2. You are a writer! You have an experience to share, a point to make, a story to tell.

3. Read the prompt carefully and with an open mind and find your connection.

4. Take your time Brainstorm

5. Consider various formats for your composition: Diary / journal Letter / email Personal narrative Fictional narrative [be sure it is believable] Science fiction narrative

6. Rough draft your ideas in a simple form: outline graphic organizer bubble map doodles or Write a full rough draft.

7. Remember to grab the reader’s attention in the first few sentences by using  Dialogue  Action  Flashback  Setting  Character description “I can’t believe she told you that!”

8. This is CRITICAL – it gives you a better chance at a 3 or 4 composition. BA=Where your feet went Sounds DA= What you saw BING= What you thought or said/feelings or attitude

9. Good writing also needs

10. Use a variety of sentence types:  Simple - Tom jumped through the hoop.  Compound - I was excited by the idea, but I could not convince my parents.  Complex - Joanna’s situation was impossible since she had no family support.  Compound-complex - Whether we remain friends or not is irrelevant, since I have no intention of staying in this small town, and I hope to leave very soon. [review info on brushstrokes and sentences in LMS]

11. Your writing “flows” when it moves smoothly from one idea to the next. Use appropriate, accurate, diverse transitions [ not first, second, third – sounds formulaic ].

12. comes through ELABORATION. Describe using sensory images, similes, metaphors. [ Watch out for clichés.] Be specific and give the details.

13. Voice is you shining through Your voice is what connects a reader to you. Be genuine and believable.

14. Word choices should fit the situation but be school appropriate. Avoid slang and text message shortcuts [ U, 2, luv ]. Sometimes SAT vocabulary is NOT your best choice. Voice includes the words you choose.

15. means The reader wants to read to the very end of your composition. BA-DUH-BOOM BA=Looking back/thoughts and emotions DUH=lesson learned BOOM=Next time, plans, hopes, wishes……..

16. Let your reader feel something.

17. Take one last look to be sure you have said what you meant to say.

18. 1 = Huh? I don’t get it. 2 = Blah, blah, blah. Okay. 3 = Nice. Don’t mind reading this one. 4 = Wow! I can’t believe it. This paper is incredible.