Describes a poetry writing assignment that teaches students the importance of place and objects in expressing emotions about a childhood memory. (RL)

Describes an activity in which students must invent graffiti that might have been written by one of the characters studied in the class's literature assignments. (HTH)

Discusses four poems by William Carlos Williams used to teach creative writing to college students. Uses "Portrait of a Woman in Red" and "The Last Words of My English Grandmother" because they contain speakers who are clearly not the poet, which gives undergraduate students opportunities to discuss details Williams uses to…

Explains how an exercise for high school or college students can be disguised as a lecture. States that the first step is to have the students write a conversation, and that after this is done, a whole range of writing devices can be demonstrated, including use of characterization, tone, environment, and plot movement. (PA)

Describes a freshman composition assignment in which students create fictional figures and approach a final biography about the figure through a series of shorter essays. (HTH)

The author, who teaches a multischool writing seminar for K-8 students and their teachers, explains some of the activities of this interschool literary group and presents two writing exercises he has used, one on writing the introductory paragraphs for a novel, and the other on characterization. (SJL)

Suggests teaching characterization in literature classes by having students write an advertisement similar to the Dewar's scotch advertisement, based on each of the characters in the novel "Ordinary People." Examples are included. (HTH)

Focusing on satisfying the theatrical feature film audience, this book provides writers with the tools necessary to successfully create and market a screenplay. It includes "scribble exercises" every few pages--specific activities and questions to stir readers' reactions. Chapters in the book are: (1) Drama Is Conflict; (2) Satisfying…

This book deals with short-story writing only and concentrates on the science fiction short story. The book is written by the editor of "Analog Science Fiction Magazine" and is intended for those people who are interested in writing science fiction. The 14 chapters discuss such topics as the theory of chapter, practicing chapter writing, the…

Provides a method for students to involve themselves in the lives of characters from two books, "The Catherine Wheel" and "Love Medicine." Presents writing assignments that actively engage students with these characters who confront emotions in radically different ways. (MS)

Uses character analysis borrowed from drama classes to work on literary selections. Gives writing assignments to students based on characters from a story. Conducts interviews with the "characters" in class. (PA)

Suggests a prewriting exercise in characterization using the legend genre as framework. (HTH)

Offers a method for teaching English using biographies in conjunction with creative writing assignments, for example, writing a short biography of another student in the class. (SRT)

Suggests the importance of George Orwell's "1984" for today's students and recommends specific analytic and descriptive writing activities to develop critical reading skills. (MM)

Intended for teachers, students, and writers, this guide provides exercises for improving writing techniques and using literary devices. Following an introduction, the six chapters deal with the following techniques: (1) describing place, including observation and exaggeration; (2) describing people, including "inside/outside" portraits and…