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1. So You Want to Be a Writer
What
stories do you have inside you? Writing
what you believe, can change the world.
But writing effectively takes
discipline. We’ll help you plan writing
goals, identify obstacles, reinforce
your commitment, and then follow
through.
2. Reasons for Writing
We write
not just to express ourselves, but also
to connect with readers. We’ll help you
understand how focusing on your purpose
for writing — whether to express, to
explain, to encourage, to entertain, or
to affect — can help you accomplish that
goal.
3. The Right Words at the Right Time
You
wouldn’t wear a tuxedo to wash a car or
wear your grubbies to a banquet.
Likewise when you write, your vocabulary
and style need to fit the occasion.
We’ll help you analyze your audience —
and guide you in tuning up your
sentences.
4. Writing Throughout the Curriculum
Your
English teacher expects one style of
writing; your science teacher, another.
No matter the subject, you’ll find
guidance on how to understand the
purpose, master the vocabulary, and
adapt to different writing expectations.
You’ll also learn a flexible model to
help you effectively present and support
ideas.
5. Your Personal Writing Sample
Are you
outgoing? Analytical? Organized? This
lesson examines how your personality
affects your writing strengths — and
offers guidance on how you can make the
most of those strengths as you approach
different types of writing.
6. A Perfect Couple:
Reading and Writing
The more
you read, the better you’ll be at
recognizing technique — and producing
good writing yourself. We offer guidance
on classic books worth exploring — and
how to analyze and appreciate what they
contain.
7. Keeping a
Reading and Writing Log
Ideas for
writing are everywhere. It’s just a
matter of finding and keeping track of
them. This lesson introduces great tools
to exercise your writing muscles:
reading logs, writing journals, and
writing logs — as well as three tools
for generating ideas.
8. Variety Is the Spice of Writing
Turn a
kaleidoscope a little, and the whole
image changes. Sentences work the same
way. You’ll learn how to structure
sentences to reflect your style,
communicate clearly, and hold readers’
attention throughout a story, essay, or
article.
9. Writing a Technical or Explanatory
Paper
Every
gadget comes with a brochure or manual;
hundreds of guidebooks offer easy
instructions for complex procedures;
magazines print how-to articles on every
topic. Even if you don’t plan to be a
technical writer, we’ll help you get
your facts straight and explain
procedures clearly.
10. The Power of Story
Well-told stories influence lives. They
help |
us
live through the characters’ struggles and triumphs and teach us
how to face or avoid similar conflict. This lesson introduces you to how
you can develop your story’s conflict and enhance its theme.
11. Reading to Help
Your Writing
One
way to improve your writing is to read good writing — and think deeply
about it. This lesson shows you how to ask analytical questions about
what you read and notice the gems that make writing sparkle.
12. Writing a Personal
Narrative
Every person has some good stories. It’s a matter of learning to choose
the right one, hook the reader, create tension, place the reader in the
story, and provide a memorable turnaround point. This lesson explains
how.
13. Power of
Persuasion: Writing to Convince
How
can you persuade someone to a new belief or course of action? We’ll help
you learn to understand the views of your readers, find support for your
arguments, and present different appeals.
14. Learning to
Self-edit
One
of the most valuable practices for writers is learning to evaluate their
work objectively — then revise it. This lesson examines four levels of
editing and provides checklists for evaluating and improving content,
organization, mechanics, and style.
15. Building Blocks of
Nonfiction
Opportunities abound for writing nonfiction. We’ll help you choose from
among the many categories, then identify your purpose, develop a hook,
craft a theme paragraph, provide details, and finish with a flourish.
16. The Power of
Research
Whether for nonfiction or fiction, good writers do their homework. They
authenticate their writing with solid research. Here you’ll learn about
varied sources for information, how to sort what you find, and
incorporate it into your work.
17. Giving Your Writing
Credibility
To
gain readers’ trust, you must establish credibility We’ll explore how to
write what you know, put yourself into your writing, and use your
experiences and perspectives to connect with readers.
18. The Power of Story
in Nonfiction
Anecdotes and fictional techniques can add punch to your nonfiction.
You’ll learn how to use character, dialogue, setting, climax, and
resolution to communicate.
19. Truth or
Consequences: Plagiarism
When
is it all right to draw from others’ work? How should you give proper
credit? With the wealth of online information, it’s easy to cross the
line. We’ll help you avoid the plagiarism trap.
20. How Reviews Can
Make You a Better Writer
Reading reviews can guide you to what’s worthwhile. And opportunities
abound for people to write them. Even better, learning to analyze
others’ work can help raise the level of your own writing.
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hile
some teens naturally flow words onto paper, others
may struggle. Squires will help any teen writer
focus his thinking, find the right words, and
assemble them beautifully. The year begins with
lessons about developing personal disciplines,
brainstorming and organizing ideas, and synthesizing
ideas.