Freeze Time Planning Sheet Where’s the I in your writing? Bookmarks Dry Erase Markers

Everything says something Good writers use every sentence, every word, every punctuation mark, and every detail to communicate their message. As they write, they are constantly thinking: What do I want my reader to know? What’s the best way to do that? What do I want my reader to feel or think? What’s the best way to do that?

If I click on the on my computer screen, what happens? That with the ring is an icon. People everywhere recognize it and know what it means. If I see a stick figure with a dress on it, what does that mean?

TIME What is a picture or icon that most people around the world would recognize for time?

FREEZE What is a picture or icon that most people around the world would recognize for freeze?

Let’s take the image of the ice cube and merge it with the image of the clock.

We are going to learn to freeze time at important points in our story. Freezing time stops the action and allows the reader to carefully examine everything important that’s happening. Freezing time lets the reader know what the character is thinking, what the character is sensing, what the character is feeling, and what the character is doing because of how he is feeling.

We know that good writers use every word, every mark, and every sentence to communicate their message. Often good writers slow down the action-Freeze Time- to give the reader details from the perspective of the character. Those details help the reader to see and understand the action more clearly. When writers Freeze Time, it helps the reader feel like they are right there with the character.

Hold arms out like the hands of a clock at 3:00 (or any other time.) SAY: Name the time.

Touch the top of your head. SAY: What’s the character thinking?

With each hand, form a fingertip parenthesis ( ) around the face. Separate the “parenthesis” so that the fingertips glide across the face framing the eyes, nose, mouth, and ears. This is a reminder to use their senses. SAY: What’s the character sensing?

Clutch hands to the heart in a hug to show affection. SAY: What’s the character feeling?

Make hands tremble and then return to the hug action. SAY: What’s the character doing because of how he’s feeling?