Narrative Introduction Color Word Choice Presentation When we write, our main tool is words. Being good communicators means making effective choices. We must choose a word that brings to mind a similar image to somebody’s else thoughts. Our choices lead to voice. The following is only part of the presentation’s slides and intended as a preview.

Power of Words Think of the many ways people walk. Are they: Happy? Sad? Bored? Hurried? Lost? Stiff? Depressed? Injured? Ill? Clumsy? Physically challenged? Young? Feeble? William Hill

Exercise: Play charades I offer note cards with various words for walk and ask volunteers to act out the movement while the audience guesses. The participants limp, creep, waddle, tip toe, pace, march, stomp, shuffle, strut and more... This creates the visual effect. Words are symbols for images and thoughts. The following are some of the many choices for walked. Each is a different shade or hue of walked. William Hill

Walked-Synonyms stepped, paced, strolled, trudged, marched treaded, ambled, wandered, rambled, limped, promenaded, tramped, toured, roamed, meandered, roved, traipsed, patrolled, trampled, toddled, doddered, waddled, dallied, tottered, lurched, staggered, swayed, wove, lumbered, hiked, sauntered, trekked, sulked, sashayed, hobbled, strutted, strode, stumbled, chugged, tripped, journeyed, traversed, paraded... William Hill

A Good Vocabulary Words. So what? What’s the Big Deal? Why are words important? William Hill

WORD CHOICE What word you select works like adding color to something plain or drab. William Hill

You are the artist and writer! Which box of crayons do you choose? Crayola original 8? Or Crayola 64 box? William Hill

Add detail. Color. Life. Character. I went Granny Smith apple-picking with my grandmother, who drives a green VW ‘Bug’. We filled my green bucket, then went for a hike through the pine trees along the green rolling hills. William Hill

Color Choice After reading the paragraph, I show the black and white drawing and ask them to visualize/see it in color based upon the story. The next slide is a drawing using the box of 8 colors, one color of basic green, so it all blends together. After pointing this out, the next slide has the drawing colored with the box of 120. Most people like having choices and variety.

From one color of green To a variety of greens William Hill

How BIG is your crayon box? Box of 8? Box of 32? Box of 64? Box of &72? More? William Hill

Greens in the 120 Crayon Box Green Forest green Electric lime green Granny Smith apple green Blue-green/ Green-blue Sea green Yellow green Asparagus Mixed vegetables Jungle green Pine green William Hill

Synonym Word Exercise From colors to words, choices make a big difference. I started with two visual words, looking for hues and shades of the words thin and overweight. They can guess aloud or write as many as they can recall, then we share as a group. For older groups, I use less visual words (intelligent and unintelligent) and we discuss synonyms and their variations.

Think about Thin People -- How do they look similar yet different? William Hill

Size, Shape & Characteristics of thin people skinny lanky bony Scrawny lean wan twiggy spindly rangy slender gaunt skeletal slim emaciated beanpole slight gangly svelte petite trim wizen William Hill

Think about Over weight People How are they similar yet distinctive? William Hill

When you edit Make your word choices intentional, with color and purpose. Remember, choices led to voices. William Hill

Examples of edits The kid patted the dog. –Child rubbed on the hound/mutt. –girl stroked the, golden retriever. The kid had a fit. – child threw a tantrum. – toddler cried, screamed and hurled himself to the floor. The kid walked up the hill. –child hiked upthe slope. –boy trudgedup the mountain/ hummock/ knoll. –William Hill