The keys to becoming a successful writer

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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

Ideas
Organization
Word Choice
Voice
Sentence Fluency
Conventions
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

• IDEAS
• Powerful and Significant
• Ideas are the heart of the paper. Without good
  ideas, the paper will not achieve the authors
  purpose.

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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

• IDEAS
• The IDEAS should be
• Important to the writer and address the
  topic.
• Limited enough to focus on in the
  paper.
• Expressed clearly so the audience
  understands.
• Providing the audience with interesting
  insights.

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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

• How can you know if your IDEAS are helping you
  achieve your writing goal?
• ASK YOURSELF
• Does it make sense?
• Am I addressing the topic?
• Will my audience want to keep reading?
• Does my paper have a clearly defined purpose?
• Have I included interesting details not everyone
  would think of?

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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

• IDEAS
• The glue that holds the paper together and gives
  a Focused and Detailed exploration of the topic!

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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

ORGANIZATION
Logical and Effective
Organization is the map that directs the reader
through the paper.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

The Organization should
Begin with a strong lead or hook and catch the
readers interest right from the beginning.
Have details that build toward the conclusion,
pulling the reader along right to the very end.
Use good transitions to move smoothly from one
idea to the next, helping things fit together
easily for the reader.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

How can you know if your ORGANIZATION is helping
you achieve your writing goal?
ASK YOURSELF
Does it start out with a bang?
Does everything tie together?
Can the audience follow it easily?
Does everything tie together?
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing
ORGANIZATION gives writing a sense of Purpose
and Structure.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing
WORD CHOICE

Specific and Precise
Word Choice paints a picture in the readers
mind.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing


The WORD CHOICE should
Include active, powerful and energetic verbs.
Choose the right words to make the writing sound
natural and precise.
Give specific details.
Showcase descriptive nouns and adjectives.
Incorporate all parts of speech for a
well-rounded essay.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

How can you know if your WORD CHOICE is helping
you achieve your writing goal?
ASK YOURSELF
Is this the best way to say this?
Do my words make pictures in the readers minds?
Did I use new ways to say everyday things?
Are my verbs powerful?
Are my nouns and adjectives specific and precise?
Do some of the words linger in my mind after I
read them?
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing
WORD CHOICE creates the images in a readers mind.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

VOICE
Individual andAppropriate
Voice is the personality of the writer coming
through.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

The VOICE should
Give the writing a sense of uniqueness.
Give the reader the feeling that the writer is
talking directly to him/her.
Make the characters/topic come alive for the
reader.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

How can you know if your VOICE is helping you
achieve your writing goal?
ASK YOURSELF
Is it obvious I care about the topic?
Does it sound like a real person wrote this? (It
should not sound like a robot found a pencil and
paper).
Is this going to make the reader feel something?
(Hopefully, not utter confusion)
Is it apparent I am thinking about my audience?
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing
In a paper with a strong VOICE, the reader will
get a sense that someone real is there on the
page.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

SENTENCE FLUENCY
Smooth and Expressive
Sentence Fluency is making the sentences fit
smoothly together.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

The SENTENCE FLUENCY should
Not mean just creating longer sentences,
butusing sentences where they will fit best.
Create a sense of rhythm with the sentences.
Develop a flow the reader finds enjoyable to
follow.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

How can you know if your SENTENCE FLUENCY is
helping you achieve your writing goal?
ASK YOURSELF
Are the sentences varied in length?
Do my sentences have power and punch?
Does the writing flow easily from sentence to
sentence? (I dont want the reader getting
whiplash!)
Do my sentences begin in different ways? (Watch
I and The)
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing
SENTENCE FLUENCY stands out when a paper is read
aloud.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

CONVENTIONS
Correct and Communicative
Conventions are the rules of language. They are
the patterns of grammar, spelling, punctuation,
paragraphing, and capitalization that readers
expect in good writing.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

The Conventions should
Make writing easy to read and understand.
Be checked to ensure correct writing mechanics
are used.
Be something the reader doesnt even
notice because they are so well done.
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing

How can you know if your CONVENTIONS are helping
you achieve your writing goal?
ASK YOURSELF
Have I used capitals correctly?
Did I spell all words correctly?
Are my paragraphs indented?
Are all punctuation marks in the correct places?
Does my spelling, grammar, and capitalization
make my writing easy to read and understand?
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The keys to becoming a successful writer
6 Traits of Writing
CONVENTIONS are the most mechanical of the six
traits and require writers to learn editing and
proofreading skills.