Week-6 writing exercises

With Revision Comes Final Meaning

Exercise

Write one sentence for a story that is in its fourth or fifth draft. Then revise the story to heighten and illuminate this final meaning.

The story, A Vessel of Value is about a young woman that comes to appreciate her self-worth and learns valuable life lessons from an old pot that reminds her of her beloved Grandmother who has recently passed away.

This helped me keep me focused on the point of my story. When I first began drafting, the story began going in a direction that was leading away from the meaning I wanted my story to have. I had to change some of the characters, and situations to keep the story concise. I could have continued in the original direction and ended up with the same meaning but not in the limited size of the story.

In-Class Revision

Exercise

I’m answering some of the questions from this exercise to help me evaluate my story and see what areas might need to expanded or condensed.

1. Whose story is it?
This is definitely Beth’s story. She is the main character and it is told from her point of view throughout the story.
2. What does your main character want?
She wants to feel connected to her dead Grandma. This desire drives the story because Beth remembers many of the lessons she has learned from her Grandmother and she realizes that she can be confident to face the future because she will always have a connection to her Grandma. She has become a part of who Beth is.
3. Is the language of your story interesting?
I have chosen to use language to reflect and support the personality of the characters’. For example, I used language that might be more commonly used by an older generation for my older characters.
4. Was your title thrown at the top of the page or chosen with care? Make a list of other possible titles.
I chose the title on purpose. It tied tightly into the fabric of my story and is part of the last sentence. The word vessel refers to the pot as well as the embodiment of her dead Grandma. The word value comes to have more than one meaning as well. It means a monetary and an emotional value.

Other Titles:

1. Life Lessons
2. The Happy Pot
3. Treasure Hunt
4. Rummaging through Memories
5. The poignant Pot
6. Glass Slippers