Awesome authors engage the reader, they create suspense and interest. Do you want to know one of the easiest tricks they use? Ban the Boring! Yes that's right, great authors think very carefully about what to write and choose to leave out the boring details. Writing is NOT real life. Ban the BORING. Writing about all the things you do everyday is safe and easy ...... and BORING. Focus only on the interesting things. For instance, don't tell the whole story of the weekend, write only about the most embarrassing/exciting/happy part. Jen McVeity "Seven Steps to Writing Success"
Our Ban the Boring song reminds us that we are learning about how to be awesome authors.
I got up really early and got dressed and dad and I cooked pancakes for breakfast. They were great. Then we walked to the train station. We were going to the football match. We went to the football every week. On the train ......
Example B
Goal! The crowd cheered loudly. Dad and I always went to the football, but our team didn't usually win. Today they were and so I was cheering louder than anyone.
Some TIPS......... Avoid ........
1. Mornings (I got up, got dressed, ate breakfast.......)
2. Travel (We got in the car/bus/plane and .....)
3. Food (We stopped for lunch and had a pie and a ...)
Even famous movie makers know about BAN the BORING and they sometimes ban scenes from the movie. The following clip has been banned from the movie. Why do you think it was never included in the movie?
Now its your turn to let loose your creativity and imagination.
The first example has a very boring location. Can you be more imaginative?
Meet me after school in front of the gate.
What about ? ..... Meet me at the end of the rainbow.