Discovery: Yourself & Your World

Autobiographical Fiction

As part of our exploration of who we are and where we might go, we are writing a piece of Autobiographical Fiction. Your purpose is to explore a significant event or person that has made you who you are today; your audience is the teacher and class (though you really won’t have to share it with the entire class).

Tips and Guidelines:

· Remember: this is a narrative – not an essay! Tell a story.

· Show, don’t tell.

· Take on a powerful point of view and a strong, well-focused plot.

· The tone/theme/central impression may be positive or negative

Topics – see teacher if you have alternative ideas!

· Story about a family member or friend who influenced your life

· Story about a teacher, coach, or other adult who influenced your life

· Story about a hero or role model you have – real or imagined – who influenced your life

· Story about a vacation, holiday, or birthday event that influenced your life

· Story about a life changing event (moving, for instance) or moral dilemma you have faced that influenced your life

Target Skills

· Focus & central impression with good title

· Organization & Flow: Consistent Point of View

· Detail, Imagery, Diction – Setting & Characters

· Plot & Conflict

· MUGS

· Minimum length is two pages, typed, DS; four pages, handwritten in ink, DS

Autobiographical Fiction Peer Reading Guide

PAPER TITLE:____________________________________________________

AUTHOR:________________________________________________________

PEER READER:___________________________________________________

Read the story TWICE and then respond to the following questions. Remember, as a peer reader, you are held responsible for answering these questions honestly and completely. Those who do will receive extra-credit toward their own writing; those who do not will lose points on their writing.

1. Does the personal story clearly focus on a single characteristic or instance to form a central impression? If so, what is that characteristic? If not, suggest how the writer should fix the problem.

2. Is the paper fully developed with precise details and vivid imagery? If so, tell what you think are the TWO best ones here. If not, suggest places where the writer could add details.

3. Is the paper well organized with a consistent point of view? What is that point of view? If the paper switches point of view, suggest ways the writer could better organized her thoughts.

4. Does the writer use vivid and precise diction? If so, give FIVE examples here. If not, suggest FIVE improvements of diction.

5. Does the paper have a clear plot and conflict? What is the conflict? How is it resolved? Did you find the story engaging? Why or why not?

6. Proofread the paper and correct as much as you can. List the kinds of errors the writer makes here.

Discovery: Yourself & Your World

Autobiographical Fiction Grading Rubric

Focus & central impression with good title

Stays focused on the topic & creates a consistent & emotionally powerful central impression. Title is both revealing and clever.

Stays focused on the topic & creates a consistent central impression. Title is both revealing and clever.

Minor shifts in focus; central impression may be weak. Title is a bit ordinary.

Unclear topic and/or lacks a clear central impression. Title is ordinary or ineffective.

Organization – Consistent Point of View

Story flows well from event to event – reads like a story with a consistent point of view.

Story has only minor bumps in flow from event to event; still, reads like a story and has a consistent point of view.

Definitely a story but may be hard to follow in spots; minor shifts in point of view.

Tends to be more like an essay than a story; point of view shifts.

Detail, Imagery, Diction

Setting & Characters are powerfully developed with precise details and vivid imagery – both expressed with sophisticated diction.

Setting & Characters are consistently developed with precise details and vivid imagery – both expressed with occasional sophisticated diction.

Setting & Characters are occasionally developed with precise details and vivid imagery – both expressed with limited sophisticated diction.

Setting & Characters aren’t really developed with precise details and vivid imagery – diction is quite ordinary.

Plot

Strong plot and conflict. Story keeps the reader powerfully engaged.

Good plot and conflict. Story keeps the reader engaged.

Clear plot and conflict. Story is primarily engaging but may lag or lose focus in spots.

Has a plot and conflict, but comes off as ordinary or unispired.

MUGS

Excellent control of language – no errors of any consequence!

Good control of language – very few of any consequence!

Developing control of language – noticeable errors need addressed.

Struggles a bit with language – could use some extra help with errors.