Faiza's Prewriting
Stage 2: Step 1-4
Faiza
Step 1: Who am I
What do you want someone to know about you?
Write down about 10 qualities, passions, or values that are fundamental to who you are.
A quality describes who you are: a deep-seated character trait.
A passion is what you love: an interest, a hobby, an activity, a cause, etc.
A value is what you believe: what guides your decisions and actions.
- Empathetic
- Imaginative
- Photography
- Mature
- Adventure
- Curiosity
- Culture
- Polite
- Writing
- Homeschooled
From this list of 10, pick 3-5 that are MOST important to you:
- Imaginative
- Writing
- Polite
- Photography
- Culture
Step 2: How did I get that way?
Quality, Value, or Passion:
Imaginative
How did I get that way? (can be multiple experiences!)
I have an active imagination. As a little kid I would intensely play barbies with my sister and I would build full worlds for the toys we played with. I would have them act out strict scripts and storylines.
Quality, Value, or Passion:
Writing
How did I get that way? (can be multiple experiences!)
When I was ten years old I loved reading graphic novels and after finishing a series of them I decided I wanted to be an author. Soon after, I came up with my first official story and I’ve been writing ever since.
Quality, Value, or Passion:
Polite
How did I get that way? (can be multiple experiences!)
Standing in a checkout line I had quite a few items to checkout, the lady behind me only had one item so I let her go in front of me and checkout first. She told me how I made her day and it shocked me. You really don’t know what a person is going through, which is why it’s important to be polite, especially to strangers.
Quality, Value, or Passion:
Photography
How did I get that way? (can be multiple experiences!)
Photography is a more recent passion of mine. I love capturing the beauty of the world through artistic angles and lighting.
Step 3: What stories do I have to tell?
Freewrite #1 Quality: Imaginative
A little blanket laid out substitutes the stage. My sister is looking at me like I’m crazy but I don’t care. We have to get this right. I pick up the barbies and show her how it’s done. The script in my head. If she doesn’t follow it perfectly then we need to restart. We play for a little and the dolls are acting out exactly how I want them to but my sister looks irritated. I guess I could lighten up and let her have some control of what the barbies do but I don’t want to. They’re my characters in my world and my sister mocks me so she ruins the script on purpose. This boils my blood. Maybe this is why she doesn’t like playing barbies with me. So what if I’m four years old? It still has to be perfect.
Freewrite #2: Passion: Writing
As I close the last book of the graphic novel series I borrowed from the library I can’t help but feel both satisfied and unaccomplished at the same time. I want to write a graphic novel too. I should tell somebody about this. I go to the living room and walk up to my mother. “Mom, I declare here and now that I am going to be an author.” I say with pride and excitement for my declaration. I then go back into my room and grab the first notebook I can find and my colored pens and get to work. Writing my dialogues to be in my graphic novel because that’s all you need, right? Just dialogues for someone else to illustrate. Right? Oh, I guess I’ll need a little more to go off of. I might as well just make it into a whole book.
Freewrite #3: Quality: Photography
My ankles starting to hurt is the only indication of how long I’ve been squatting for, trying to get the perfect angle for my photo with just the right lighting. The flowers against the sunset were just too pretty to not take a photo. As I adjust the exposure and focusing for what feels like the hundredth time, I question if I’ll ever get the photo just right. A bead of sweat starts to form on the back of my neck. It’s so hot out here. I guess that's the downfall of the pretty summer sunsets. As if my thoughts were heard, a cool breeze embraced me and put some peace into my mind. I’m a sucker for breazy sunsets. Ah, that’s it. I got the perfect photo. Exposure a little lower to counter the sun as it’s going down and the pink flowers contrasting with the blue part of the sky. The rest of the sky was on fire. A blaze of pinks, oranges, and reds streaking across the clouds. All I can do is appreciate that I got to photograph such beauty.
Step 4: What story do I want to tell?
Outline
My Message
What I want the reader to know about me
1-3 of my fundamental qualities, passions, or values:
- Imaginative
- Appreciative of my culture
- Homeschooled
My Medium
Aspect of selfhood I’m focusing on
This is the experience(s), identity(ies), or relationship(s) that are the main topic of your narrative. (At least one, but no more than three recommended or else you probably won’t be able to meaningfully integrate everything in one short essay.)
- Growing up in a multicultural household
- Being homeschooled
- Being muslim
Major moments in my narrative
These will be the “plot points” of your story. Think of your story as one hiking path through the woods of your life. You, the writer, are the guide who is leading the reader on the hike, showing them the way and getting them from point A to point B. What are the major signposts along that path? (Add or delete bullet points here -- there’s no “right” number!)
- What it’s like growing up in a creative/academic driven household.
- My struggles with making friends around my age.
- Finding out how to identify myself when I have been exposed to so many different cultures, personalities, and opinions.
- What it’s like growing up as a Muslim girl and wearing the hijab