When
I visit schools, I like to pose a question:
“If
a football player runs the ball for 100 yards and scores a touchdown, is that
exciting?“
I’m
almost always met with a loud, unanimous “YES!”
But
then I counter with: “Is it exciting if
there’s no one on the field to stop him or her?”
This
picture usually elicits giggles, but the point is made. A game is only exciting
if the players have to overcome obstacles.
The
same is true of stories. A tale will fall flat if the main character doesn’t
face problems. The more, the merrier! We want to cheer our players – and our
characters – on to victory.
“If,
Then” stories, like Laura Numeroff’s If
You Give A Mouse A Cookie and its wonderful corresponding series, as well
as my own When A Dragon Moves In and its
sequel When A Dragon Moves In Again, can
be used to illustrate how tension works in stories. In my debut picture book,
the main human character is faced with convincing his family that his
magnificent new dragon friend is real; in the second, he and Dragon must deal
with the newest little addition to the family – a baby!
After
a reading, ask students the following questions: Who is the main character(s)?
What does that character want? What problems stand in his/her way?
Writing
Exercise: Ask your students to write an “If, Then” story. Have them answer the
questions above with respect to their own work. Challenge them to create three
elements of conflict as the story unfolds, each one ramping up the tension (and
excitement!), before resolving the problem.
Author
bio: Jodi Moore is author of the award winning When A Dragon Moves In (Flashlight Press, 2011), its newly released
sequel, When A Dragon Moves In Again
(Flashlight Press, 2015) and Good News
Nelson (Story Pie Press, 2012). Jodi is the proud, (admittedly) neurotic
mother of two talented young adults and never ceases to be amazed at how far
the umbilical cord will stretch. She loves connecting with readers through
school and book events. Jodi lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Larry, and
an ever-changing bunch of characters in her head. Visit her website:
www.writerjodimoore.com
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