Tag: Writing Plan

Lie #7 – I Don’t Need a Plan, I Have Talent!

This is one of the lies which presents itself in such subtle ways sometimes that it’s overlooked. I can hear writers objecting with “that’s not my process, I just write and edit later” or “everyone is different and you should do what works for you, planning doesn’t work for me”. 

Then there are the complementary views from nonwriters, “I can’t publish a book because I’m not a writer, I’m not talented that way” or “that’s easy for you to say, you’re a natural writer”.

That last one really gets me. Every time I hear it I feel like shouting back, “Yes, sure, I have talent…talent in reading like my life depended on it, talent in working on my writing every chance I get…talent in disciplining myself to schedule my writing. Sure, sure, I AM TALENTED!”

Nobody questions athletes who turn up for practice day after day perfecting their skills. Did Michael Jordan become one of the greatest basketball players of all time by turning up for championship games only? Or did Serena Williams win all those grand slam titles by being on the court only when she had a match that “counted”?

In case you’re wondering, the answer to those questions is, “No.”

So then why is it that many people approach writing with the attitude that somehow success is dependent on having talent?

Part of the reason is that for many people writing is a more casual or flexible pursuit lacking the strict guidelines or routines that are often associated with other professions. Since it’s more of a creative expression, rules and structure are sometimes viewed as hindrances to personal style and artistic freedom.

Additionally, some believe that organic storytelling is more desirable and don’t want to restrain their flow of ideas by adhering to structure. This is especially true when there’s the added perception that planning is unnecessarily time consuming when focusing on just creating the work itself could be much faster and efficient.

Quite often, when writers approach planning with these kinds of attitudes, whenever they are coerced into planning they go into it kicking and screaming which will inevitably lead to frustration and a negative experience.

Let’s take a closer look at some of these objections so we can establish that the statement “you need talent to be a successful writer” is, indeed, a lie.

Objection 1: Planning stifles creativity

This is one of the more popular objections because quite a lot of people see a disparity between creativity and structure. They believe that creative expression flows without form and that anything which seeks to guide that creative expression runs the risk of blotting it out. This happens when writers approach a plan as something cast in stone, concrete, or marble that is inflexible…which is certainly not what a plan should be.

Planning is an opportunity to organize ideas and explore many more possibilities that may not have originally been noticed. It also ensures that a writer’s creative vision is communicated effectively. The thing that writers must always remember is that while we’re focused on ensuring we say what we want to say, it’s also just as important that our readers understand it. We’re not writing only for ourselves. We’re writing to share our ideas with others, so they must also be part of the equation. Planning helps us channel our creative energy more efficiently for the maximum impact.

Objection 2: Organic storytelling is more desirable

Organic storytelling is an approach that emphasizes the natural flow and development of a story. It involves allowing the story to unfold in a spontaneous and authentic manner, often without rigid or preconceived structures or detailed outlines. This approach embraces the idea that the narrative can evolve and take unexpected turns as the writer explores the characters, plot, and themes.

Many writers are invigorated by this method because it allows them to be surprised by the story’s unfolding, much like a reader experiencing it for the first time. This is exciting and feels more fluid and intuitive. However, much like the comments made in Objection 1, actual readers can feel alienated if the writer does not remember them in the writing process. Getting caught up in organic storytelling leads to the risk of disconnecting from readers for the sake of the story. In the end, a balance is needed because at the end of the day you are intending for sales while still being “true to your story”.

Objection 3: Planning is too time consuming

This is perhaps the easiest of the objections to counter. Whether the details are reviewed ahead of time or after writing, polishing a manuscript for publishing includes a review. When this is done during the editing process only, it often leads to a lengthier post writing changes or even rewriting and discarding sections of the manuscript. That, unfortunately, is more time consuming than having a plan in advance that allows you to be more strategic with the use of your time.

Objection 4: Planning doesn’t align with personal writing style

This objection relates closely to Objections 1 and 2. Some writers believe in the free flow of ideas and creativity which clashes with their understanding of what planning is. The thing is that planning provides clarity and organization which can fit into any writing style. There isn’t only one strategy for planning. Planning is a flexible approach that can be tailored to accommodate different creative processes. One writer may choose to use visual representations of their plot in a diagram while another may choose a notebook which organizes thoughts into categories and chapters. Yet another may choose to create a detailed outline from introduction to conclusion which they intend to follow.

Objection 5: Negative experiences means planning doesn’t work

Coming out of the notion that planning doesn’t fit certain writing styles, many writers have negative experiences related to planning which they refer to as evidence that planning doesn’t work for them. But if asked how many strategies they tried, it’s quite likely that only one or two may be highlighted. When a writer approaches his or her craft as something to be studied and practiced in order to be developed, the idea that there are only one or two ways of doing things seems absurd. Yet this is exactly what’s happening if we quit trying after only one or two attempts. Think about the fabled story of Thomas Edison trying over one thousand times to perfect the light bulb. If you keep trying, you will find a planning approach that works for you and allows you to truly benefit from the insight planning provides.

Being a successful writer is about more than simply being prolific. The quantity produced is balanced by the quality and audience response. Planning, in whatever form you choose that works best for you, gives you the greatest chance of success.

So don’t just sit and write expecting that talent will get you to where you need to be. And similarly, don’t avoid writing because of a perceived lack of talent. Talent alone is not what creates consistent winners. Putting in the work, which includes planning and strategizing, is what will get you the desired returns.

Figure out what works for you and get at it.

And, as always, happy writing.

How to Write “The Events That Follow” From a Prompt

How do you begin a story when the prompt says, “Write about the events that follow”? A few months ago, we posted about understanding writing prompts. It’s the first step in writing a great narrative.

In this post, we’re expanding on those ideas to answer a specific question – “How do you start a narrative when the prompt says ‘Write about the events that follow?” Before we get to the answer, however, you should know how the average prompt is constructed. Let’s take a look at one of the SEA 2020 prompts.

Note: Not all prompts will be like this one, but the content is pretty standard.

Review of SEA 2020 Narrative Prompt

In this prompt, you can clearly see four separate details.
The Context – Highlighted in Blue
The Situation – Highlighted in Red
The Directive Part A – Highlighted in Green and Written in Yellow
The Directive Part B – Not Highlighted

The Context tells readers what’s going on. Usually it includes the characters and partial information to guide background details.

The Situation provides details about the start of the conflict. This information isn’t always in a prompt, but when it is young writers need to pay special attention to what it says.

The Directive Part A tells writers what the story should be about. In this instance, writers are being asked to tell a story about what happens after the incident noted in the prompt.

Young writers could be asked to write about different aspects of the story. For example, they could be asked to write about the experience itself, or even how the characters got into the situation in the first place (what led up to the events of the prompt).

The Directive Part B is a standard guide that reminds young writers that it’s a narrative they’re writing and what type of vivid descriptions and sensory details to include.

Ok, so now we’re on to story beginnings. We pointed out what goes into an introduction when we discussed the 5-paragraph Story Structure in this post. There’s a standard format of hook, introduce character, give character a goal, and describe setting that must be included. But what does that look like in this type of story?

Let’s break it down into three points:
1. Since the prompt already gave the context, it’s wise to include some of those details in your introduction. Don’t expect the reader to be going back to the prompt to get the beginning of the story. Young writers have to give the beginning still.

2. Add a few details to support the idea with descriptive language. So, tell readers where you were going with your friends and that you were concentrating on your phone, texting. Maybe even hint at what and who you were texting.

3. This prompt also indicates the complication. The complication is the first problem that starts the conflict, so it’s important to include this detail. What the prompt doesn’t tell you is what your reaction is, and that’s where you would add in details to expand on the situation with descriptive and vivid language. That would be your introduction.

From there, most of the story would be exploring where your friends were, how you found them again, and what happened to them. And, all of this within a plot that builds the excitement and emotional reactions before solving the problem.

#WERDCoachYouth#NarrativeWriting#BetterWriters

Creating a Report Writing Plan

Getting young writers to plan their report writing is often quite a challenge. In fact, truth be told, the idea of creating a plan before you write is somewhat of a debate in the writing community. Some writers prefer to write first and organize later. However, this is not the best approach for young writers as it is time consuming. In an exam situation, there is limited time which must be used wisely.

The challenge with planning reports, however, is that many young writers plan only the details that go into the first paragraph, the introduction. As such, by the time they reach the second paragraph they’re already stuck. See below for a quick-plan checklist that will help young writers plan more details in their report. The trick with using this checklist is to write phrases next to each hint. Young writers should only write enough information to guide themselves and resist the urge to write out the whole report during the planning phase.

QUICK PLAN CHECKLIST

Who – List the participants in the situation by name

What – State what happened briefly

Where – Identify the location, both immediate and general (classroom and school, for example)

When – Give the date (Day, date, month, year)

Before – Explain what led up to the situation in point form (two or three points is enough)

During – Show main actions during situation in point form (two or three points is enough)

After – Say what happened immediately after in point form, how participants reacted (two or three points is enough

Outcome – State consequences, outcomes, or punishments (one or two is enough)

Get your young writer practicing with this checklist by using a variety of prompts from each type of report. Be sure to time each planning session. Your aim is to have your young writer complete an effective plan within 10 minutes. Don’t worry if in the beginning it takes long, just keep practicing with your young writer and they will become more familiar with the different types of reports, report plans, and organizing their thinking. If the plan takes less than 10 minutes, the rest of the time will be well spent writing.

#CreativeWritingforPrimary#ReportWritingSkills#BetterWriters

How to Write Report Conclusions

Writing report conclusions is sometimes a challenge for young writers. Many of them end their reports abruptly while others add details that are not necessary. Knowing how to end a report effectively depends on a few things.

First, young writers must understand the type of report they’re writing. Second, they must know what the purpose of the report is. And finally, they must be able to put themselves in the shoes of the reader to determine what the reader would need to know.

Accident: an unexpected action that results in damage to property or injury.

The purpose of this type of report is usually to document the various aspects of the accident to determine its cause and to identify what can be put in place to prevent it from recurring.

Conclusions of this type of report must include any systems put in place for similar accidents not to recur. Sometimes there may be punishment for carelessness, but these are likely to be less severe than incident punishments.


Incident: a deliberate deviant action that results in damage to property or injury.

The purpose of this type of report is usually to document the various aspects of the incident to determine who is responsible, and the level of their involvement.

Such reports must include punishments and consequences in the conclusion, including any systems put in place for similar incidents not to recur.

Competition: participative situations during which individuals compete for places and prizes.

The purpose of this type of report is often to document the activity from the perspective of the person writing the report, and to outline process (if everything went smoothly) and outcome (winners).

Conclusions for this type of report should include winners of the competition and prize giving activities.

Activity: participative situations during which students engage in learning, such as field trips or projects.

The purpose of this type of report is often to document observations of students to determine if they are receiving the correct information and if the activity is educational.

Conclusions for such reports should include what learning took place. Usually, that is stated as reported speech of the teacher or other students. Outcomes, such as whether the activity will be repeated, are also often included. 

Presentation: an event in which there is a speaker-audience type of situation.

Quite often there is some type of performance.

Sometimes young writers will be in the audience observing the event unfold, sometimes young writers will be one of the speakers participating in the presentation.

The purpose of this type of report is often to document the event from the perspective of the young writer, quite often being written to individuals who were not present for the event.

Conclusions for this type of event usually include closing ceremonies and how successful the event was. These ideas can be written as reported speech of presenters or other attendees.

 

Regarding the impact of the audience, the main thing to consider is what the audience needs to know. In many cases, reports are to individuals who would be determining the outcomes or at least evaluating the outcomes. As such, careful attention should be taken in writing conclusions.

Also, consider the timeframe between the situation and the report. Was there sufficient time for any consequences to be implemented? If not, young writers could indicate that teachers or other participants indicated punishments and consequences or other outcomes would be coming.

In the end, completing a report in a satisfactory way depends on a careful assessment of the prompt, so young writers should be vigilant.