Story Starters Gripping Story starters are essential. They grab the reader’s attention. Make them want to read more and keep them reading. Some of us are born with a unique talent and have a natural flair when it comes to connecting words, some of us don’t. Find below a selection of story starters from a variety of different sources. From A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens) It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way-in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. Recommended Links
Citation Machine®: Citation and plagiarism What you’ll find in this guide This page provides an in-depth overview of MLA format. It includes information related to MLA citations, plagiarism, proper formatting for in-text and regular citations, and examples of citations for many different types of sources. Looking for APA? Check out the Citation Machine’s guide on APA format. We also have resources for Chicago citation style as well. How to be a responsible researcher or scholar Putting together a research project involves searching for information, disseminating and analyzing information, collecting information, and repurposing information. What is Plagiarism? Plagiarism is the act of using others’ information without giving credit or acknowledging them. What is a Citation? A citation shows the reader of your project where you found your information. In-text citations provide us with a brief idea as to where you found your information, though they usually don't include the title and other components. Why Does it Matter? %%Tan, Amy.
Creative Writing Courses and Ideas: An Online Resource for Writers Creative Writing 101 RJ Great article. Morning is definitely the time where I am most creative. I think it’s because my mind is the freshest and the least cluttered at this time of day. Doug Rosbury When I write, it is with an emphasis on the sharing of wisdom arising from my life experience. Wether one could reasonably term such writing as being creative or not I don’t necessarily concern myself with. The creative aspect which I believe is part of a writing nevertheless may be found in how I address people with careful consideration regarding how I may come across to them.
How to Write a Killer Research Paper (Even If You Hate Writing) Research papers. Unless you’re a weirdo like me, you probably dread them. When I was in college, depending on the class, I even dreaded these. It’s the sort of project that can leave even the most organized student quaking in their boots, staring at the assignment like they’re Luke Skywalker and it’s the Death Star. You have to pick a broad topic, do some in-depth research, hone in on a research question, and then present your answer to that question in an interesting way. Oh, and you have to use citations, too. How on earth are you supposed to tackle this thing? Fear not, for even the Death Star had weaknesses. Let’s get started. 1. And pick one that interests you. You and this topic are going to be spending a lot of time together, so you might as well pick something you like, or, at the very least, have a vague interest in. Maybe you want to write about “mental health in high schools” for your paper in your education class. 2. Maybe it starts out looking like this: Ok, not bad. Better. 3.
Conseils d’écriture | enviedecrire.com 7 ways writing by hand can save your brain It's time to put pen to paper. Our tech-dependent society has put keyboards at the tips of our fingers at all times, from our smartphones to our laptops. But when was the last time you wrote by hand? Science shows that handwriting can benefit our minds in a number of ways. We spoke to Dr. 1. Writing a calming sentence is a form of graphotherapy, Seifer says. "This actually calms the person down and retrains the brain," Seifer says. 2. Writing something in cursive, that beautiful archaic form, can coordinate the left brain and right brain. 3. For young children, writing by hand is an imperative tool in improving cognitive skills. 4. Taking pen to paper inspires more creative thought, because it is a slower process than just typing something on a keyboard, Seifer says. 5. Writing by hand is a great tool for baby boomers who want to keep their minds sharp as they get older. 6. Let's say you're taking notes in class. 7. "One key difference is movement. Have something to add to this story?
Twenty Rules for Writing Detective Stories By S.S. Van Dine EDITOR'S NOTE S.S. Van Dine (1888-1939, real name Willard Huntington Wright) was one of the most popular American mystery writers of the twenties and thirties, and his wealthy amateur sleuth Philo Vance remains one of the great fictional detectives, if not also one of the most insufferable. Read today, Vance comes off as a pompous, pretentious, insufferable blowhard; an inexplicably popular character whose very existence perhaps helped spur the demand for a tougher, more "realistic" American kind of detective. But it's not just me. And Chandler tagged him as "the most asinine character in detective fiction," while Ogden Nash felt so inspired by Van Dine's creation that he composed a poem, which reads in its entirety: Philo Vance Needs a kick in the pance. Of course, Van Dine felt compelled to share with the world at large his rules for writing detective fiction.
12 Useful Websites to Improve Your Writing by Johnny Webber 1. Words-to-Use.com – A different kind of thesaurus. 2. 3. 4. 5. 750words.com – Write three new pages every day. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. The WWW Virtual Library 14 Tips for Building Character - Nieman Storyboard This essay is adapted from Rick Meyer’s notes for a talk at the 2005 Nieman Narrative Editors’ Seminar. Rick’s presentation was paired with Laurie Hertzel’s talk on scenes. We probably ought to declare something right away, so no one can accuse us of cheating. But it is true, nonetheless, that writers build characters. Maybe more so, because when we read about them we know they’re real. What happens to the main characters in the stories we edit is called the plot or the story line or the arc of the narrative. None of these suggestions is original with me. My suggestions number a baker’s dozen plus one. Many of the things I’m going to talk about Sonia did on her own. Here are the suggestions: 1. Sometimes you’ll be tempted to develop characters by saying who they are. Shaq was tall. My father was easygoing about religion. Every spring, my father let me skip catechism class so I could play baseball. From “Enrique’s Journey,” here’s an example that tells first and then shows: 2. 3. Details.
The Internet Can Cultivate Writing. Good Writing. Image from LoadingArtist.com Almost anyone who cares about language and knows about or uses the Internet has been guilty at one time or another of demonizing the world wide web for its effects on the English language. “The Internet makes it easy for people, including professional writers, to publish writing publicly without editing.” “The Internet encourages casual writing and doesn’t reinforce proper writing skills.” Let’s be realistic, though. It’s important to note that many of the writing errors we see aren’t necessarily because of the Internet. To improve writing on the Internet, we need to improve writing in general. However, there is no escaping that for the most effective improvement, quality English and writing education needs to become a political and social priority. We should let these communities thrive as they will, discouraging intellectual finger-pointing and encouraging context-appropriate writing along the way. What effect do you think the Internet has had on writing?
8th Grade Test From 1912 Shows How Far American Education Has Been Dumbed Down; Can You Take It? By Kristan T. Harris A Kentucky 8th grade exam from 1912 was donated to the Bullitt County history museum. The questions feature the fundamental foundation of education that we seem to have lost due to the dumbing down of the American education system. Now with the common core epidemic we can see our youth transformed by a cookie cut education system and a near total loss of critical and independent thinking. If you can not read the fine print or zoom in, then here are some examples of 8th grade level testing in 1912. Define the following terms of government: Democracy, Limited Monarchy, Absolute Monarchy, Republic. To what four governments are students in school subjected? Name 5 county officers and the principal duties of each. Give 3 duties of the president. Give at least 5 rules to be observed in maintaining good health? Define Cerebrum; Cerebellum Name the organs of circulation. How many parts of speech are there? Stumped? Kristan T. Editor's Note - Here are some consolation resources: