Planning the Author’s Craft Essay
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The Author’s Craft Essay: Lesson 11
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When you scheduled for your classes next year, you had to
make choices about whether to devote your elective time to
one area—like theater—or if you will want to try out a whole
bunch of electives—like theater, art, basketball, math, science,
creative writing, foreign languages, etc.
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While either choice is great, one asks you to go deep with
your study in a field, whereas the other allows you to sample
more that life has to offer, but not as profoundly.
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Both can be positive choices, but it depends upon what your
goals are and the background from which you have to work
Connection
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The writer’s of author’s craft essays pause and plan how their
craft essays will go, and when they do this, they have to
choose whether to focus in deeply on one craft move or
whether to analyze a few that they see in a text.
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You will have to make that same decision: Will you focus on
one craft move, showing how that one move is used in the
beginning, middle, and end of a text, or show that an author
uses a cluster of different craft moves to advance one idea.
TEACHING POINT
Here’s one outline option for focus on one craft move:
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In “All Summer in a Day,” Ray Bradbury uses the sun to symbolize
hope.
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In the beginning the sun is shown as something the children dream of at night.
In the middle the sun comes out and the children come to life.
At the end when the sun goes away, the reality of their life and what they did
hits them hard.
Throughout, Bradbury uses figurative language to link the sun to warm,
happy, hopeful things.
Here’s an outline option for focus on several craft moves are used to
advance one idea:
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In “All Summer in a Day” Ray Bradbury uses symbolism, repetition,
and descriptive language to show the children’s need for freedom.
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He uses symbolism to express the children’s need for freedom.
He uses descriptive language to express the children’s need for freedom.
He uses repetition to express the children’s need for freedom.
TEACHING
You will now need to make a choice for which type of craft essay
you will write.
Let’s look at what each entails before you make a decision.
 In the first type where you focus on one craft move, your work in
this kind of essay is going to be focusing on how the author uses
a signature craft move to illuminate a text’s theme across a story.
 In the second type you don’t need to know quite as much about a
particular craft move—you can select a few different things—but
you need to know and be able to talk about a bunch of craft
moves, not just the one and show how those moves work to
advance one idea.
 Look through your notes now, and see which one will work best
for you. You can always switch over if the plan is not working.
Use the generalized outlines to help guide you.
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ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT
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Take out and look over the handout “What Makes a Great
Essay?” on page 26 of your writer’s notebook. Use this
handout as a checklist at this point.
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Check off the boxes where you are confident that you have
already accomplished the work in that area.
Circle the boxes where you still have work to do. Make a plan
for how you will complete the work described in the circled
boxes.
TEACHING
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You are never alone in your essay writing, you will always
have classmates that can help keep your accountable and
doing your best work.
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Lean on the strong partnerships you’ve formed in your
groups to help you make the best decision. Share your
notes and your ideas and allow others to offer their
thoughts on the choices you should make.
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You may find that you have less to say about one craft
move than you originally thought you did. Remember that
good writers are willing to change directions when
something isn’t working.
SMALL GROUP
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Not every outline will work perfectly for every student, if
you have developed your own outline, ask for me to
preview it to make sure the work makes sense before
plowing ahead.
Has any one developed their own outline?
Has anyone decided to jump into drafting because you
already know what you want to write?
MID-WORKSHOP
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Use the Craft Essay Rubric to self-assess your work. Make
some new goals by focusing on one area where you feel
more work needs to be done. Mark up the checklist/rubric!
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Also, be sure to include page numbers. You will need to
cite the page number where you found evidence and create
an MLA source citation for your novel.
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Don’t forget to use your grace notes. You will need to use
at least 2 new ones from the posters on the back wall. Use
any that you feel are right for you. Check your usage! If
you use a word incorrectly, you will not get credit.
SHARE
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We’ve added another goal on our anchor chart.
How to Write an Author’s Craft Essay
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Collect entries on the author’s craft.
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Choose a sport in the text to study and name a few craft moves
you see the author using.
Look for patterns of craft across the text in similar scenes.
Focus on powerful craft moves, like symbolism.
Write a claim for author’s craft, either focusing on one or
many craft moves.
Plan how your essay will go and begin drafting.
SHARE
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Finish planning your Author’s Craft Essay.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Complete an outline for the type of essay you are going to
write. You can even use the SEXY—R organizer as your
outline.
Note page numbers for evidence
Create your MLA citation
Try out some grace notes. How will they work in your essay?
Use the checklists to assess what work you have left to do.
HOMEWORK
***Tomorrow, you will be drafting
your essay in class…so be sure to
have your plan finished.***
Lesson 11A
Consider “What Makes
a Good Essay?”
Follow SEXY R
Use the rubric to check
and identify what
you’re missing
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Write your draft….