1. Writing Techniques and Elements
Miss Paetz
October 29, 2012

2. Harry Potter
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_Fbw
h384WQ&feature=related

3. Review
• Plot
• Subplot

4. Overview
•
•
•
•
•
Go over different writing techniques
Discuss how sounds and images in movies
Learn the song: It’s a Writing Technique!
Activity
Worksheet

5. Objectives
• Students will be able to:
• identify and explain how narrative hooks,
foreshadowing, flashback, suspense and surprise
endings contribute to the effectiveness of plot
development
• explain how sound and image work together to
create effects in media texts

6. Narrative Hook
• The part of a story that “hooks” or grabs the reader’s
attention. Often the hook is the opening sentence.
• This is when you as the reader think to yourself, “is it
worth reading on?”
• Call me Ishmael. (Moby Dick, by Hermann Melville)
• It was a wrong number that started it, the telephone
ringing three times in the dead of night, and the voice
on the other end asking for someone he was not. (City
of Glass by Paul Auster)

7. Foreshadowing
• Is a technique that is used to give
a hint about what is about to
come in the story. The hint is very
subtle. If it is too obvious it will
give the plot away and will affect
the suspense.
• Used mainly in mysteries and
suspense stories
• Example from Romeo and Juliet:
“From forth the fatal loins of these
two foes, A pair of star-cross'd
lovers take their life.”
This is from the prologue in
Romeo and Juliet when it is said
that they are two lovers that
commit suicide. Later in the story
the two lovers actually do take
their own lives.

8. Flashback
• A flashback is an event that
took place at an earlier
point in the story. Writers
use flashbacks to explain
something that is presently
occurring in the story.
Flashbacks can also explain
a character’s motivation
and help to clear up any
unanswered questions in
the plot.
• The clip from Harry Potter
was an example of a
flashback.

9. Suspense
•
•
Suspense is a feeling of tensions,
anxiety, or excitement resulting from
uncertainty. An author creates
suspense to keep the reader
interested.
“One of Triton’s manipulator claws
suddenly leaped forward and clamped
down on Delta-Two’s left thigh with
crushing force. He tried to pull away,
but the claw bore down. He screamed
in pain, feeling a bone break. His eyes
shot to the sub’s cockpit. Peering
through the reflection of the deck,
Delta-Two could now see him,
ensconced in the shadows of the
Triton’s interior.” – Deception Point by
Dan Brown

10. Surprise Endings
• A surprise ending is an ending
that you did not expect. An
ending with a “twist”!
• The ending in Star Wars is one
of the most famous surprise
endings of all time. The entire
plot of the movie consists of
Luke trying to defeat Darth
Vader. At the end of the movie
he finds out that Darth Vader
is actually his father.
• http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=g1fIH6GMIJg

11. It’s the Writing Techniques!
(Sing song to the tune of The Best of Both Worlds-Hannah Montana)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt76o5C5Evw
You got the narrative hook first
it will hook, it will grasp, it will capture
Yeah, you got your flashy flashbacks too
It’s all about remembering from the past
In some stories there will be lots of techniques
but in others there will only be a few
You’ve got the writing techniques
flashbacks and foreshadowing
hooks, suspense and surprise endings
You’ve got the writing techniques
Mix it all together and you know that it’s the writing techniques
it’s the writing techniques!

12. You got your foreshadowing
a hint about what’s about to come
the suspense is important too
feelings of tension, excitement and anxiety
Yeah don’t forget about the surprise ending
an ending with a crazy twist!
You’ve got the writing techniques
flashbacks and foreshadowing
hooks, suspense and surprise endings
You’ve got the writing techniques
Mix it all together and you know that it’s
the writing techniques
it’s the writing techniques!

13. How do all of these techniques contribute to the
effectiveness of plot development?
• Hooks draw in attention. The hook is the creation
of the plot. It gets the reader interested
• Flashbacks help make the plot more believable
they give an insight into the past that the reader
or viewer might not have been aware of
• Foreshadowing helps to build suspense and make
a story more believable
• Suspense helps to intrigue the reader or viewer
• Surprise endings pull everything together and
help to illuminate the plot

14. How do sounds and images work
together?
• In media text sound and images are often used
to help make a story more effective. This is why
your emotions or feelings can change along with
the music or the images that are displayed
when watching a movie. It helps to make a
scene more believable and engaging for the
viewer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJA71Hfp7K4&
feature=endscreen&NR=1
• Discuss with your shoulder partner the
effectiveness of the sound effects, the music
and the imagery in the scene

15. Activity
• Watch the videos/read these excerpts from
stories and guess the techniques.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enHu-Ww6mE
• “I was ninety-nine point nine percent sure I
was dreaming.” (From New Moon- Stephanie
Meyer)

16. Activity
• “From the front of the jailhouse, the constable
yawned noisily and began to whistle. The
whistling came nearer. Miles dropped down.
They heard the constable’s footsteps coming
up to Mae’s cell”- Tuck Everlasting by Natalie
Babbitt
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adesE9eVI
V4

17. Summary
•
•
•
•
•
•
Narrative Hook
Foreshadowing
Flashback
Suspense
Surprise Ending
Sound and Imagery

18. Reminders
• Complete the worksheet for next day and we
will go over it in class

19. References
• Crossroads 7 – Christine McClymont and Linda Coo Gage
• http://pixar.wikia.com/Tri-County_Landfill
• http://www.anomalousmaterial.com/movies/2010/09/31-daymovie-meme-all-in-one-day-edition/
• http://darth.wikia.com/wiki/Darth_Vader
• http://www.americanliterature.com/Hughes/SS/ThankYouMam.ht
ml
• http://www.foreshadowing.org/romeo-and-juliet.html
• http://www.whitegadget.com/attachments/pcwallpapers/85460d1320464619-harry-potter-harry-potter-pic.jpg
• http://whimquarterly.com/wpcontent/uploads/2011/06/romeo_juliet_1996_1200_l.jpeg