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Excellent Advice on Writing

Back to Co-Edit Tool Instructions

Before you turn in your first draft, read the suggestions provided below and check your writing to see whether you have included all the elements suggested.

Just to make sure, circle the part of your writing that uses each suggested element, and label it. Your labels should include:

• Strong Introduction (specify introductory strategy used)
• Clear Main Idea
• Detailed Descriptions
• Dialogue
• Persuasive Evidence (specify types of evidence used)
• Active Verbs
• Strong Conclusion (specify conclusionary strategy used)

Okay, here's the excellent advice:

1. You need a STRONG INTRODUCTION. You have to make the reader want to read more.

Types of introductions:

• stories that typify the subject of the article;
• startling statements or information;
• rhetorical questions;
• personal statements (how I came to writing this article or being interested in this subject).

2. You need to make the MAIN IDEA clear.

When we've read your writing, what is the single, most important thing we'll "learn" from it.

3. Give us DETAILS, not general descriptions.

Your descriptions should be like a camera, or a tape recorder.
Show us the scene in detail, like a camera, so that we can sense it.

4. Use DIALOGUE; it's a great way to liven up scenes and descriptions.

Yes, Virginia, even non-fiction writing uses dialogue.

5. Support your statements with EVIDENCE.

Facts; statistics; examples.
Examples not only help prove what you're saying, they also help the reader to feel it more strongly.

6. ORGANIZE your writing, so that you don't confuse things, leave out stuff, or talk about the same thing in several different places.

Think about organization from the reader's point of view --
      what will make the article clear and interesting to read?

7. Use ACTIVE VERBS wherever possible.

Avoid using passive verbs, such as "is", "are", and "be", as much as you can.
Active verbs give your writing more life and energy.

8. Use a STRONG CONCLUSION.

Things to do in a conclusion:

• Re-state your main idea.
• Extend that idea in some way.
        (It's like a late-night t.v. commercial: "Like that main idea? But wait, you also get...")

But wait, there's one more crucial thing you must do:

9. READ OUT LOUD.

Good writing sounds good. It flows, like poetry,
and has drama, like a well-told story.

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"Writers' Workshop: Excellent Advice on Writing" created by Stevan Kalmon,
<kalmon@bvsd.k12.co.us>
New Vista High School,
Last modified: May 11, 1998