1. Focusing QuestionFocusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson SummaryMini LessonWriter’s Work TimeLesson Summary Sharpen Your Character’s Identity Objective: To sharpen our main characters by integrating new information that comes from a character interview. Focusing Question: How do you make your character more unique and complex in preparation for writing a memorable and believable short story? Strategy: To further develop the main character by: –“interviewing” him/her to dig deeper into his/her feelings and problems –getting advice from peers.

2. Focusing QuestionFocusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson SummaryMini LessonWriter’s Work TimeLesson Summary Mini Lesson “Interviewing” a character is a technique used to delve deeper and discover what makes him or her unique. Good interviewing questions dig below the surface. Good questions force a character to think hard about himself or herself, such as what he/she is insecure about or wishes no one knew about him or her.

3. Focusing QuestionFocusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson SummaryMini LessonWriter’s Work TimeLesson Summary Writer’s Work Time 1.Silently ask your character some questions. (Beginners use questions in Character Packet [Handout 1.1a]). 2.Answer the interview questions the way you think your character would. 3.Ask questions about strengths, weaknesses, secrets and worries. 4.Record your responses. 5.Think about what you learned about your character that will affect how you tell your story.

4. Focusing QuestionFocusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson SummaryMini LessonWriter’s Work TimeLesson Summary Midworkshop Interruption Update your online character profile with the interview information in preparation for having others read and offer comments. Post the update online by going to the Build Your Character Profile activity in Step 1 of the Online Classroom. Insert your character’s information into the appropriate fields on the page.

5. Focusing QuestionFocusing Question | Mini Lesson | Writer’s Work Time | Lesson SummaryMini LessonWriter’s Work TimeLesson Summary Now that our characters have complete profiles, give and get feedback about them. Find out what makes our characters most realistic/unrealistic. Find out which characters are most intriguing to classmates.