| ENCOURAGING
YOUNG WRITERS By Mary Emma Allen
KEEP A CLIPPING FILE
I keep a clipping file for my own writing and suggest
that teachers do this to use in the classroom. Also
encourage older student writers to keep their own files. When
I teach writing in schools, I often pull out my clipping folder
for youngsters to use.
You should change characters' names, setting, and details
that might identify the person in the news story. But use
the clipping for ideas, as a springboard for a story.
Ask yourself "What if?" something else happened,
the character was a girl instead of boy (and vice versa), the
ending was different, there was a different setting. Also
when a clipping doesn't give many details about the incident,
create your own story about why something happened and the
ending.
Examples From My Clipping File
The following are clippings I’ve used with youngsters to
stimulate their writing. You may want to use these same
examples to start your file. *BLACKIE COMES HOME - Blackie, a
family dog, disappeared. He was tied outside when everyone
left for work and school. When they returned home, Blackie
was gone. His collar and chain were there, but Blackie was
nowhere to be seen. Two years later, he suddenly appeared,
when everyone thought he was dead. *Where had Blackie
been? *Tell from the dog’s viewpoint *Tell from the
children’s viewpoint
*THE MOOSE IS LOOSE - A moose wandered down the main street
of town during the night causing damage. In the morning
they found him lying down inside a shoe shop where he had barged
through a plate glass window and created a mess.
*Why had the moose come to town?
*How did they get him from the store?
*What happened to him then?
*SAVING A BROTHER - Tommy and his little brother were playing
in the back yard. Joey wandered down to the lake and walked
on the ice. He fell through. Tommy rescued him and
was given the Governor’s Award for heroism.
*How did Tommy rescue Joey?
*Were there other children around?
*Were any pets around?
*Tell story from Tommy’s viewpoint?
*Tell story from Joey’s viewpoint?
*DAVID FINDS HIS WAY - David, his family, and some friends
were hiking on Rattlesnake Mountain. Six-year old
David and his dog wandered off the trail and weren’t with the
group when everyone reached the top of the mountain. A
search was initiated for David. The local fire department
and rescue unit were called out. They searched all night and
didn’t find the young boy.
David’s family often discussed survival techniques.
David recalled some of these, so he walked downhill, found a
brook, and made his way until he came to a road.
*What made David wander off?
*Did his dog chase a chipmunk and David followed him?
*Did David go chasing an animal himself?
*Tell from a first person point of view.
*Tell from third person.
Sometimes youngsters mention that they were lost. Can
they tell their story? One boy said his mother got lost
when she was a little girl. Could he tell her story?
Of course!
Look for more examples, either clippings from newspapers and
magazines. Or jot down stories you hear on television or
radio. These real, often unusual, adventures may stimulate
your young writers to write fiction stories, poetry, non-fiction
newspaper stories, and plays.
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