Cheating

Today I cheat. Instead of writing something new myself I will use something that my students wrote. Before the school ended I asked the young writers in my class to write advice for future grade 3 and 4 students. I had a group of 3 boys who like writing, a pair of 2 boys who would rather not write, two students who have learned English just for half a year, and a group of girls who like writing. 

Advice # 1

Usually writers get their ideas if they take an animal and an object. Poets do it too. Some writers do it this way - they look around, write those things down. Afterwards they choose one and write about it. Some writers have really good imagination, so they only need to use it and they get a story.

The best way how to be a good writer is to read books and see how other authors write. See what kind of words they use, the description and grammar. Other way is to ask your friend or family members. They can help.

When you write a story, it is not enough if you only get an idea. Idea is first. Then you need word choice, then description and then grammar. That’s why you need to read other authors’ books.

Advice # 2

_{When you write a good story, it is supposed to be long and detailed. When you write a story, do not rush. If your story is none detailed, it is bad. If you do a story long you have to make it detailed and detailed story takes longer than a shorter and less detailed writing.  If you want a longer story you need more time. Longer stories take longer to write detailed.}

_{Advice # 3 (the two students spoke and I recorded)}

You can write what you want. Writers get ideas from books, from a computer, and from around them. Writers can write about animals, cities, nature, persons, school, plants, sports, ice-skating, ice, ice-cream, crocodiles, cas, energy, solar energy, fish, swimming, sail boats, and teachers.

Writers think first. You think what to write about. You think what could happen. If it is an imaginary story you can write all the things. If it is a real story you need to say what really could happen. If you are writing about a dog you need to know about dogs. If you don’t know or like the thing you write about, you don’t get good ideas.

First you make a draft. Then you make a second draft. Then you put it in order.

You need lot of words and pictures. You need to write what someone looks like, how it feels (happy or unhappy, angry or kind,) what someone is saying or what they are doing.

Then you have to look that your writing is all right, spelling and all. Then you make your final draft.

To become better you can use a dictionary. When you read new books, you learn new words. When you watch movies, you learn new words.

You need to write every day because you need to practice. When you practice, you get better.

Advice # 4

Where do we get our ideas?

We get our ideas from things that we see or hear or do. Sometimes we just write and write and write. Sometimes we get inspired by the books we read, the pictures that we see, and the music that we listen to. For some things we draw random pictures and write about it.

How do you make a good poem/story?

To make a good poem/story you first need to collect ideas. Then you put the collection of ideas together and put them into sentences (That is a 1^st draft). Then you should change the words to make them more interesting and you should also put extra detail if you haven’t already. If you are making a poem you should shorten the sentences and try to make the poem sound more fluent. But it is ok you don’t need to force rhymes.

What are the habits you should have if you are a writer?

You shouldn’t just write on Monday but you should write every day and rather a lot, not just a few sentences. You should try to write as well as possible. If you can’t think of anything then you should get 2 words and you pick on and write for as much as you can in 1 minute.

The best part is that all the students have followed their own advice. 

Many of the students filled more than two journals this year

Writing gallery

Writing gallery continued