Exploring Writing - Gary Robert Muschla 2011

Exploring Writing - Gary Robert Muschla 2011

About this book

How to Use This Book

Part 1. Finding and Developing Ideas for Writing

Discovering Ideas

Personal Experience: The Source

Exercise 1.1 Tapping into Personal Experience

The Value of Keeping a Journal

The Value of Reading

Seeing Life Through the Eyes of a Writer

Exercise 1.2 What Are the Details?

Focusing Ideas

Exercise 1.3 Focusing Topics

Developing Ideas

Exercise 1.4 Developing Ideas Using the Five Ws and How

Exercise 1.5 Brainstorming via a Word Web

Organizing Ideas

Exercise 1.6 Basic Organization for Nonfiction

Personally Speaking

Among Friends

School Days

Near and Far

Leisure Time

Recreation

Weird, Strange, and Unbelievable

Part 2. Writing the Draft

Sentences: The Foundation of the Draft

Exercise 2.1 Types of Sentences

Exercise 2.2 Sentence Structures

Exercise 2.3 Combining and Varying Sentences

Building Paragraphs

Exercise 2.4 Constructing Paragraphs

Exercise 2.5 Reviewing Paragraphs

Showing and Not Telling

Exercise 2.6 Show, Show, Show

Using Adjectives and Adverbs Wisely

Order and Sequence

Using Active Constructions

Exercise 2.7 Active Versus Passive Constructions

Using Strong Verbs

Exercise 2.8 Strong Verbs

Verb Tenses

Subject-Verb Agreement

Exercise 2.9 Agreement

Point of View

Comparison and Contrast

Exercise 2.10 Comparing and Contrasting Pets

Figurative Language

Exercise 2.11 The Power of Figures of Speech

Worksheets

Part 3. Revision

What Is Revision?

Skills in Revision

Plan for Revision

Exercise 3.1 Recognizing Good Writing

Revision Peer Consultants

Exercise 3.2 Revision Consultants

Worksheets

Guidelines for Revision

Part 4. Proofreading

Proofreading Strategies

Exercise 4.1 A Proofreading Plan

Proofreading and Computer Screens

Exercise 4.2 Proofreading on a Screen

The Value of Proofreading Partners

Exercise 4.3 Partners for Proofing

Guidelines for Proofreading

Answer Key