Wednesday, September 30, 2015

What's the Big Idea?!?

Since the early civilizations, people have taught lessons by sharing stories. We need to dig down to the root of stories about our own lives; figure out how to take what we learned from that experience; and package it with the intent of passing on our new-found wisdom to others. 


I have what I consider to be a "healthy fear" of spiders and other insects. However, when I encounter creepy crawlies with my kids, I make sure that I put on a brave face to prevent them from inheriting my irrational feelings about bugs. I will calmly pick up a grasshopper and set it free in nearby shrubbery while my kids are watching, even though I am cringing on the inside. If I were to write a story about having to be brave in front of my kids I might focus around the theme that "sometimes being brave for others forces us to find some inner strength." I would use a detailed narrative about a specific moment in my life that demonstrates the lesson I was trying to convey. The story would be my "proof" or "evidence" that supports the validity of my claim that sometimes it is necessary to put on a brave face for others. 



Not all stories have clear lessons to teach.... Take a look at the moment you drafted for homework and decide whether or not it has a moral that is worth sharing.


Organize your thoughts before you start writing.

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