Homework for a 12-year-old this week goes a little like this: Instead of writing a new piece, focus on improving the six writing traits from an existing piece.
FYI, the six writing traits are:
- sentence fluency
- ideas*
- organisation
- word choice
- voice
- conventions (e.g. grammar)
Critically reviewing your own work can be pretty tough going, but with a checklist of sorts for reference, things get easier.
I think it is perfectly ok, depending on your audience and purpose, to disregard the rules and go your own way – think ‘Cloudstreet’ – but starting with a framework like these traits gives confidence. Just ask the 12-year-old, who set out in his homework to convince this crazy dog lady that there is no such concept as ‘dog years’.
Yeah, right!
*Also FYI – ideas first, always.
I think this is good advice Kate. However, I have found that LONG sentences are very often clumsy, confusing and prone to inaccuracy. Maybe this point is included in the ‘organisation’ element of your checklist.
Best
NBG