Joshua

November 15, 2000

Hi Mrs. Lois,

I am 8. I like to sing. I would like to write a story about Cats. My cat is 1. It is black and white and brown. I have been to Oakacoke. It is a beach. I like it. Is very fun there.

Your Friend,
Joshua

Mrs. Szymanski's reply

November 20, 2000

Hi there Joshua,

It was good to get your letter. I see you like to sing. My daughter loved to sing when she was your age and she still does. Now she has a CD out and is singing with her own band every week. If you love to do something it can stay in your life forever. Maybe you can have a main character in your story who likes to sing? That might give your story an extra special something that is you!

I love cats, too! I have two cats. A big fat buff colored cat called Dusty, and a small, but naughty black cat named Zachary. Your cat is very special because he has three colors! I bet your cat is pretty! Do you want to write a story about your cat, or one with your cat in it?

I bet Ocracoke was a neat island to visit! I have read a lot about it and it seems it is very much like Assateague Island, the island I like to write about. Both islands have wild ponies! Both islands are barrier islands. That means they protect land the inland (which is actually below sea level), from the ocean waves and winds. Also, both Assateague and Ocracoke have historic lighthouses and a marsh land setting. But Ocracoke has the mysterious tales of how Blackbeard, the legendary pirate, once roamed there! What an exciting place. Is this a setting where you might like your story to take place?

Think about all the things in your life, all the things you like to do, the places you've been, and the stories you like to read and it will help you decide what to write your story about. You will need a setting. That is where your story takes place. And you will need an idea of what to write about, and you will need some characters, (people, animals, or made up creatures) to be in your story.

Think hard about the things in your life. Authors are always told to write what they know about. When you write about something you know about it comes from experience, and from life, and from the heart, and your writing is always better.

When you have decided what you will write about, you can play the What-if Game. That's when you create lots of different ways the story can go by asking yourself, what if this happened, or what if that happened. Your story can go in many different directions, but which way it goes will depend on what you choose from your What-if game.

Whatever you do, remember to make your story fun to write. Writing stories should always be fun! I will help you with the hard parts, and you have fun with the other parts!

I am looking forward to seeing your story!

Your Friend,
Lois Szymanski

Joshua's second letter to Mrs. Szymanski

Dear Mrs. Szymanski,

Thank you for my letter. I love my cats. I want my story to be about cats. My cat is playful. One of my cats is three colors. Her name is Angel and she is a calico cat. My other cat is a boy. His name is Zero. He's special because he has an "0" on his side. Both of my cats are good. My cats make me laugh. Angel likes to mess with your feet. She sleeps with me and when I move my feet she prounces on them. Angel watches TV.

I want the setting to be in my house. The main characters in my story will be Angel and Zero.

Your friend,
Joshua

Mrs. Szymanski's second letter to Joshua

Hello Joshua,

I was so impressed when I read your letter. You already know what you will write about and who your characters will be. It sounds like a great idea to start with, and you have the added bonus of knowing your characters very well! That helps with description and knowing what to write about.

Your cats sound so nice. Angel sounds like the playful one, but Zero has that special mark on his side. I have never seen a cat with a number on his side!

Now that you know what you will write about, your characters, and your setting, you will have to come up with a plot. The plot is what actually happens in the story. To help you develop your story remember these things:

1. Every good story starts with a hook, a problem, or a mystery, or a question that draws the readers in and makes them want to read more. Sometimes the question is as simple as making the reader ask, "Oh, my, what will this character do next?"
2. The middle of the story helps the reader get to know the main character better as the plot of the story unfolds. It adds some details and sometimes action or humor.
3. The end of the story is called the conclusion. It solves the problem or mystery, or answers the question from the beginnng and makes the reader feel satisfied.

Your Friend,
Lois Szymanski

P.S. Have you ever read the book "Diary of a Cat"? It is very funny!

Joshua's third letter to Mrs. Szymanski

Dear Mrs. Szymanski,

My story setting is in my mom's room. The main characters are mom, Zero and Angel. The hook for my story is mom's jewelry is missing.

"Oh no! It's gone!" My mom was getting ready for church when she discovered that her cross necklace was missing. She opened her jewelry box and her favorite neckiace was not there. She look through the house. She found the cats in the closet. She thought that a brid flew in the window and took it. She found Angel under her bed and then she saw the necklace. Then she knew that the cats did it.

Your friend,
Joshua Messick

Mrs. Szymanski replied

HI Joshua,

You have begun writing a very exciting mystery story! I love mysteries, and your first draft is very good.

The first draft of a story should give us a good feeling of who the main characters are, the setting, and what the story is about. Then you get to flesh it out. That means to add more details, description, action and talking (dialogue).

When you flesh out your story, maybe you could think about some of these ideas:

1. I know that Zero and Angel are cats because you told me before I read your story. Could you let the reader know they are cats? Adding some description would be a great way to let us know they are kitties. I am wondering what they look like, and if they are playful, or lazy, silly or bad, or very good. It sounds like they might be mischievious! Maybe you could have one of the kitties running with something in their mouth, or chasing something, to show that they like to play with things in the house?
2. What made mom think a bird could have taken it? Is there a bird that hangs around outside her bedroom window a lot? I thought a thief could have taken it.
3. You could add more suspense by having mom look several places before she finds out the cats have her necklace. This is where you could play the What If? game. You could ask yourself, What if Mom looked here, and What if Mom looked there? What would she find? Also, What if someone borrowed it and Mom forgot? What if a thief came in the house? (It would be really scary if they thought there might be a thief in the neighborhood.) You could ask yourself all kinds of what if questions, and then only use the things you think would make the story better.
4. You can add some description, too. What does your house look like? What does your mom look like, and of course, those silly cats!

Have fun with your writing! I can't wait to see what you will write next!

Your Friend,
Lois Szymanski

Joshua revised again...

Dear Mrs. Szymanski,

Here is my rough draft.

"Oh no! It's gone!" My mom was getting ready for church when she discovered that her cross necklace was missing. She opened her jewelry box and her favorite necklace was not in its special place where she always kept it. She looked everywhere through the house. She looked through her bathroom but it wasn't there. Then she looked in the closet where she hangs her clothes. She found the cats in the closet.

Angel and Zero were naughty little cats. They were tearing up her dresses. When they saw mom they both ran out of the closet. Angel had a piece of ribbon in her mouth. Zero had a piece of leather from mom's shoe in his mouth. Mom wasn't very happy.

Mom asked dad if he had seen it and dad said, "No, I did not touch it " Mom was sad. Then mom asked me if I had seen it. I said I did not see it. Mom was even sadder. She thought that a bird flew in the window and took it because it was not anywhere to be found. She heard a sound in her room. It sounded like a bell. She wondered where the sound came from. She found Angel, the cat, under her bed and then she saw the necklace. Then she knew that the cats did it. Mom was very happy she put her necklace.

Your friend,
Joshua Messick

Mrs. Szymanshki replied

3/19

Hi Josh,

It was good to hear from you! Are you enjoying the bits of sunshine we've been getting lately? I think Spring is thinking about sneaking in. I sure hope so!

I like your story a lot, and I only have a three little suggestions for you today. I think it is great how you are still opening your story with Mom speaking. We immediately know that she is in distress and we want to know what is wrong. That is a great way to make a reader want to keep reading your story! And it's good that you keep the mystery going with Mom asking questions and worrying about who took the necklace. I also like that two ornery cats are the theives! It makes the reader smile at the end of the story.

Here are my picky suggestions for you:

Patti Weeg
pweeg@shore.intercom.net

April 9, 2001