Writing Small Snapshots Thoughtshots and Dialogue What makes

Writing Small Snapshots, Thoughtshots, and Dialogue What makes some writing better than others?

STD’s • Snapshot – A brief, detailed, focused description of a person, place, or thing • Thoughtshot – An interior monologue (a character “speaking in his/her head”) • Dialogue – A conversation between 2 or more characters (builds characters, tension)

Maniac had seen some amazing things in his lifetime, but nothing as amazing as that house. From the smell of it, he knew this wasn’t the first time an animal had relieved itself on the rugless floor. In fact, in another corner he spotted a form of relief that could not be soaked up by newspapers. Cans and bottles lay all over, along with crusts, peelings, cores, scarps, rinds, wrappers—everything you would normally find in a garbage can. And everywhere there were raisins. As he walked through the dining room, something—an old tennis ball—hit him on the top of the head and bounced away. He looked up—into the laughing faces of Russell and Piper. The hole in the ceiling was so big they both could have jumped through it at once. He ran a hand along one wall. The peeling paint came off like cornflakes. Nothing could be worse than the living and dining rooms, yet the kitchen was. A jar of peanut butter had crashed to the floor: someone had gotten a running start, jumped into it, and skied a brown, one-footed track to the stove. On the table were what appeared to be the remains of an autopsy performed upon a large bird, possibly a crow. The refrigerator contained two food groups: mustard and beer. The raisins were even more abundant. He spotted several of them moving. They weren’t raisins; they were roaches. Maniac Magee, Jerry Spinelli

I said, “Well, you know I just –” He interrupted me, “Georgia, there is something you should know – I. . . ” Oh God. Oh. Goddy. God. He sounded like he was going to cry. What should I do? I hadn’t been to boy-crying classes; I only went to snogging ones. ” Page 121 Knocked Out by My Nunga-Nungas, Louise Rennison

“What if something did happen to you? ” I blanched at thought. “Would you want me to go off myself? ” the A trace of pain touched his perfect features. “I guess I see your point. . . a little, ” he admitted. “But would I do without you? ” “Whatever you were doing before I came along and complicated your existence. ” He sighed. “You make that sound so easy. ” “It should be. I’m not really that interesting. ” Twilight, Stephenie Meyer what

STD’s in Our Stories • The Most Important Night of Melanie’s Life • A Sound of Thunder • The Tell-Tale Heart