Analyzing Writer’s Craft Presented by: Kelly Philbeck

Craft of Artists Look following two paintings and jot down some similarities and some differences that you see. Look following two paintings and jot down some similarities and some differences that you see. What do you notice about the artists’ techniques? What do you notice about the artists’ techniques? What differences do you see? What differences do you see?

Compare and Contrast Edvard Munch’s The Scream Grant Wood’s American Gothic

Writer’s Craft…Words Paint a Thousand Pictures

What is Writer’s Craft? Craft is the art of writing. It is the writer’s intentional use of the following to create an effect on the reader: figurative language figurative language snapshots/imagery/details snapshots/imagery/details thoughtshots thoughtshots word choice/word placement word choice/word placement sound/dialogue sound/dialogue sentence structure/stylistic devices sentence structure/stylistic devices text features text features text structure text structure

Writer’s Craft Encompasses: Style Style Tone Tone Voice Voice Audience Awareness Audience Awareness Structure/Organization Structure/Organization Technique Technique

Categories of Craft Word Craft—careful, deliberate word choice Word Craft—careful, deliberate word choice Structural Craft—organizational features Structural Craft—organizational features Audible Craft—sound choices Audible Craft—sound choices Visual Craft—print features Visual Craft—print features Laminack & Ray Laminack & Ray

Word Craft Deliberate, artful choice of words [Ray 1999] Deliberate, artful choice of words [Ray 1999] Figurative language Figurative language Word Choice Word Choice Vivid verbs Vivid verbs Imagery Imagery Details Details

Structural Craft Organizational Framework of the Writing [Ray 1999] Organizational Framework of the Writing [Ray 1999] Text structure Text structure Paragraph types Paragraph types Transitional devices Transitional devices Parallel structure Parallel structure Repetition Repetition Page Layout/White Space Page Layout/White Space

Audible Craft Language that Lingers… [Laminack 2007] Language that Lingers… [Laminack 2007] Noticed without even seeing the print [[ Laminack 2007 Noticed without even seeing the print [[ Laminack 2007 Alliteration Alliteration Assonance Assonance Onomatopoeia Onomatopoeia Rhythm Rhythm Cadence Cadence Hard/Soft Sounds Hard/Soft Sounds

Visual Craft Thoughtful, artful placement of text on a page [Laminack 2007] Thoughtful, artful placement of text on a page [Laminack 2007] Must be seen to be noticed [Laminack 2007] Must be seen to be noticed [Laminack 2007] Print Features (bold, italics, fonts, punctuation) Print Features (bold, italics, fonts, punctuation) Line breaks Line breaks White space White space Graphics—pictures, illustrations, charts, maps Graphics—pictures, illustrations, charts, maps

Bridging with Writer’s Craft Analyzing Writer’s Craft is essential to modeling the type of writing product you want students to create. Analyzing Writer’s Craft is essential to modeling the type of writing product you want students to create. If you want an article, analyze how professional writers craft articles. If you want an article, analyze how professional writers craft articles. If you want a science lab report, analyze scientific writers craft science lab reports. If you want a science lab report, analyze scientific writers craft science lab reports. If you want a historical analysis essay, analyze how professional writers craft historical essays. If you want a historical analysis essay, analyze how professional writers craft historical essays.

Writer’s Craft: Text Features 3 Papers in front of you: Writer’s Craft: Text Features Sheet (p.5) 3 Column Chart (separate sheet) “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” article (p.21)

Let’s Analyze Text Features in an Article Step 1: Skim over your Writer’s Craft: Text Features definitions list Step 1: Skim over your Writer’s Craft: Text Features definitions list Step 2: Look at your article: Step 2: Look at your article: “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” Step 3: Underline any text features you see Step 3: Underline any text features you see Step 4: Label the text features Step 4: Label the text features Step 5: Complete the Writer’s Craft chart Step 5: Complete the Writer’s Craft chart

Analyzing Writer’s Craft Claim It! Quote from the Work Name It! Label the Device/Technique Frame It! Explain/Analyze Author’s Purpose Lady carrying lots of shopping bags “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending”

Analyzing Writer’s Craft Claim It! Quote from the Work Name It! Label the Device/Technique Frame It! Explain/Analyze Author’s Purpose Lady carrying lots of shopping bags Picture/graphic “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” Main Title Sub Title

Analyzing Writer’s Craft Claim It! Quote from the Work Name It! Label the Device/Technique Frame It! Explain/Analyze Author’s Purpose Lady carrying lots of shopping bags Picture/graphic To illustrate how over- shopping/ over-spending during the holidays can weigh you down “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” Main Title To catch/draw in the reader’s interest/attention Sub Title To further explain the main title and the purpose of the article Notice pic is not Santa or Money

Find 3 More Examples of Text Features and Work Through Your Writer’s Craft Chart:

Writer’s Craft: Evidence

Writer’s Craft: Text Features 3 Papers in front of you: Writer’s Craft: Evidence (p.2) 3 Column Chart (separate sheet—flip over to analyze for evidence) “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” article (p.21)

Be More Specific… Knowing evidence is important… Knowing evidence is important…

Evidence=CSI

With Your Group… Step 1: Take a moment to read the list of the 25 types of evidence writers commonly use. Step 1: Take a moment to read the list of the 25 types of evidence writers commonly use. Step 2: Highlight/underline evidence in “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” Step 2: Highlight/underline evidence in “How to Keep a Lid on Holiday Spending” Step 3: Label evidence as the appropriate type from the list of 25 (some may serve multiple purposes) Step 3: Label evidence as the appropriate type from the list of 25 (some may serve multiple purposes) Step 4: Work through your Writer’s Craft Chart Step 4: Work through your Writer’s Craft Chart

Analyzing Writer’s Craft Claim It! Quote from the Work Name It! Label the Device/Technique Frame It! Explain/Analyze Author’s Purpose “ ‘Tis the season not only to be joly but to buy, “ explains Esther M. Berger… “Nearly 15% of all Christmas gifts are returned.” “The average American spends over $700…”

Analyzing Writer’s Craft Claim It! Quote from the Work Name It! Label the Device/Technique Frame It! Explain/Analyze Author’s Purpose “ ‘Tis the season not only to be joly but to buy, “ explains Esther M. Berger… Quote from a Reliable Source “Nearly 15% of all Christmas gifts are returned.” Percentages “The average American spends over $700…” References to Money

Analyzing Writer’s Craft Claim It! Quote from the Work Name It! Label the Device/Technique Frame It! Explain/Analyze Author’s Purpose “ ‘Tis the season not only to be joly but to buy, “ explains Esther M. Berger… Quote from a Reliable Source The quote from the financial planner provides credibility “Nearly 15% of all Christmas gifts are returned.” Percentages “The average American spends over $700…” References to Money

Find 3 More Examples of Evidence and Work Through Your Writer’s Craft Chart:

Tips for Use I have students analyze writer’s craft on most everything we read. I have students analyze writer’s craft on most everything we read. We started small… We started small… Only looked at literary devices/figurative language for period of time Only looked at literary devices/figurative language for period of time Used with Lit Circles Used with Lit Circles Students created our definition sheet Students created our definition sheet Then we analyzed for stylistic devices, then text structure, etc. to build our writers’ eyes. Then we analyzed for stylistic devices, then text structure, etc. to build our writers’ eyes.

Tips for Use I have students analyze writer’s craft on most everything we read. I have students analyze writer’s craft on most everything we read. We keep craft sheets in sheet protectors in the middle of their 3 pronged writing folders. We keep craft sheets in sheet protectors in the middle of their 3 pronged writing folders. We refer back to craft findings for prewriting AND revision of writing. We refer back to craft findings for prewriting AND revision of writing.

Sources Ray, Katie Wood. Wondrous Words. Urbana, IL: NCTE, Ray, Katie Wood. Wondrous Words. Urbana, IL: NCTE, Laminack, Lester. Cracking Open Author’s Craft. New York: Scholastic, Laminack, Lester. Cracking Open Author’s Craft. New York: Scholastic, 2007.