Analyzing Writer’s CraftAnalyzing Writer’s Craft

Presented by: Kelly PhilbeckPresented by: Kelly Philbeck

Craft of ArtistsCraft of Artists

Look following two paintings and jot Look following two paintings and jot down some similarities and some down some similarities and some differences that you see.differences that you see.

What do you notice about the artists’ What do you notice about the artists’ techniques?techniques?

What differences do you see?What differences do you see?

Compare and ContrastCompare and Contrast

Edvard Munch’s The Scream

Grant Wood’s American Gothic

Writer’s Craft…Words Paint Writer’s Craft…Words Paint a Thousand Picturesa Thousand Pictures

What is Writer’s Craft?What is Writer’s Craft?Craft is the art of writing. It is the Craft is the art of writing. It is the

writer’s intentional use of the following writer’s intentional use of the following to create an effect on the reader:to create an effect on the reader: figurative languagefigurative language snapshots/imagery/detailssnapshots/imagery/details thoughtshotsthoughtshots word choice/word placementword choice/word placement sound/dialoguesound/dialogue sentence structure/stylistic devicessentence structure/stylistic devices text featurestext features text structuretext structure

Writer’s Craft Encompasses:Writer’s Craft Encompasses:

StyleStyle ToneTone VoiceVoice Audience AwarenessAudience Awareness Structure/OrganizationStructure/Organization TechniqueTechnique

Categories of CraftCategories of Craft

Word CraftWord Craft—careful, deliberate word —careful, deliberate word choicechoice

StructuralStructural CraftCraft—organizational —organizational featuresfeatures

AudibleAudible CraftCraft—sound choices—sound choices VisualVisual CraftCraft—print features—print features

Laminack & RayLaminack & Ray

Word CraftWord Craft

Deliberate, artful choice of words Deliberate, artful choice of words [Ray [Ray 1999]1999]

Figurative languageFigurative language Word ChoiceWord Choice Vivid verbsVivid verbs ImageryImagery DetailsDetails

Structural CraftStructural Craft

Organizational Framework of the Organizational Framework of the Writing Writing [Ray 1999][Ray 1999]

Text structureText structure Paragraph typesParagraph types Transitional devicesTransitional devices Parallel structureParallel structure RepetitionRepetition Page Layout/White SpacePage Layout/White Space

Audible CraftAudible Craft

Language that Lingers… Language that Lingers… [Laminack 2007][Laminack 2007]

Noticed without even seeing the print Noticed without even seeing the print [[[[Laminack 2007Laminack 2007

AlliterationAlliteration AssonanceAssonance OnomatopoeiaOnomatopoeia RhythmRhythm CadenceCadence Hard/Soft SoundsHard/Soft Sounds

Visual CraftVisual Craft

Thoughtful, artful placement of text on Thoughtful, artful placement of text on a page a page [Laminack 2007][Laminack 2007]

Must be seen to be noticed Must be seen to be noticed [Laminack 2007][Laminack 2007]

Print Features (bold, italics, fonts, Print Features (bold, italics, fonts, punctuation)punctuation)

Line breaksLine breaks White spaceWhite space Graphics—pictures, illustrations, charts, Graphics—pictures, illustrations, charts,

mapsmaps

Analyzing Writer’s CraftAnalyzing Writer’s Craft

Let’s analyze for Literary Devices and Let’s analyze for Literary Devices and Figurative Language.Figurative Language.

First, read over your cheat sheet!First, read over your cheat sheet!

Take a moment to refresh your memory Take a moment to refresh your memory of literary devices & figurative language.of literary devices & figurative language.

Now…Beyonce’s HaloNow…Beyonce’s Halo

Listen to the song.Listen to the song.

As you listen, As you listen, underlineunderline ANY literary ANY literary devices or figurative language that you devices or figurative language that you see.see.

ONLY ONLY underlineunderline the devices/language! the devices/language!

Figurative Language Figurative Language RefresherRefresher

Remember figurative language is Remember figurative language is language that cannot be taken literally.language that cannot be taken literally.

For example,For example, Line 1: “Line 1: “Remember those walls I builtRemember those walls I built…”…” Is Beyoncé known for traveling the United Is Beyoncé known for traveling the United

States with a hard hat, bricks and mortar, States with a hard hat, bricks and mortar, building walls?building walls?

NO! As listeners, we have to make NO! As listeners, we have to make inferences inferences of her intended meaning by of her intended meaning by analyzing her use of figurative language.analyzing her use of figurative language.

Beyonce’s Experience with Beyonce’s Experience with WallsWalls

HaloHalo

Beyoncé's Halo Beyoncé's Halo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyR7yoDBQSg

Halo x 2Halo x 2 Now that you’ve Now that you’ve underlinedunderlined

examples of literary devices and examples of literary devices and figurative language, we’re going to figurative language, we’re going to listen to “Halo” again.listen to “Halo” again.

This time, as you’re listening, use your This time, as you’re listening, use your list of terms to LABEL each item that list of terms to LABEL each item that you have underlined.you have underlined.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyR7yoDBQSg

Discussion!Discussion!

What evidence of literary devices/figurative What evidence of literary devices/figurative language did you find in the lyrics?language did you find in the lyrics?

Quote them. Quote them. (Claim them!)(Claim them!) Label them. Label them. (Name them!)(Name them!) Explain the author’s purpose. Explain the author’s purpose. (Frame them!)(Frame them!)

Why did Beyoncé and her co-authors choose to Why did Beyoncé and her co-authors choose to use those literary/figurative language devices? use those literary/figurative language devices?

What do the devices mean?What do the devices mean?

Analyzing Writer’s CraftAnalyzing Writer’s CraftClaim It!

Quote from the Work

Name It!Label the

Device/Technique

Frame It!Explain/Analyze

Author’s Purpose

“Remember those walls I built…”

Analyzing Writer’s CraftAnalyzing Writer’s CraftClaim It!

Quote from the Work

Name It!Label the

Device/Technique

Frame It!Explain/Analyze

Author’s Purpose

“Remember those walls I built…”

walls=metaphor

Analyzing Writer’s CraftAnalyzing Writer’s CraftClaim It!

Quote from the Work

Name It!Label the

Device/Technique

Frame It!Explain/Analyze

Author’s Purpose

“Remember those walls I built…”

walls=metaphor To show that she’s been hurt before and is guarding her emotions/ heart

Now, it’s your turn!

Analyzing Writer’s CraftAnalyzing Writer’s CraftClaim It!

Quote from the Work

Name It!Label the

Device/Technique

Frame It!Explain/Analyze

Author’s Purpose

“Remember those walls I built…”

walls=metaphor To show that she’s been hurt before and is guarding her emotions/ heart

“…they didn’t even put up a fight…”

personification To show that she is really in love now, not fighting it

“I got my angel now…”

metaphor and/orallusion

To show emotional significance of new love

Let’s Take it to TextLet’s Take it to Text

““Bryan’s Plane Crash”Bryan’s Plane Crash” Written as a typical student’s Written as a typical student’s

sample.sample.

Bryan’s Plane CrashBryan’s Plane Crash

Bryan heard a loud noise as the Bryan heard a loud noise as the plane’s wings were torn off of the plane’s wings were torn off of the plane. He braced himself, then his plane. He braced himself, then his head hit the wheel as the plane hit the head hit the wheel as the plane hit the trees. trees.

The plane went through the trees The plane went through the trees then crashed into the water. People then crashed into the water. People were screaming all around him. He were screaming all around him. He unfastened his seatbelt and went out unfastened his seatbelt and went out the window to get free of the wreckage.the window to get free of the wreckage.

Writer’s Craft: Transforming Writer’s Craft: Transforming Telling to ShowingTelling to Showing

Notice how the typical student sample is Notice how the typical student sample is just relaying of a list of events.just relaying of a list of events.

No craft techniques are used.No craft techniques are used. Writer’s Craft takes writers/readers Writer’s Craft takes writers/readers

beyond the surface of events.beyond the surface of events.

Now read an excerpt from Gary Paulsen’s Now read an excerpt from Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet.Hatchet.

As You Read…As You Read…

Underline/highlight what speaks to you Underline/highlight what speaks to you as a reader—evidence of good writing:as a reader—evidence of good writing: Vivid verbsVivid verbs Literary devices (metaphors, similes, idioms)Literary devices (metaphors, similes, idioms) Sensory details (where you can see, hear, Sensory details (where you can see, hear,

smell, taste the story, or feel for/with the smell, taste the story, or feel for/with the characters)characters)

Sentence structure/word choice (sound, Sentence structure/word choice (sound, rhythm, tone)rhythm, tone)

Don’t Make it Difficult…Don’t Make it Difficult…

Just mark what you like as a reader.Just mark what you like as a reader.

There are no right or wrong answers!There are no right or wrong answers!

From Paulsen’s From Paulsen’s HatchetHatchet      

There was a great wrenching as the There was a great wrenching as the wings caught the pines at the side of the wings caught the pines at the side of the clearing and broke back, ripping back just clearing and broke back, ripping back just outside the main braces. Dust and dirt blew outside the main braces. Dust and dirt blew off the floor into his face so hard he thought off the floor into his face so hard he thought there must have been some kind of there must have been some kind of explosion. He was momentarily blinded and explosion. He was momentarily blinded and slammed forward in the seat, smashing his slammed forward in the seat, smashing his head on the wheel.head on the wheel.        

Then a wild crashing sound, ripping of Then a wild crashing sound, ripping of metal, and the plane rolled to the right metal, and the plane rolled to the right and blew through the trees, out over the and blew through the trees, out over the water and down, down to slam into the water and down, down to slam into the lake, skip once on water as hard as lake, skip once on water as hard as concrete, water that tore the windshield concrete, water that tore the windshield out and shattered the side windows, out and shattered the side windows, water that drove him back into the seat. water that drove him back into the seat.

Somebody was screaming, screaming as Somebody was screaming, screaming as the plane drove down into the water. the plane drove down into the water. Someone screamed tight animal screams Someone screamed tight animal screams of fear and pain and he did not know of fear and pain and he did not know that it was his sound, that he roared that it was his sound, that he roared against the water that took him and the against the water that took him and the plane still deeper, down into the water. plane still deeper, down into the water. He saw nothing but sensed blue, cold He saw nothing but sensed blue, cold blue-green, and he raked at the seatbelt blue-green, and he raked at the seatbelt catch, tore his nails loose on one hand. catch, tore his nails loose on one hand.

He ripped at it until it released and He ripped at it until it released and somehow - the water trying to kill him, somehow - the water trying to kill him, to end him - somehow he pulled himself to end him - somehow he pulled himself out of the shattered front window and out of the shattered front window and clawed up into the blue, felt something clawed up into the blue, felt something hold him back, felt his windbreaker tear hold him back, felt his windbreaker tear and he was free. Tearing free. Ripping and he was free. Tearing free. Ripping free.free.

Writer’s CraftWriter’s Craft

What elements of writer’s craft do What elements of writer’s craft do you see in Paulsen’s excerpt?you see in Paulsen’s excerpt?

Name, Claim, Frame Name, Claim, Frame (on your chart)(on your chart)

How does writer’s craft impact the How does writer’s craft impact the reader?reader?

Writer’s Craft is Writer’s Craft is EVERYWHEREEVERYWHERE!!

You can analyze You can analyze ANYANY type of text for type of text for Writer’s Craft…Writer’s Craft…

poetrypoetry

film clipsfilm clips

informational textinformational text

argumentative textargumentative text

Also Analyze Craft for…Also Analyze Craft for…

Writer’s StyleWriter’s Style Text FeaturesText Features Text StructureText Structure Idea Development/SupportIdea Development/Support Argumentative TechniquesArgumentative Techniques

ANY text you read can be analyzed for ANY text you read can be analyzed for craftcraft

Tips for UseTips for Use

I have students analyze writer’s craft on I have students analyze writer’s craft on most everything we read.most everything we read.

We started small…We started small… Only looked at literary devices/figurative Only looked at literary devices/figurative

language for period of timelanguage for period of time Used with Lit CirclesUsed with Lit Circles Students created our definition sheetStudents created our definition sheet Then we analyzed for stylistic devices, then Then we analyzed for stylistic devices, then

text structure, etc. to build our writers’ eyes.text structure, etc. to build our writers’ eyes.

Tips for UseTips for Use

I have students analyze writer’s craft I have students analyze writer’s craft on most everything we read.on most everything we read.

We keep craft sheets in sheet We keep craft sheets in sheet protectors in the middle of their 3 protectors in the middle of their 3 pronged writing folders.pronged writing folders.

We refer back to craft findings for We refer back to craft findings for revision of writing.revision of writing.

SourcesSources

Ray, Katie Wood. Ray, Katie Wood. Wondrous WordsWondrous Words. . Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1999.Urbana, IL: NCTE, 1999.

Laminack, Lester. Laminack, Lester. Cracking Open Cracking Open Author’s Craft.Author’s Craft. New York: Scholastic, New York: Scholastic, 2007. 2007.