The Art of Lively
The Art of Lively
The Art of Lively
Writing
Chapter 1
Limitless choices
You can write about anything you know enough ab/
to have an opinion.
Essays of knowledge and experience
Know what you’re talking about!
You must have an opinion!
Opinion
Pick a subject.
Examine what you know about it.
Arrive at an honest opinion.
Think before you write.
Opinion always comes first.
You can write an essay only when you have
something to say.
Chapter 1 Assignment- p. 24
1. Take inventory.
What do you know?- usually taken from experience
2. Ask questions.
Avoid yes/no questions
Ask how? Why? What?
Avoid questions that can be directly answered with simple
facts.
Keep on topic.
5 Step Process
5. Qualify
Avoid the negative. Do not use the word not in your
thesis. Make it positive.
Does the opposing argument seem valid?
After having considered both sides, you can settle on the
thesis that you believe is closest to the truth.
You may have to qualify even more to line your thesis up
with your point.
You must be able to defend your thesis with real
conviction.
Example on p. 30
Roman font.
“First Steps Toward Style”:
Chapter 5
The final judgment of a piece of writing depends
upon the writer’s use of words.
Writing
Choosing the best words
Shaping sentences
Developing paragraphs
Saying what you want to say
Style
Shows conviction
I believe that God exists.
God exists.
It is my opinion that smoking causes cancer.
Smoking causes cancer.
Makes an opinion authoritative instead of
apologetic, weak, and defensive
Don’t write about yourself; write about the
subject.
The First Commandment
pp. 68-69
Questions 1-3 (all parts)
“The Size and Shape of Middle
Paragraphs”: Chapter 6
Middle paragraphs blocks
What goes into a paragraph?
How long should a paragraph be?
What is a paragraph?
Paragraphs make the physical job of reading
easier, but they cannot be random.
Paragraphing
Cannot be predetermined
Get the “feel”
6 to 7 sentences, 100 to 125 words
Encourage yourself to “think long.”
This class- 5 to 7 sentences
Basic Paragraph Structure
Like a conversation
Illustration/explanation
More formal than conversation, but same basic
concept
Picture-Frame Paragraphs
P. 79
Question 3, 4, OR 5
“Chapter 7: Connections
Between Paragraphs”
A paragraph must stand alone, but it also must be
united to rest of the essay.
Like a moving train- You need every part of a train,
not just the cars.
Bad example on p. 82
Transitions
3 categories
Standard devices
Paragraph hooks
Combinations of the above two
Standard Devices
pp. 91b-93a
Steps 1-3
“Chapter 8: The Passive Voice”
The more precise the verb, the more vivid and real
the subject becomes.
The best active verbs you can hear (“audio active”)
or picture.
The car was driven down Perrine Road.
The car crept down Perrine Road.
Make your subject do something!
You will need a thesaurus.
Acceptable Passive Voice?
Rarely!
Sometimes passive voice can provide a necessary
tone or connotation. –But try active voice first!
Disaster uses the passive voice to portray the
helplessness of the victim.
The child was kidnapped.
Occasionally for clarity or for a change
When the subject is not known
5 Steps to Avoid Passive Voice
All steps!
Typed in 12 point Times New Roman font
Double-spaced- Don't forget the box that says
“Don't add space between paragraphs."
Correct heading (Name, 11/19/12, W ch 8
assignment in the top right-hand corner)
Questions?
“Chapter 9: The Sound of
Sentences”
Early on, you learned to shape spoken sentences
with your ear.
Later, you were taught to write and hate
sentences.
You grew up believing that spoken sentences
sounded one way and written sentences were
suppose to sound another way.
You must learn to preserve talk on paper so that
the words can be heard, not simply seen, again
The Sound of Sentences
pp. 121-122
All of step 1
3 sentences for step 2
3 sentences for step 3
3 sentences for step 4
Step 5- Expand the subject 1 way.
All of step 6
3 sentences for step 7
Don’t do steps 8-10.
Chapter 10: “Parallel Structure”
If
Write a sentence ending with three if
clauses.
Complete the sentence below by
interrupting it with two parallel if clauses.
He wanted to pour all his effort into the job, to do it well, but
keeping the time down as much as possible.
He wanted to pour all his effort into the job, to do it well,
and to do it quickly.
Chapter 11
Your Vocabulary
Better, perfect
Improve
Laziness
- Read
- look it up
Use
+ conversation
Thesaurus
- nuances
Using Words
Little
Sound
Vague
Own
Fluffy
concrete
Figurative Language
Vivid, Show
Clichés
Similes
mix
Allusions
Indirect
Bible
Summary
Play, perfect
Chapter 11 Assignment
Due 2/4/13
Read chapter 13.
Do assignment 1 on pp. 157-159.
Follow all the instructions.
Type the assignment in 12 point Times New Roman
font.
Double-space
Use the correct heading (name, date, chapter 13
assignment).
Do NOT put this off! Making up assignments is harder
than doing them when they are supposed to be done.