Teaching Fiction, Using AIM as a Mentor Text, and a Giveaway!

As I mentioned two weeks ago, I recently completed teaching an eight-week class in writing fiction. I knew Joyce Hostetter's recent book, AIM, would appeal to both boys and girls and chose it as a mentor text for the class. Here are a few more reasons--from the perspective of my teen students--why you should read this book or purchase it for your favorite young reader. 

Using the worksheets linked below, we brainstormed a fictional character and put him in a setting. We thought about his internal and external goals, potential conflicts, and the various directions his story could go. The quotes from AIM are ones the students selected to demonstrate each story component. 

CHARACTER

Create a Character Information Bank

Create an Imaginary Character

Sydney K. chose this passage because she liked the key details which were included about Granddaddy: 

Grandaddy's gray hair was flat on one side from sleeping on it. I nudged his leg with my knee. "I brung your supper."

"Thunderation! You fool. You woke me up." His eyelids slid shut again, and his mouth fell open like a trapdoor without a hook. A dried stream of tobacco snuff ran from the corner of his mouth and down onto his neck. p. 15

Alex M. commented that he was interested in how Junior's two aunts were portrayed:

"So there I was, with a piece of fudge in each hand, watching her and Aunt Lucille tiptoeing around each other. I tried to imagine them with Pop, playing together when they were all young'uns. But those two women eyeing each other didn't seem like the kind of people who could have been small and childlike once upon a time. For one thing, they are both tall. And big-boned. Right now, Aunt Lucille's face was more serious than Miss Hinkle's in the middle of a handwriting session. Lillian was smiling, but I could tell she was all pretend--just tying to buy something with that fudge of hers. p. 133-4 

After a discussion about the difference between internal and external goals, the class decided that Junior's external goal was to help his mother and his internal goal was to gain respect. 

SETTING

Create an Imaginary World

Set the Scene: Create a Setting Information Bank

Students discussed how this line of dialogue from Junior's mother portrayed setting and character:

"After your granny died, Homer would sit on the neighbors' porches day in an day out, sniffing their cooking and inviting himself for dinner." p. 42

We talked about how settings need to be sensory and one of my students picked this section. It's a good example of using setting to show a character's conflicts:

I peeked through the small holly tree, and not far away was Ann Fay with Leroy. He had a finger over his lips, reminding her to be quiet. I could see they had their eyes on my squirrel! 

The crunchy sound of their feet on the dry leaves took me way back, to when I was eight years old. And their white breath clouds in the cool air--it was like being there again, in the woods with Pop, learning to shoot squirrel for the first time. p. 59 

CONFLICT

Plan-A-Problem

In this selection we talked about the conflicts that were going on in the outside world (the beginning of WWII), the problems between Junior and Dudley, and the conflict between Junior and his teacher, Miss Hinkle. Grace W. wondered if Miss Hinkle was Junior's antagonist. 

"Sit down, Junior." She said it real low, but there was something in her voice that told me I better listen. Or else.

So I sat. But inside I was standing up. Inside I was marching to the back of the room and jerking that Dudley Catfish Walker up and showing him what a Democrat could do to a Republican. If he wanted a fight, I was a mind to let him have it. 

Miss Hinkle tried to bring the discussion back to the economy and how, if we did got to war, we'd have to sacrifice on more luxuries here at home. That didn't help because Dudley and opinions on that too, and I spoke out and said his ideas were stupid so maybe he should just dry up, and Dudley said I was dumber than a box of rocks. p. 86

Another student selected this section showing Junior's internal conflict over Dudley's suggestion they "borrow" Miss Hinkle's car:

Dudley shook his head. "Just think about it," he said. "We won't be stealing because we're bringing it back. After all that woman has put us through, don't you think she owes us a little something?"

"There's nothing to think about," I said. And I meant it, too.

But after he left, I couldn't stop thinking about it. What a confounded stupid idea! I thought about it when I was doing odd jobs at the sawmill and when I was planting cotton for a farmer near the crossroads. p. 209-210 

When we talked about the concept of antagonists, we considered why Dudley acted the way he did. The students readily agreed that the abuse he suffered as a child laid the groundwork for his anger and bullying.  

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WHAT I LEARNED FROM AIM

Selected quotes from my students: 

"I learned that enemies can sometimes become friends." ~Grace W.

"Well-sketched and memorable characters don't have to be complicated. Mrs. Hostetter did a great job of portraying characters in just the right setting and characteristic dialogue; simply and effectively showing, not telling, their personalities." ~Olivia R. 

Look closely for some items from AIM!

"AIM taught me that people are molded into who they are by their life experiences. That each and every part of our lives makes us who we are." ~Abigail R.

"AIM gave me a great model in which to observe the elements that we studied and practiced in class.  I was able to see great examples of what the class as a whole is trying to teach us in terms of characterization, plot development, power words, writing tight, how to handle history and so forth.  Where as before I would have read the book and thought "what a nice book, interesting story."  Now I could really appreciate the craftmanship and all the work that went into making such an enjoyable story come to life.  I can really see how difficult good writing can be." -Kelila M.

"I thought AIM was a good picture to show that whatever habits we develop and tolerate now, can be passed down for generations. Junior was affected by his father who in turn, fought a lot with his mean father." - Caleb R.

For your last chance to win an autographed ARC of AIM from my blog, leave me a comment by Friday, November 25. Please leave me your email address if you are new to this blog. Share this post on social media or become a new follower and I'll enter your name twice. Make sure to tell me what you do.

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At 9:30 PM  on November 19, Sydney Kirsch, our teen NaNoWriMo scribe wrote: "At this point, I am wondering how to word. I mean write. Write words. Also, how do resolutions work?"

Here's a favorite line: "... I just need someone who can read a map. I stumbled through the bedroom, hobbling on my good foot. And a horse. Hopping through the mountains wasn't exactly on my bucket list." 

Word count: 49,477.

Character + Setting = Story (Almost)

Part I: Character
A recent Facebook discussion on my wall led one of my FB friends Leslie Guccione, an author of 30 books, to blog about the importance of totally knowing your character and setting. 

Leslie Guccione

I have often thought how stories are built from the inside out.  Appropriately, her blog on character is named, "Know Your Characters Inside and Out." She listed a variety of questions writers should ask about their character. This list is similar to an handout that is in Teaching the Story which you can download here. 


I hope you'll read her entire blog, but here is her ending advice:

Whether your character works against the background you’ve devised or reflects it in stereotypical detail, you’ve provided a solid frame on which to weave voice, behavior, attitude and goals as you hook your reader with their tale you’re telling.

By the way, I highly recommend Donald Maass' book, Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook. His exercises are probing and will make you get to know your character in such a way that you can portray him or her authentically.

Part II: Setting

On Leslie's blog about setting, "Your Character's Physical World," she uses two fantasy books to demonstrate the importance of creating extensive, believable worlds for characters to live in. She lists several aspects of a fictional world that the writer must create. You can also download my handout, "Set the Scene" or "Create an Imaginary World" to help you begin this brainstorming process. 


Leslie summarizes that blog with, "Your goal is to breathe life into every individual & create atmosphere for every setting. You have to take your readers there. And they have to want to stay."

I found Richard Russo's article, "Location, Location, Location: Depicting Character Through Place" in Creating Fiction (Story Press, 1999) to be helpful on this topic.

Part III: Plot

What about plot and conflict? Let me recommend two books to help you tackle that most important story componenent. The first is Many Genres One Craft: Lessons in Writing Genre Fiction which, according to Leslie, is crammed with good advice. She should know--she contributed an article and it just won its second "Best" award for a writing how-to book in 2012.

Second, consider purchasing Becky Levine's book, "The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide." She has an excellent chapter on critiquing for plot along with a great deal of other useful information.