Photoshopped Narrative Writing an effective lead

William Zinsser wrote in On Writing Well that “the most important sentence is the first one” when writing creative fiction or nonfiction. In narrative writing, it is typical to find leads that utilize: - Setting -Reflection - Action - Event - Character - Dialogue

Objective To use your independent reading novels, as well as the books I’ve placed at your table, to hunt for great opening lines. Keep in mind that not all leads are created equal. Some leads may not be very impressive, so don’t write the mediocre ones down. Generate a list of 3-5 awesome leads that you could model in your narrative.

TASKS: Read the first lines (or first several paragraphs) of the novels on your desk. Write down examples of captivating, well-written, strong leads. Include the book title and author’s name Consider what “type” of lead the author is utilizing. X

Setting “It was one of those super-duper-cold Saturdays. One of those days that when you breathed out your breath kind of hung frozen in the air like a hunk of smoke and you could walk along and look exactly like a train blowing out big, fat, white puffs of smoke. It was so cold that if you were stupid enough to go outside, your eyes would automatically blink a thousand times all by themselves, probably so the juice inside of them wouldn’t freeze up.” –The Watsons Go to Birmingham, Christopher Paul Curtis

Dialogue “I am not a pest,” Ramona Quimby told her big sister Beezus. “Then stop asking like a pest,” said Beezus, whose real name was Beatrice. She was standing by the front window waiting for her friend Mary Jane to walk to school with her.” –Ramona the Pest, Beverly Cleary

Reflection "Not every thirteen-year-old girl is accused of murder, brought to trial, and found guilty. But I was just such a girl, and my story is worth relating even if it did happen years ago." –The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, Avi

Event “When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. My fingers stretch out, seeking Prim’s warmth but find only the rough canvas cover of the mattress. She must have had bad dreams and climbed in with our mother. Of course she did. This is the day of the reaping” The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Action “I am running. That’s the first thing I remember. Running. I carry something, my arm curled around it, hugging it to my chest. Bread, of course. Someone is chasing me. ‘Stop Thief!’ I run. People. Shoulders. Shoes. ‘Stop! Thief!’” Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli

Character “Are you there God? It’s me, Margaret. We’re moving today. I’m so scared God. I’ve never lived anywhere but here. Suppose I hate my new school? Suppose everybody there hates me? Please help me God. Don’t let New Jersey be too horrible. Thank you.” Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. By Judy Blume

Character and Event “It is the first morning of high school. I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomachache.” Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson Often leads will utilize more than one technique.

Character and Action “As soon as I got home from school, Aunt Baba noticed the silver medal dangling from the left breast pocket of my uniform. She was combing her hair in front of the mirror in our room when I rushed in and plopped my schoolbag down onto the bed” Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah

YOUR TURN Write three (3) different leads using the models you discovered today in class. Try to vary your approach to writing, challenging yourself to try different techniques and making each lead unique. Don’t always assume your first idea is your best idea. DUE: _______

How do I model this example? “I am running. That’s the first thing I remember. Running. I carry something, my arm curled around it, hugging it to my chest. Bread, of course. Someone is chasing me. ‘Stop Thief!’ I run. People. Shoulders. Shoes. ‘Stop! Thief!’” Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli 1. Short, direct sentence using a subject and verb phrase. 2. One action verb 3. Choppy, fragmented sentences to convey sense of urgency 4. Dialogue

How do I model this example? “It is the first morning of high school. I have seven new notebooks, a skirt I hate, and a stomachache.” Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson 1.Establishment of setting 2. List of three items with the last one being unexpected.