1. The Writer in You We are all writers. – Assignments, text messages, phone messages, even note taking Why do we write? – To communicate with others or even ourselves How do we keep track of our writing? – Writing Portfolio – Reader’s Journal

2. The Qualities of Good Writing Ideas – Each writer must have unique ideas, even if they write about the same topic as others. Organization – Giving information in the right amount and in the right order so your audience can understand what you are saying. Voice – Lets your personality show through in your writing.

3. The Qualities of Good Writing Word Choice – Use precise language to make sure you are understood properly. – If you just ask a waiter to “bring me food,” you probably won’t get what you want. – If you are describing something, you want to use words that will make your reader feel what you are describing. It was a hot day. It was so hot it felt like my skin was melting.

4. The Qualities of Good Writing Sentence Fluency – Good writing contains a variety of sentence patterns and lengths. – Example: A student has been asked to write about things they enjoy doing. I like going to the beach. I like my pet rabbit. I like my playing with my cousins. During the summer, I really like going to the beach. When I am home, I really enjoy having my pet rabbit with me. The thing I like most, though, is playing with my cousins.

5. The Qualities of Good Writing Conventions – Spelling, grammar, and mechanics have to follow standard English conventions. – If they don’t, it can be hard to understand.

6. The Writing Process Prewriting – Exploring ideas, choosing a topic, gathering and organizing details before you start writing Drafting – Getting your ideas down on paper in roughly the same format you intend Revising – Improves your writing’s form and content Editing/Proofreading – Polish your writing – Fix errors in spelling, grammar and mechanics Publishing – When you share your writing