"Don't start by trying to make the book chronological. Just take a period. Then try to remember it so clearly that you can see things: what colors and how warm or cold and how you got there. Then try to remember people. And then just tell what happened. It is important to tell what people looked like, how they walked, what they wore, what they ate. Put it all in. Don't try to organize it. And put in all the details you can remember.
You will find that in a very short time things will begin coming back to you, you thought you had forgotten. Do it for very short periods at first, but kind of think of it when you aren't doing it. Don't think back over what you have done. Don't think of literary form. Let it get out as it wants to. Over tell it in the manner of detail--cutting comes later. The form will develop in the telling. Don't make the telling follow a form."
More here.
4 comments:
I will have my daughter Bridgette do this...she has a composition paper coming up.
Wonderful Suggestion,
Jacqueline
Check out the link("More here") as well. There are some wonderful writing helps at About.com's: Grammar and Composition.
Thanks for this- I love it. I recently started planning for a Steinbeck unit for my 9th grader to do before the school year is up. I have given you a Versatile Blogger award because I enjoy reading your blog. You can go to my blog to see your mention!
Mary :)
Thanks so much! You are very welcome.
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