Voyage Home
Organizing, developing and producing a long piece of writing
The Good Life
Now that we have explored (voyage out) some of the issues associated with pursuing the good life we
are ready to return back home. This is where you say something about the good life. You are going to
write a longer piece of writing; multiple paragraphs vs. one paragraph. In order to do this, we need to
organize our raw material, develop our ideas and then write our long piece.
Organizing Our Raw Material
1. We need to reflect back on our voyage.
a. What did we study?
b. What did we discuss?
c. What did we think and write about?
2. We need to think about what we have to say about the theme of the good life.
a. What are some of the topics that resonated with you?
b. What claims would you make about the topics?
c. What supporting details have you collected?
Developing Our Long Piece
1. We need to clarify a main idea; centre of gravity for the long piece.
a. What is the big idea you want to assert in your piece?
2. What do you need to say that will support your idea or claim?
a. What supporting assertions are essential?
b. What details are key to the support?
3. You need a beginning, middle & end.
a. You have to say just enough; no too much and not too little.
b. How many parts will there be so that I say just the right amount?
i. Each part has to serve a purpose. They have to introduce, support and bring
closure to the idea you are addressing.
4. You need to translate your idea into a flow. (WEB to LINE)
Producing the Piece
1. You need to write all the parts so that they stand on their own and also become integral pieces
of the whole.
a. Each paragraph must contain aa useful and essential unit of thought that adds to the
main idea of the piece. The paragraphs must all pull towards the main idea.
b. You need to frame your piece with a good beginning and ending.
c. The middle must contain the meaty details of your idea.
2. Framing- Beginning
a. Introduce the idea
b. Hook the audience
c. Make a promise to deliver important, significant or relevant information.
3. Framing- Ending
a. Ask the “so what” question. Why is what you said important?
b. Return to the theme in the beginning. (Scenario, question, fact, statement, image,
concept)
c. Put it all together, what does your piece add up to?
d. Include a provocative quote or insight.
e. Propose a course of action, solution, resolution.
f. State the implications in the life of the audience if what you say is significant.
g. Point to broader influences or issues.
4. OIL
a. Keep in mind that your IDEAS, ORGANIZATION & LANGUAGE are all intertwined in
producing a strong & effective piece of writing.
CHECKLIST
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I have collected all of my raw material
I have organized and completed the “Coloured Organizer”
I have written my main idea in a statement.
I know what I have to say to support my main idea.
I have an outline of the parts of my long piece.
o Beginning
o Middle
o End
I have written my paragraphs
I have revised my writing to the best of my ability
o RADaR
o Read out loud
o Feedback from others