Day 10: Slice of Life Writing Challenge
I’d like to invite you to accept a challenge.
Or challenge you to accept an invitation.
Your choice.
A duel, or a duet?
If you’ve read this far, chances are you enjoy reading other people’s writing. And if you’re reading this specific post, it is highly likely you either are a teacher who dabbles in writing instruction, or you are a participant in the “Slice of Life” writing challenge, or both.
So let me slice to the chase. I want to invite you, or challenge you, to try an innovative writing technique. Don’t worry, it won’t be graded. Nobody from the PARCC consortium will be assessing you. This is purely for your entertainment, and growth.
Here is how it works. Or at least I think, seeing as though this is also my maiden voyage with a duet and / or a duel as well. I saw the idea on a recent tweet by my PLN friend Theresa Christensen ( @GradingGirl ), and thought it would add a fun twist to student writing, as well as my own.
So without further adieu, here is my spin:
Duel:
1st: List several opposite concepts, or antonyms. Examples:
– Awake vs. Asleep
– Chaotic vs. Calm
– Tolerance vs. Immersion
– Marvel Universe vs. DC
– Boxers vs. (oops, never mind)
2nd: You and your collaborating partner each choose a side. Write your own post from that standpoint. Sing the praises of your perspective. Pick of few playful holes in the other side.
3rd: Post each to your blog, and link them. Let your readers enjoy point vs. counterpoint.
You can read more about dueling posts here.
Duet:
1st: List several similar concepts, or play with words along a continuum. Enjoy discerning the nuances between synonyms. Examples:
– Flying or Soaring
– Running or Racing
– Innovation or Creation
– Reading a book in a warm cafe, or curled on your couch with your latest novel
– Hosting a feast for friends, or having a special meal with family
2nd: You and your collaborating partner each choose your part of the same song. Write your own post from that vantage point. Sing the praises of your perspective. Dig into what makes it resonate with you. Perhaps contrast it to your partner’s side, but enjoying both views. You’re creating harmony.
3rd: Post each to your blog, and link them. Let your readers enjoy the blended voice that you and your partner have jointly created.
So find a partner. To playfully spar with, or to sync with. Duke it out, or dance.
I’ll post some here in the coming days, and I look forward to reading yours as well.
This invitation promises to be a fun challenge.
Is it hilarious that I’m being drawn to action movies vs. romantic movies, and that I’m team romantic movie? I’ll do that one.
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Sounds good! When would you like to post this? I already posted one for today (slice #11). Let me know if the movie duel is slice 12, 13, or whichever works.
Thanks for playing!
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I’ll make mine my slice for today (3/11) but probably won’t post until tonight unless I get a moment in between.
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I’ve already written my post for today (I did a dueling post with my student teacher as a model for our class), so I will work up the action movie side for sol day 13. I’m looking forward to our collaborative post! Thanks for jumping on board!
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Okay, my slice: https://singlemomsofar.wordpress.com/2015/03/12/31215-duel-action-movies-vs-romance-movies-sol15/ This was SO fun! I’m going to try it out with my kids.
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I loved reading your slice, and perhaps seeing romantic movies from your perspective. Sorry the Duckster didn’t save the day for you! Had to love his shoes!
I’ll put up my action-pic side of the story for sol #12 later tonight or tomorrow morning. Thanks for playing! This is great writing fun, and a great way to collaborate across the miles.
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What a great concept. Will look forward to seeing the connected posts.
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Sounds like fun. I’m a very reflective writer that requires “think time” but why not give it a try! 🙂
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Okay, here is a list I have thrown out to others. See if any of these resonate with you. If any spark your interest for writing. Feel free to adjust, or discard any.
Duet possibilities:
writing poetry & reading poetry
dark chocolate & strawberries
a warm blanket and a favorite book
epiphany & watershed moment
passions & talents
Duel possibilities:
spring vs. fall
the wisdom of experience vs. the innocence of youth
romantic movie vs. action movie
toilet paper rolling over vs. rolling under
your in-laws vs. my in-laws
casual wear vs. professional attire
swagger vs. humility
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How fun is this! I’m intrigued…do we mutually agree on one side or do I pick one and just write? I now sound like one of my students, knowing for sure the directions have been posted above. Thanks for the clarification, though.
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Good questions! We each brainstorm list for either duet or duel, then settle on a topic pairing. Once that is set, we choose our individual parts, and write! Sound good?
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I love it! I’m in.
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See if any of these resonate with you. If any spark your interest for writing. Feel free to adjust, or discard any.
Duet possibilities:
writing poetry & reading poetry
dark chocolate & strawberries
a warm blanket and a favorite book
epiphany & watershed moment
passions & talents
Duel possibilities:
spring vs. fall
the wisdom of experience vs. the innocence of youth
romantic movie vs. action movie
toilet paper rolling over vs. rolling under
your in-laws vs. my in-laws
casual wear vs. professional attire
swagger vs. humility
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This will lead to some very interesting reads. I wish I could participate, but I’m barely eking out enough time to handle my of daily SOL and remembering to read/respond to others. Trying to schedule a collab is so out of the question now.
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Totally understand! Just so you know, the idea is to use this tool FOR your sol. I thought it might help for those people struggling with writing ideas, as well as build a little community!
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What an interesting idea. Sounds like it could be fun and lead to some interesting writing.
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I love this! I will want to catch up on Twitter later! But I Must Get Ready for School. 🙂 I keep sitting here writing and reading. Must Get Up!
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Thank you for the mention, Greg! I like the spin you’ve taken with this, with adding the “duet” challenge. The results will be fun indeed. Today, I’m holding a “Write Club” with my senior expository composition students. This activity will offer practice in the skills they are being asked to use in their next major paper – the compare/contrast paper. The students highlighted in my Twitter post are my true inspiration! They got the idea from a presenter at our annual Writers Week, Ian Belknap, a writer and performer in Chicago who holds these “Write Club” performances in major metropolitan areas. Belknap published a “Write Club” book filled with many intriguing, dueling essays. Check out Write Club here: http://www.writeclubnation.com
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I love this idea, and would LOVE to be a part of this challenge. Unfortunately, my time is so constricted right now, that I am grabbing minutes to write posts, so to partner up would not be very easy. I can’t wait to see what others do and would love to take on this challenge in the future.
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