Stephen King: On Writing Exercise; Chapters 9-13

This morning, please complete the quick questionnaire about your writing. Then, please continue Stephen King's writing assignment. Write your draft and try to complete it during our lab time.

If you finish before the end of the period or if you need a break, please continue reading King's On Writing (see packet).
A summary so far:

• Write the TRUTH as you see it. Be true to your characters, setting, plots, themes, etc.
• Write about what you know if you can--but above all: tell the "truth". Interpret "write what you know" as broadly as possible. Use your hobbies, interests, beliefs, and knowledge to help you. Write about these things. 
• Don't worry about plotting. Start off with a  good "situation" for your fiction.
• Use a speculative idea to get the story started: a premise or "what if..." statement.
• Writing is telepathy: you are trying to communicate over distances with your reader. Never forget your reader.
• Art requires an artist to WANT to pursue the art form. If you have no interest in writing, let someone else do that job. Otherwise, if you want to write (or be a writer)...then write!
• Writers write. Writers write a lot.
• Writer's read. Writers read a lot.
• Gain vocabulary and writing skills by reading.
• Learn style from reading.
• Reading creates an "ease and intimacy with the process of writing" (pp. 145)
• Learn standard English grammar.
• Fear is at the root of most bad writing. Be courageous and tell the truth!
• You know what you're doing. Trust in that.
• Paragraphs are the basic unit in storytelling. Each paragraph should be DOING something in your story: entertaining, persuading, developing character or setting, advancing the plot, developing character through dialogue, developing theme, etc.
• Set a word count goal for yourself. Each day try to reach this goal. Once that is easy for you, increase the #.
• Find your own writing space and keep it (and writing time) sacred. Unplug. Focus on the task of writing. Practice.
• Readers (book buyers) want a good story. Period. Give them a good story.
• Stories consist of narration, description, and dialogue. The key to writing good dialogue is honesty.  
• Pay attention to real people (their behavior, personality, actions, etc.) and then tell the truth about them in your fiction.
• Practice is "invaluable" & "honesty is indispensable" (pp. 195). Above all: practice and you'll get better; be honest with the process of writing or creating stories.

Rinse. Repeat. Continue writing.

HOMEWORK: Complete the reading chapters 9-13 of Stephen King's "On Writing"; Complete your story draft if you did not complete it in class today. Turn in your draft next class for writing credit.