Categories
Communication Lessons

What You Need To Know About Story Structure

Story Structure

Story structure is my favorite lesson to teach.

It’s not a one-and-done lesson.

It’s a topic that bears repeating often.

We review story structure when we read a story written in class.

Or a passage from a book.

We talk about it when we’re discussing a movie or a TV show.

Sometimes, even song lyrics.

Even though we revisit this lesson often, it never gets old.

Why?

Because, although every story has the same basic structure, no two stories are quite alike.

The structure gives us a framework. What we do with it is what makes each story unique.

I’ve taught this lesson so many times that I thought it was time to put it into a workbook.

My classes rely heavily on discussion and interaction, so translating a classroom lesson into a workbook wasn’t exactly a piece of cake.

But my classes are mostly full, and there are plenty of people who want to learn the same things.

I decided to create this lesson in the form of a workbook.

Here’s where every good story begins. Three questions:

  1. What does the character want?
  2. What’s standing in the way?
  3. What happens in the end?

That’s it. Three questions.

Of course, there’s a little more to it than that.

But answering these questions gives you the foundation of a good story.

These questions help you move beyond simply recounting an event to turning an ordinary experience into a story that people want to hear.

There’s a huge difference between telling someone what happened and telling them a story.

You don’t need to be a professional writer to do this.

You just need a few basic tools.

The How to Tell a Story workbook is a practical, step-by-step guide to turning a real experience into a meaningful story. You’ll explore the essential elements of storytelling and practice putting them together at your own pace.

No writing degree required.

Just a story worth telling.

Because everyone has a story to tell. Even you. Especially you.

Ready to find yours?

Explore the How to Tell a Story workbook here.

Categories
Communication Lessons

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Pufferfish

Pufferfish

“Are we going to talk about pufferfish today?”

This was how one of my middle school students greeted me.

Um, no.

This is an English class.

We’re going to be talking about spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar.

Pufferfish? Not so much.

It reminded me of another middle school student who was absolutely shocked that I didn’t know certain facts about sharks.

“But you’re the TEACHER!” he exclaimed.

Yes, I’m a teacher.

An English teacher.

I don’t know a whole lot about sharks.

Or pufferfish.

Apparently, this was a problem.

The student felt that I should know everything.

About everything.

Because I’m the teacher.

I explained that pufferfish weren’t on the agenda, but I’d be happy to give him the floor at the end of the session so he could share what he knew.

And boy, did he have a lot to say about pufferfish.

It was a fine example of a student teaching the teacher.

I went into class to teach a grammar lesson.

I came out knowing a thing or two about pufferfish.

I teach English.

Apparently I offer electives too!

Categories
Communication Lessons

Why This Anniversary Was Extra Special

Our Wedding Anniversary

Our shop-vac died.

Which isn’t unusual. We’ve had it forever.

We ordered a new one.

As fate would have it, it was scheduled to arrive on our wedding anniversary.

Naturally, the theme of the occasion turned into “This Sucks.”

It’s a good thing that we both have a sense of humor, because the zingers just kept flying.

Then the Grown Sons came home.

They pointed out that the shop-vac doesn’t just suck.

It also blows.

And that, my friends, is how we celebrated our wedding anniversary.

Actually, it was remarkably similar to our wedding day, when one of our friends, possibly after a little too much celebrating, tried to say that we were destined for each other.

Instead, he said that we were doomed.

Honestly, after all these years, I’m beginning to think he might have been right.

Categories
Communication Lessons

How To Teach a Vocabulary Lesson They Won’t Forget

A unanimous decision

It was a unanimous middle-school opinion that stepping on a dog’s paw is much, much, much worse than accidentally hurting another human.

If you hurt a person, you can simply say you’re sorry and move on.

But a dog?

That’s the worst.

The situation can only be rectified with lots of snuggling, apologizing, and many, many treats.

Were we wasting class time discussing this off-topic issue?

Nope.

Unanimous, rectify, and apologize were vocabulary words we had been working on.

The kid telling the dramatic story about accidentally stepping on his dog’s paw wasn’t intentionally using our vocabulary words.

He was just telling a story.

And, I suspect, he was trying to waste time so he wouldn’t have to do any more work.

I wrote a summary of our discussion on the whiteboard, emphasizing the vocabulary words.

Everyone laughed.

And everyone learned.

More importantly, they probably won’t forget those words.

A vocabulary lesson in context is so much more meaningful than memorizing a random list of definitions.

At the end of class, when students are getting restless, I often encourage a little chit-chat.

Then I listen.

Because somewhere in that completely unrelated conversation, there will be an opportunity to use some of our vocabulary words.

When people are laughing, they lean in.

When they lean in, they listen.

And when they’re laughing while learning a new word?

They remember it.

Apparently, even if the lesson starts with a dog’s paw.

Categories
Writing Your Life Story

How To Make The Perfect Winter Forecast!

The Winter Forecast

According to The Internet, this winter is going to be rough.

El Niño is predicted to hit hard.

Also, it’s going to miss my region altogether.

We’re going to get an incredible amount of rain.

And we should prepare for a worrisome drought.

It will be unusually cold.

And much, much warmer than expected.

In other words, it’s a regular winter prediction.

We might get a lot of rain.

We might not.

Which, when you think about it, is a brilliant forecasting strategy.

Predict every possible scenario, and by the end of winter, you’re guaranteed to be right.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day.

It’s weather forecasting with no risk and excellent job security.

Every winter, we get that one really cold week with a bit of snowfall, and everyone freaks out.

Schools close.

Bread disappears from grocery store shelves.

People post pictures of icicles as if they’ve discovered a new species.

And someone inevitably proclaims:

“This is it. The end of the world!”

When, in fact, it’s just winter.

We get an icy week every year.

Then it gets warm again.

I’m taking this winter’s predictions with a grain of salt.

And possibly a snow shovel.

Just in case.

Categories
Writing Your Life Story

That First Cool Breeze is Amazing!

A Cool Breeze

Is it?

Could it be?

What in the world?

After what seems like years and years and years of a scorching hot summer…

I think I felt…

A cool breeze!

Seriously?

Did I really feel that?

Woo hoo!

It’s time to haul out the boots and sweaters and socks.

I know, I know, I know.

One cool breeze does not mean it’s sweater weather.

Yet.

But a girl can hope, can’t she?

Categories
Writing Your Life Story

How To Get Out Of The Emergency Room Quickly

Emergency Room

I wasn’t planning on spending Labor Day weekend in the Emergency Room.

Although, to be truthful, the Grown Son wasn’t planning on spending it with a dislocated shoulder, either.

But that’s exactly where we found ourselves.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been to an emergency room.

Apparently, everyone else had the same idea.

It was packed.

We settled in for a very, very, very long wait.

I’d brought a book.

I figured I had plenty of time to read.

But then, less than an hour later, they were done.

Done.

And they apologized for the wait.

The wait.

In an emergency room.

I barely had time to read a chapter.

Not that I’m complaining.

Hopefully, I’ll never need an emergency room again.

But if I do?

I know where I’m going.

Medical City.

And next time, I’m bringing a shorter book.

Categories
Dog Writing Your Life Story

On The Rug Again – It’s Her Walk-On Song!

On The Rug Again

Why? Why? Why?

Why does Blue always find a rug to throw up on?

Our house is mostly hard floors.

Hard floors are easy to clean.

But Blue prefers to puke on a rug.

Naturally, I Googled it.

Apparently, I’m not the only person who has asked this question.

The answer popped right up in my feed.

According to the internet, a textured rug gives a dog something to grip while she’s barfing.

A hard floor is too slippery for all the straining and contractions involved in vomiting.

Which makes perfect sense.

But still…

Why didn’t she bark to go outside?

So there I was, cleaning the carpet very, very early this morning.

And I started thinking…

Isn’t there a song called On the Rug Again?

I just can’t wait to go on the rug again.

Apparently, that’s Blue’s walk-on song.

She never misses her cue.

Categories
Work Writing Your Life Story

Five-Star Reviews: The Best Thing All Week

Five-Star Review

The past couple of weeks have been a sh**show.

A clusterf**k.

A total FUBAR.

One bad thing happened.

And then another.

And another.

The more bad things happened, the more frustrated I got.

And the more frustrated I got, the more distracted I got.

And the more distracted I got, the more mistakes I made…

Yeah. It’s been like that.

But then something happened that reminded me that maybe the universe wasn’t completely out to get me.

I started getting five-star reviews.

Several of them.

One parent wrote that her child had gained confidence. Another said I had become such a familiar part of their household that I felt like family.

And several parents mentioned something that meant even more to me than improved reading skills:

Their child actually looked forward to my class!

That one got me.

And those were just my youth classes.

The adults had some pretty great things to say, too.

One said I had given him renewed confidence.

Another said my class was the highlight of the week.

And one told me they had gotten a job promotion because of the communication skills they developed in class.

So maybe the past couple of weeks weren’t a complete disaster after all.

Maybe they were just…

a sh**show with five-star reviews.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Categories
Dog Writing Your Life Story

What In The World Happened on June 29?

June 29

Bosco, the new puppy, threw up.

That’s not particularly noteworthy.

Dogs vomit all the time.

What’s interesting is that he threw up on Monday.

Why does that matter?

Because if you’re a Seinfeld fan, you know June 29 is Jerry’s Vomit Day.

“Can you believe it? I’m vomiting on June 29 again!”

Jerry did it in 1972 and again in 1980.

Then there was the infamous black-and-white cookie incident.

Although…weren’t they wearing jackets? That couldn’t have been June 29.

Maybe that’s when Jerry’s streak finally ended.

Good thing Bosco is ready to take over.

Apparently June 29 still needs someone to vomit.

Liz Brenner

Everyone has a story to tell.

Even you.

Especially you.

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