Category: process

process · reflections · Reflective Practice · revision

What are you writing?

Ruth Ayres7 Comments

Short post since my internet is slow at best, although nonexistent is more accurate. My school was canceled today. I spent a lot of my day writing. I've been revising my query letter and my first novel. So far the first 38 pages have been revised into 18. It's hard work. Hard. Hard. Work. Not to mention… Continue reading What are you writing?

drafting · procedures · process · Reflective Practice · reluctant writers · writing process · writing workshop

Word Count

Ruth Ayres8 Comments

I've had a daily word count for awhile. I'm not sure exactly when it started, but I think it was while writing Day by Day. However, it was while becoming serious about writing fiction that my word count became as much a part of my day as brushing my teeth. I think this is true… Continue reading Word Count

differentiation · process · writing

Differentiation – Pilates & Writing Series: Part 2 of 5

Stacey Shubitz4 Comments

If you do a Google image search for a "Teaser Pilates," hundreds of photos will come back to you.  Many of the photos are of a person sitting on a Pilates mat with their arms and legs reaching diagonally into the air.  Some of the photos are of a person sitting on a piece of… Continue reading Differentiation – Pilates & Writing Series: Part 2 of 5

drafting · notebooks · procedures · process · Reflective Practice · writing process

Drafting

Ruth Ayres9 Comments

If you are a regular reader, you know a lot of my thinking lately has been about writing process, and specifically nudging third grade writers into more traditional drafts. Today's post is a collection of my thoughts about drafting. I hope it is applicable to a range of writers -- not a specific grade level.… Continue reading Drafting

procedures · process · routines · writing process · writing workshop

Sometimes It Gets Messy

Ruth Ayres7 Comments

Sometimes writing workshop gets a little messy. At least it does for me. I think we are trucking along, working our way through a unit of study, learning as writers, preparing for a celebration and then -- all of a sudden -- it crashes. Sometimes it crashes and burns. And sometimes I just want to… Continue reading Sometimes It Gets Messy

collecting · graphic organizer · plan · primary grades · process

Planning Idea

Ruth Ayres4 Comments

I'm super fortunate to be working with a couple of third grade teachers (Hi Sandy & Dan!) who are interested in helping their writers to naturally develop more sophisticated writing processes. Their students are coming off of heavy illustration study in their previous writing experience (in grades k-2), so we are trying to find a… Continue reading Planning Idea

drafting · plan · process

Letting Them Teach Me

Ruth Ayres5 Comments

I'm sorry, I just realized I missed a blog post last Wednesday. Yes, I know it's been nearly a week, but the truth is I just realized it. Oops. So on to the post... I am so excited to be in a third grade writing workshop. A colleague has agreed to let me experiment a… Continue reading Letting Them Teach Me

authors · books · mentor texts · process

Making Characters Come Alive

Ruth Ayres1 Comment

I liked this book.  A lot. It's sweet and charming, and makes me realize that maybe there's a part of me that's a hopeless romantic.  After I read it, I had to track down the author and was pleased to find her website, blog, and Twitter feed. The thing that stuck with me the most… Continue reading Making Characters Come Alive

primary grades · process · reflections · Reflective Practice

First Grade Reflections

Ruth Ayres7 Comments

Today Maggie Gayton asked her first graders to write a reflection about what they have learned recently as a writer. Her students, using pictures and words, reminded us of the power of writing workshop and the importance of  reflecting on our writing lives.Maggie will post these reflections on her Celebrating Writers bulletin board along with… Continue reading First Grade Reflections

fiction · jacqueline woodson · minilesson · plan · process

Plotting Short Fiction

Ruth Ayres7 Comments

Last month at MRA, I listened to Jacqueline Woodson speak about her writing process. It wasn't the first time I heard her speak and I hope it won't be my last. She is one of the writers I consider as my personal mentor. Not to be over-dramatic, but listening to her last month changed my… Continue reading Plotting Short Fiction

process · slice of life · Write: It's good for you! · writing

Writing in the Day (Ruth’s SOLS)

Ruth Ayres16 Comments

I'm drinking a perfect cup of tea and eating Saturday breakfast. Like always, Andy made it for me. Snuggled under a blanket with my laptop balanced on my knees, writing in the day. No plans for laundry or dusting or meal planning until later, much later. I'm burying myself in fiction, allowing the characters to siege my… Continue reading Writing in the Day (Ruth’s SOLS)

independent writing · NCTE · process

Finding Your Own Writing Process

Ruth Ayres3 Comments

This week I've been thinking about how the writers in our classrooms can find their own writing process. To help give weight to some of my ideas I've been rereading some of my notes from NCTE. Here are some of the snippets lingering in my brain: "Children can have the look of independence. We ought… Continue reading Finding Your Own Writing Process