Close-up on Organization
- Where do I start?
- What kind of organization could be unique, clear, and interesting?
- Is this writing supposed to inform, persuade, or entertain? What type of organization would work best for my purpose?
Tio Armando by Florence Parry Heide & Roxanne Heide Peirce
What is this story trying to do?
- show how a family changed with the presence of Tio Armando over a year; show the legacy he left to his great-grandniece
How is it organized?
- each page shows a new month over a year; reflects on the changes the family experienced
What other types of writing could be organized this way?
- a poem about a place or growing up; an essay about environmental changes, something documentary-style showing steps in a political movement (like a campaign, a war, or a civil rights movement)
Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst
What is this story trying to do?
- demonstrate how this was truly a terrible day for Alexander
How is it organized?
- chronological order, from the moment he awakes until he’s back in bed
What other types of writing could be organized this way?
- interview/autobiography/profile of a famous person, showing a typical day in the life of any writing that depends on order of events (narratives)
Everybody Needs a Rock by Byrd Baylor
Whats is this story trying to do?
- make selecting a rock into something of a ceremony; make the rock more special
How is it organized?
- as a list of ten rules
What other types of writing could be organized this way?
- tips or suggestions–non-fiction writing, comedy writing and satire (annotated top-ten lists)
Alternative Organizations
- Cause and effect–persuasive pieces, history
- Framing or flashbacks–fiction, non-fiction that requires background
- Postcard or letter style–Focus on relationships, journeys, and first-hand accounts
- Diary or journal style–Focus on first-hand accounts (fiction or non-fiction); a way to bring history to life
Universally Awesome Organization: The Day the Whale Came by Eve Bunting
- Hook: Boom! Right from the beginning we have a reason to keep reading and we are drawn in.
- Strong body with transitions: Good connecting words, and everything follows through
- Mighty conclusion
- A comprehensive title
- and a common thread tying it all together
How to Hook ‘em: Rate These Starters!
Let’s start with a piece about going scuba diving:
“I have always thought the ocean is a beautiful and interesting place, so I was excited to go scuba diving.”
If this is the first sentence of the piece, would you be driven to read more???
How about:
“Last summer, I went scuba diving for the first time. It was amazing.”
Again, would you be driven to read more???
Let’s give it another try:
“Tiny fish sparked with vibrant colors in the jade-green waters that cradled me and the tank of oxygen on my back. I had been excited about diving for the first time, but not even I had predicted it would feel like this–weightless in some otherworldly work of living art.”
Notice the difference between the first two and the third example starters. In the first two, they are TELLING. The ocean is “beautiful,” “interesting,” “amazing.” Don’t tell, just take the reader there and create a strong hook by using the senses or something that conjures a poignant image.
We have tiny fish, jade-green waters, a sensation of being held by the water, being weightless, and being within a work of living art. Suddenly, we have a very sensory experience the reader can fall into. The focus is on figurative language.
Next:
“Imagine how it would feel to give up dry land, the ability to breathe freely, and sunlight for two hours. Last summer, I did just that, and my life has never been the same.”
This is totally different. Here you are asking the reader to imagine and take things that are very essential to life and make the reader wonder what it would be like without them.
Capture an emotion or get the reader to imagine a scene.
“It felt like a dream.”
The short, simple sentence above could also be your first sentence and your hook. It raises the questions, “What?” and “Why?” Use a short, intriguing sentence that you build off of later.
” ‘Ocean: a body of water occupying two-thirds of a world made for man–who has no gills.’ (Ambrose Bierce) This past summer, I got my gills.”
Here is an example of starting with a quote and tying into your life. By good use of a relevant quotation you’ve created a good hook.
Wrapping It Up: Mighty Conclusions
- Restate your point in fresh words.
- End with a quote.
- Share an insight or make a wish.
- Make a prediction.
- Issue a call to action.
- End with a strong image, use figurative language, have the reader imagine.
Wrapping It Up: Organization
- You have loads of options! Pick what works for what your writing is trying to say.
- Hook them with your intro!
- Build with strong transitions in your body!
- Wrap up with a mighty conclusion.
- Choose an interesting title that reflects all your piece, not just part.
