Do you read mentor texts to help you decide what tense to write in?
Carrie:
Since I write as a pantser most of the time, I normally just go with my gut and write. My hope is that what comes out on the page will be the most natural tense, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, it takes some experimenting. A simple tense change is not too hard to play with, as you can try a few lines here or there to get a feel for what is more natural. I can’t say that I use a mentor text to “decide” what tense to write in. However, I do use mentor texts to research how stellar stories feel in the right tense.
More than tense, I experiment with point of view. Some of my stories have several different versions, all in a different point of view. Experiencing the comparison first hand not only helps me hear what’s working as I read them all aloud, but also enables me to grow in the process.
Writing in Sips and Gulps- from Carrie Charley Brown of Writer’s Rumpus
(Revision and professional development advice)
Making Science Sing: Writing creative nonfiction about science, for kids- from Christy Mahaly of GROG
(Awesome educational tips and mentor texts to understand creative nonfiction)
Give Your Tale a Twist- from Joyce Wan and the KidLit Summer School Faculty
(Super suggestions on using fiction mentor texts to study twists!)
Dog Adopts Man (and Other Role Reversals)- from Linda Ashman of Picture Book Builders
(Excellent fiction mentor text suggestions for role reversals!)
Do you have a question for me? Feel free to leave it in the comment section. Did you participate in ReFoReMo this year? I’d love to hear about your experience and how you are using mentor texts today. Check out the submission guidelines for the Revealing ReFoReMo series HERE.