Assisting Young Writers To Develop A Sense Of SETTING

Recently I have been working with young writers who are developing narratives. We have been focusing on helping our reading audience to visualize where the story takes place- the setting.

For many student writers setting is often receives a cursory mention and glossed over. The rush to get to the action means the all important sense of place receives little attention.  And yet, a sense of place is strongly linked to our hearts and minds. It makes sense to tap into this rich vein as writers.In my classroom work I have undertaken some awareness training around setting by investigating how other authors develop this aspect of their writing and how it assists the reader. I want young writers to understand the potential of settings to enhance the quality of their writing.


Ralph Fletcher in his book, What A Writer Needs writes about setting in this way, ‘The setting or place, creates the world in which the characters live and struggle.  In this world, the plot unfolds. Something will happen.’  As teachers, we need to help our student writers link their characters to the setting. So, when we ask students to think of a setting, it is helpful to have them think about describing it in terms of the senses.


•Touch •Smell •Sight •Sound •Taste

Some Ways to Centre on Settings:                                                                                                          A brief description of a place is an excellent way to set the scene and lead into a piece of writing. It gives the reader time to feel at home before moving into the real action. The setting does NOT have to mean a large place. Place could be as confined as a cupboard, a hiding place under a house, a branch of a tree.

 Example From Quality Literature:                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ‘Jedda was utterly embarrassing and I had to share a bedroom with her. She made  stables out of furniture on her side of the room and slept in them instead of her proper bed. She ate in there too, which I didn’t think was very hygienic. There was always a long line of ants parading across the bedroom floor after Jedda’s left over jam sandwiches and soggy cornflakes.’    

                                                                    
Hating Alison Ashley, Robin Klein

I modeled my own writing to show how I write about contrasting settings.

 Remembering the Forest
       The forest had a magical feel to it. It began directly where our fence line ended. - A magical place to run, hide or explore. We found snakes and lizards. We heard kookaburras. Bright orange fungi sprouted out of fallen logs. Some distance into the forest, there was a clearing that sloped away down the valley. At the base, spring water trickled out of the side of the hill. Just a little beyond that, a creek snaked slowly through the forest. In some places the creek was so narrow, you could leap over it.The forest surrounding the creek created shadows and dappled light where the sunlight squeezed through the canopy of trees. It was a damp dimly lit place most of the year. The smell of dank earth floated up from the forest floor. Moss covered logs, frogs and leeches were features of this cool place. We knew the creek as the home of native black-fish, rainbow trout and yabbies.  On occasions wallabies visited this tranquil place, grazing on the grasses that covered the hillside above the creek line. Over the years, I was lucky to also meet up with echidnas and wombats.

New York’s Springtime Splendor   
    With the start of spring, New York dramatically sheds its drab winter coat. Spring finds it impossible to arrive quietly, it bursts open! It is a brash season to say the least.. A New York spring arrives with a huge build up of energy that can no longer be contained. People take to the parks and streets with vigor. They grasp the opportunity to be out and about.  Cafes and restaurants expand onto sidewalks. The change of seasons is far more dramatic than what we experience in Australia. The air becomes suddenly warmer and heavier. People are more exuberant. If you watch closely you might even see someone skipping along the sidewalk, such is the adrenalin rush that spring provides.  People quickly change to spring costumes. Last week’s heavy coat is no longer suitable.  
       In Central Park people set up games of volleyball, soccer, and team Frisbee. Kids lurch about uncertainly on roller blades, and people run, walk, jog or cycle in every direction. Little leagues baseball begins and numerous games are played at the one time in this huge parkland. Picnics are very much a part of this new scene. The people flock to this great green space with much enthusiasm. They don’t hug the trees or drape themselves in newly arrived leaves–but the urge is barely contained. 


I encouraged students to turn and talk about settings they were familiar with in real life, or settings they clearly recall from books they have read; inviting them to jot down their ideas for settings in their notebooks.

Follow up possibilities:

• ·Find further examples from books where authors develop a strong sense of place in their writing.  Add an exemplar to your notebook as a reference.
• Choose to rewrite an existing piece of writing that deals with a setting
• Place yourself in a different setting.
• Write about a setting in which an animal or insect may live.
• Think of a meaningful place. It could be anything from the kitchen table in your home to your favorite place. List small moments related to that place.

It is the writer’s challenge to create a convincing sense of place in the reader’s mind. If the writer can achieve this, the reader is more likely to make an enduring connection with the text they are reading. 

Pre Writing -Removing The Cold Starts

It is increasingly assuring to witness teaching practice in the writing workshop that recognizes the importance of the pre-writing phase of the process. I see fewer and fewer cold starts where the topic is presented to a class of students and they are immediately instructed to begin writing.

This cold start writing was a common practice during my primary school days, -just after the dinosaurs were cleared from the playground. Sadly, it has not been totally extinguished from the pedagogical practices in some schools. I remain hopeful of its eventual extinction. Assisting students to' get ready to write' lays the foundation for producing an improved writing product.

Pre-writing involves that critical time when thoughts are transformed into meaning and begin to be integrated into the writer’s action plan. It is the gestation period for writing ideas. James Britten says, ‘It is during pre-writing that the past experiences of the writer serve to colour facts according to the writer’s point of view.’ Sorting out, gives the writer a sense of direction.

So, what should be happening at the early stage of the writing process?  Well, questions are critical. The writer needs to reflect on the purposes of the proposed writing piece. At this point the teacher assists the writer to think about the purposes for this new writing they want to launch into:

What do I want to say here?

Why is it important to write about this? (the so-what factor)

How should I write this?

Who is my audience and what do they need from me?

Pre-writing also benefits from listing and brainstorming to further tease out ideas for consideration. First, you try to create a wealth of possibilities, then you play around with those possibilities to determine what are the best parts to work with, moving into the first draft. With such strategies, the intention is to move from quantity to quality.

Research indicates that in situations where students are allowed to draw as a pre-writing activity writing, outcomes are enhanced. The writing produced in the research by those students who drew prior to writing was generally superior to those students who just wrote.

We should never underestimate the power of talk and discussion as a prelude to writing. Talk assists the writer to identify the real purpose and direction for their writing. Talk is a clarifier. It removes the fog of indecision that may initially surround the writer. Talk is an integral part of the pre-writing phase for developing writers. To deny this, endangers the quality of the writing that eventually emerges on the page.

Another pre-writing action might involve some ‘fast/speed writing to activate prior knowledge. These fast writes could then be put away and revisited at a later date to allow the writer a fresh perspective on their chosen topic.

Pre-writing can involve looking at an experience from a different perspective. The writer might consider an alternative view point or purpose, audience or angle.

Pre-writing may involve experimenting with different leads, different genres, and different structures. Once students have had the opportunity to explore or consider different ways to organize their writing, they are better positioned to choose the form that best suits their individual writing goal. Time invested in pre-writing allows the student writer to make more informed decisions about their writing projections.

Alerting students to text structures and features of a particular genre and charting such discoveries is a pre-writing action that raises the writer’s awareness of the pertinent aspects of a particular form of writing. Sharing models of writing provide the writer with greater certainty regarding expectation. This allows the writer to see real evidence of the type of writing they are about to attempt in their own writing.

Reading and research becomes an essential pre-writing activity when undertaking writing that aims to provide the reader with information. Young writers often lack a depth of knowledge about a chosen topic and it is critical to deepen the knowledge base before moving into the writing. This is an essential understanding for the student writer.

To know that there are choices when undertaking a writing task is empowering for the young writer. Being placed in a position where student writers are able to select is what shapes creativity.

Slice Of Life Story -Fun In The Forest

In the sixties, Crispian St Peters sang, ‘When I woke up this morning, you were on my mind.’ Well, when I woke up this morning a drive to the place of my childhood was on my mind. Despite the inclement weather, I set forth with too eager young children to drive about an hour up into the hills to seek out the birds of the forest.

Sherbrooke Forest is a temperate rain forest situated 48 kms (30 miles) east of the city of Melbourne. Apart from the old growth forest and its magnificent trees and ferns, the forest is also home to the magnificent lyrebird and a host of other flora and fauna. This is the locale of my childhood. The famous Dandenong Ranges.

We stopped on the way to buy some parrot seed. Later we drove past my childhood home and school. I pointed out places where I went fishing as a boy, and the picnic grounds beside the Sassafras Creek where we enjoyed family outings. The children played the game and asked polite questions. I pointed out the sporting fields where I spent hours kicking a football and playing cricket. I drew attention to the tracks through the forest where I used to run. They were keen to know what animals I saw.

All this time the rain persisted so I suggested to the children that we take a diversion and stop for a break at the legendary Kallista Tea Rooms. The children enjoyed hot chocolate while I revived on a welcome coffee. We sat at a table with a window view of sulphur crested cockatoos, blue wrens and crimson rosellas which obligingly came to nestle in the branches of the trees adjacent to the window. More delights in the form of freshly baked scones with jam and cream duly arrived at our table and the conversation slowed as we savoured these tasty pleasures.

The rain had slowed by now, so we returned to forest armed with the parrot seed. The forest is shrouded in fog and oozes moisture from the continuous winter rain we have been experiencing. The sky is a heavy, grey blanket.  The leaves of massive eucalypts hang limply as water slips and drips from their shiny surfaces. The ground under our feet squelches. The surrounding air is dank and heavy. We are dwarfed by giants in this ancient place.

 The children burst from the car and in the process hurried me out as well. We were greeted by the immediate beauty of the somewhat nervous crimson rosellas. Their vivid blues and red feathers made a strong statement against the forest backdrop. They wandered about on the forest floor, searching for seeds. Within no time, they were eating seed from the children’s hands.

 Then the hideous screeching of a large flock of Sulphur Crested Cockatoos announced that they had descended from distant trees and burst upon the scene. They seemed to be everywhere- on tables, in trees, clinging to our arms, on our shoulders. Their manners were appalling. They demanded food. They demanded attention. The rosellas were pushed aside in the raucous rush of the big white birds for the precious seed. All the time, the children doled out the seed and I made the most of this wonderful experience with my camera. By now, all the seed was scattered. The children however,  were full of the joy that comes with experiencing simple pleasures. I thought how fortunate we are to have such abundant bird life to witness in the wild. It should not be taken for granted.

It began to rain again, so we returned to the car and prepared to journey home for lunch. ‘That was so much fun.’ I hear from the back seat. Those simple words made the entire morning so worthwhile. ‘Next time, we’ll look for lyrebirds, right Papa?’

This place holds special memories for me in so many ways. I lived here from the age of ten, until I moved away from home when I got married.  It was a joy to share a small part of this memory rich place with another generation.

Dabbling With 25 Word Stories

I vividly recall those competitions where you could win a prize if you sang the praises of a particular product in 25 words or less. As a teenager, I occasionally submitted, but no prizes ever eventuated.  My twenty five words apparently missed the mark. None the less, it was the challenge that drove my efforts.
Maybe this is why I love the 25 word story and its inherent challenge. It was through fellow blogger, Kevin Hodgson that I became aware of this new writing opportunity. It came to light through my involvement with Twitter.

The 25 word story asks the writer to construct a story using Twitter as the platform. The limit of 25 words is the first challenge. The next challenge is stay to within Twitter’s 140 character limit at the same time. Within the 140 characters you need to allow for the hash tag, #25wordstory.

Once I began composing these short, short stories, it became an addictive force. I find myself rehearsing just as I do with other writing outlets. It requires a deal of revision and editing to create a story that fits the given parameters. The challenge helps to drive the writing. It’s a constructive way to use a social medium.

I see this working particularly well with adolescent writers. It presents sufficient challenge within a manageable time frame. The structure is supportive of the inexperienced writer. It reminds me of the comprehension strategy- ‘Gist’ where the reader must provide a summary of a text within the 26 word framework.

Kevin Hodgson wrote this 25 word story, which is one of my favourites:

‘The writer bent words, snapped phrases over his knee, wrestled with elusive ideas. Finally, the character arrived.’

I have dabbled with this myself. Here are 3 examples:

‘Early each day she stood on the scales and they misread her real body mass. Sadly, she failed to see the error of her weighs.’

‘The page lay white and bright before him. With pen in hand he faced down the blank sheet and began to doodle with rare intent.’

‘A rock singer, he dreamed of a hit. Even as he walked the street, he dreamed. Then fate intervened. His head hit the lamp post.’

I commend the 25 word story to you as an additional outlet for you and the writers in your care. I believe it provides a great mix of challenges. -Challenges which remain achievable for developing writers. With a little effort, it’s doable. From experience I know, how hard it is to stop at one. However, unlike chocolate, it does not involve a sense of guilt. Thanks again Kevin.

Slice of Life Tuesday -Reflecting On A Writing Life

It is mid year vacation time for schools in Australia, and the next two weeks are a chance to refresh, and reinvigorate mind and body for students and teachers alike. First semester is so packed with activity and expectation for schools. It is catch your breath time. When we at last stick our heads up, we notice the grip of winter. The challenge is raise up against the gloom of grey skies, and embrace (or confront) the days we have been given. Today, I walked early and following breakfast and a good read of the newspaper gave some time to capturing a slice of life…

I find myself in my study in this first week pondering my writing life. Questions frequently arise when visiting schools concerning where ideas come from,  the mystery of routines and rituals and what sparks one’s passion for writing. Teachers and students are keen to engage in these types of conversations. Curiosity is abundant in such situations and often causes me to reflect on my personal journey.

Today, I am exploring this further. -Documenting some of the thoughts and experiences surrounding my particular writing life. I share them in no agreed order. I merely sat down with my notebook and the unfolded the map of my writing life.

The earliest writing memory I recall was in Grade 2. I wrote a poem about ‘Spring.’ I liked the response my words received. I was hooked.

I regret not having many pieces from those early writing days. We just weren’t encouraged to value our writing in the way we now ask our students to do.

In high school I wrote numerous pieces for the school magazine and when I entered college I became editor and contributor to the newspaper. My journey continued.

I am an eclectic writer. I write across a range of genres- plays, poetry, narratives, professional exposition, and persuasive essays. I write across a range of mediums. I have embraced social media as an outlet for sharing ideas.

I started my first writer’s notebook almost 30 years ago (1983) and have been filling them with entries, ideas and observation ever since. Each notebook reveals a new part of my life’s journey. My notebooks continue to evolve as I go. -Shape and size constantly changing to suit my preference at any particular time.  I frequently share my notebooks with the students and teachers I work with across the many schools I visit. I view these notebooks as a key resource in my role as a teacher of writing. I am acutely aware of the responsibility I carry, modeling my role as writer, collector, experimenter and risk taker.

I love words! Their sound, shape and application intrigues me. I write with my ear, frequently collecting quotes and random utterances I overhear. I am an eavesdropper and proud of the fact. I find conversation fascinating. Words stick to my conscious mind along with facts and assorted trivia. I have my Dad to thank for this. He celebrated words and shared this with me from an early age. He raised my awareness of the power words convey, frequently engaging me in word play throughout my formative years. This immersion in etymology fostered my love of language without doubt. I am a gongoozler. I love to observe things for periods of time. My eye is drawn to glimpsing things. My mind attempts to journal the observances I make, be it close up, or from a distance.

I have a well developed obsession for black ink gel pens. I buy them in bulk. When I write with these magical pens they assist me to believe (quite falsely, I might add) that I am a writer in possession of a really rapid writing hand. The words spread speedily across the pages of my notebooks, covering the white glare of the empty page in next to no time. In reality, I am left handed and not all that quick. I am neat and organized however, so it’s not so bad I figure. However, thanks to my special pens of choice, I experience a harmless delusion. Glide pen, glide…

I’ll stop there. There’s more to share of course, but I’ll reserve that for another time. This morning I rapidly filled five pages in my notebook reflecting on my writing life and its influences. I’m certain there is more to emerge. I just have to dive back in at the deep end and do some more exploration. I encourage my fellow writers of all ages to try it. What has shaped and continues to shape your writing life?