Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

These lessons, by one of our most consistent FaithWriters' Challenge Champions, should not be missed. So we're making a permanent home for them here.

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RachelM
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by RachelM »

Hi Jan,

During the "Elephant in the Room" week, I wrote this entry: Beautiful Love. I was concerned that it wouldn't do well, because it didn't seem very on topic to me, but it ended up being my first entry to win an EC.

How would you rate this in the "Topic" category?
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by glorybee »

RachelM wrote:Hi Jan,

During the "Elephant in the Room" week, I wrote this entry: Beautiful Love. I was concerned that it wouldn't do well, because it didn't seem very on topic to me, but it ended up being my first entry to win an EC.

How would you rate this in the "Topic" category?
I'd give this a score in the high 3's (out of 5). It's certainly on topic, but the "elephant in the room" suggestion for readers didn't have any more weight than the other suggestions in your list. Maybe if you'd returned to that concept as a conclusion, it would have bumped it up a bit. But as I said, it's definitely on topic.

I have a similar piece of writing, not on FaithWriters, that I've presented occasionally, about speaking to people who are grieving. Your piece is beautifully done.
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by RachelM »

Thanks for your feedback!
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by cgalmond »

Hi Jan back on board after being A.W.L. for some time. Much to learn, back to school!. God bless Cyril Almond.
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by JudySauer »

Writing on Topic homework

HOMEWORK:
1. Read one of the stories linked to above, and comment on its “on-topic-ness.” Do you think it could or should have been more on topic? Don’t be afraid to criticize; I can take it.

Yellow: http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article- ... p?id=33093
River: http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article- ... p?id=10935
________________________________________

Jan, I read both articles. You are quite a crafty writer. Both stories were on topic.

With Yellow, you used various forms of fabrics, flowers, lemonade, et al, to tie your words to the topic Yellow. Nicely done.

With River, it became the backdrop for the entire story and you were quite creative with connecting the river to the story line. Congratulations on 1st place.

Both are very good stories and on topic. I prefer River because of its humor.
________________________________________

2. Link to one of your own entries, and either make a comment about its being on topic, or ask a question.

Topic: Writer’s Challenge (not the Faithwriters Writing Challenge)
Where do I start?
http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article- ... p?id=35826

This story came to me quick and it was easy to write. At the time, I was an Instructional Designer and had to follow a process for my job. It was fun connecting what I did for work with my hobby of writing.

Is my story on topic?
________________________________________
Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. -Jude 2 NIV

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by glorybee »

JudySauer wrote: 2. Link to one of your own entries, and either make a comment about its being on topic, or ask a question.

Topic: Writer’s Challenge (not the Faithwriters Writing Challenge)
Where do I start?
http://www.faithwriters.com/wc-article- ... p?id=35826

This story came to me quick and it was easy to write. At the time, I was an Instructional Designer and had to follow a process for my job. It was fun connecting what I did for work with my hobby of writing.

Is my story on topic?
________________________________________
Judy, your free verse poem was absolutely on topic. In fact, I can't think of a way that it could be any MORE on topic, and if I was judging that particular entry for the topic of "The Writer's Challenge," I'd give it the full 5 points.
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by JudySauer »

Aw Jan, you made me blush. Thanks for the nice compliment.

Judy
Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. -Jude 2 NIV

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by JudySauer »

Jan, I have a question regarding lessons geared toward the Writing Challenge. Cinnamon Bear did a detailed critique for me, and the end result was "take Jan's classes."

I've finished the links she gave me. She mentioned you have a series of lessons relating to the Writing Challenge. Are they grouped together so I can find them easily? If not, do you recall the topic titles so I can search?

Thanks,
Judy
Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. -Jude 2 NIV

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by JudySauer »

Jan, I meant to add that when I looked at Jan's Writing Basics, there are many lessons. Bless you!

I'm guessing this is where the eight lessons relating to the Writing Challenge are located. Which ones are more pertinent for me just starting out with your lessons?

Judy
Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. -Jude 2 NIV

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by Cinnamon Bear »

JudySauer wrote:I've finished the links [Cinnamon Bear] gave me. She mentioned you have a series of lessons relating to the Writing Challenge. Are they grouped together so I can find them easily? If not, do you recall the topic titles so I can search?
Judy, first, here is a link to the eight criteria upon which our Challenge entries are judged. Deb does a fine job of explaining each one:

http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpB ... 54&t=31273


Jan's lessons provide in-depth assistance in mastering each of these criteria. Here is the link to her lesson on the second criterion—How creative, unique, fresh and memorable was this entry?:

http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpB ... 67&t=37814


And a link to her lesson on the third criterion—How well crafted was this entry (overall crafting of the writing, including grammar and predictability)?:

http://www.faithwriters.com/Boards/phpB ... ed#p526308

Of course, many of Jan's lessons pertain to crafting, such as lessons on characterization, imagery, dialect, etc.

I located the lessons by scrolling through and/or by keyword search.

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by glorybee »

Judy, I can't group them, as every time someone responds to a lesson, that lesson hops to the top. You'll have to do as Virginia has suggested--scan through the index page for titles of lessons that look interesting or relevant to your interests.

Be sure that you scroll all the way to the bottom of the index page; I believe there are 5 pages of indexed lessons--probably over 100 lessons in all. I should count them some time! Anyway, you'll see little boxed numbers 1 - 5 at the bottom right of the index page. Do some exploring--I hope you'll find the lessons helpful!
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by Cinnamon Bear »

Jan, your lesson collection has grown to the point that one forum isn't enough. The same thing happened with the Challenge forum—now it is nine forums.

Possible Categories for Jan's Lessons

The Eight Challenge Criteria
Poetry
Genres
Crafting
Critiquing
etc.

:lol:

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by glorybee »

That's an interesting idea, but I don't think it'll fly. Mike and Deb are trying to reduce the number of forums, not add to them, so adding several more might be counterproductive. In addition, if I were to add a lesson to, say, a "Genres" forum and it was to get a few weeks of heavy (or heavy-ish) traffic, then the others would fall by the wayside, and people tend not to visit the forums without recent postings.

Also, as I'm sure you've noticed, I tend to get discouraged when a lesson (or this forum in general) gets little response. I'd be that much more discouraged at getting no responses from several forums at once.
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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by JudySauer »

Thank you Cinnamon Bear and GloryBee for your valuable assistance. I will follow the yellow brick road and continue learning.

Fondly,
Judy
Mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. -Jude 2 NIV

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Re: Be a Better Writer--Writing on topic

Post by Athayde »

Hi Jan,

I received today the ratings report on my article Revival in Oopsville. I had a 1.83 score on the topic category...

I loved how you described Lavinia's skin color, as the pale tan of chicken eggs. Sister Pauline's developments are laugh-out-loud funny, but I got depressed a moment later. How in the world will I'll ever write like that? After a while, I collected myself and decided to print and keep these two articles on my sight. They'll remind me to stay "on-topic-ness", as well as under your mentorship.

Thank you. God bless you. Eneida.
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