andi's frightening experiences with an outlaw captor result in new understanding of what the Golden Rule really means. Nutshell Summary #3 from Andrea Carter and the Family Secret: Andi's carefree life on the Circle C ranch is shattered by the arrival of strangers who hold the key to a shocking family secret from the past.
Your assignment:
1) Read the downloaded worksheet pages and the examples of nutshell summaries.
2) Practice writing nutshell summaries from 2 of your favorite books and post them for me to read! Try to keep them one or two sentences long.
3) Try writing a nutshell summary for YOUR story and post it.
Hi I'm done, and I'm also done with a lot of others. You've got a lot of catching up to do! I'll see you at my blog. Also, I have some of my story posted on www.homeschoolblogger.com/storyblog.
(Wow! I have three blogs now!)
I finished lesson 11! I couldn't think up a summary for my book yet though, but I might when I find out the main plot myself :) I'm only on the first chapter again, you know....
Luthien/Arya
lesson 11 is done!!
I'll proabbly be posting a lot of my lessons today because it will be a while before I can post them on a regular basis. I have done about 1 a day for the last week. I have taken the time to do them as best as I could, you don't have to look at them all today.
please do them at your leasure!
thanks!
Margo
I'm done with lesson 10! Do I sign Mr. Linky for lesson 10 and 11. I hope I was supposed to! =)
I had my mom go through and check it. I had a WHOLE lot of wases (that's not a word, but you know what i mean!), so I was glad she did that!
~Lillian
Lesson 10, for me, was beginning the Roh story so I explained that in the Lesson. Lesson 11 is up now! Lesson 10 will just be the same thing as whatever Lesson I posted the beginning on Roh's book in, is that ok?
~PIP~
Nutshell Summary #1 from Andrea Carter and the Long Ride Home: Andi's poor choices plunge her into danger when she takes her horse Taffy and leaves her home on the Circle C ranch.
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Dec. 16, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Amy