Today I’m continuing to share strategies from the anthology Nonfiction
Writers Dig Deep: 50 Award-winning Authors Share the Secret of Engaging Writing that
students can use to choose topics they’re excited about for nonfiction writing
projects. You can scroll down to read some of the earlier suggestions.
One of the fifty authors who contributed
an essay to Nonfiction Writers Dig
Deep is Jess Keating. She
also provided a fabulous idea-generating
technique that she calls “One Amazing Thing.”
Each morning, students draw an empty box in their writer’s notebook, write the
words “One
Amazing Thing” above it, and then close their notebook. Throughout the day,
they should be on the lookout for one thing that catches their attention or
sparks their curiosity. It could be an object, an action, a snippet of
conversation—anything at all.
The act of making space for an amazing thing will raise your students’
awareness of the world around them. All day long, their subconscious brain will
be looking for a way to fill that little box.
After doing this activity for a few weeks, students may see some trends
among the things they notice. Identifying these commonalities can help students
discover what matters to them, which can assist them in choosing topics they’re
excited to explore and write about.
Choosing
a topic is an important first step in the nonfiction writing process, but for their
prose to shine, it’s equally important for students to find a focus they’re
excited about. Next week, I’ll begin providing suggestions for helping students
narrow their topic and identify a unique approach.
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