One of the biggest differences between writing that stays in your notebook and writing that gets published online is that you have to be on your A-game when it comes to formatting your reading responses. When you are emailing or texting your friends, that is a different kind of writing and a lack of conventions (following grammar rules) may be appropriate. Our blogs, though, are a way of practicing writing in an academic setting. Please practice using academic writing on your blogs. I'll be looking for the following conventions that you should already be familiar with on your blog:
- Underline (or italicize) and capitalize the title of your book
- Use purposeful paragraphs when you switch to a new topic or idea
- Capitalization in general: you know what gets capitalized! Don't scare me!
Part Two: Write for an Audience
Your thoughts are no longer living in your notebook and your peers will be reading your thoughts. That means that you need to write with your audience in mind. It is important to think about the following:
- Give your reader a bit of context so that he or she can understand what you are writing about. Context can be attained in 1-2 sentences and includes the title of the book plus a brief introduction to the character, setting and conflict. For example, "I have been reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, set in a dystopian, futuristic society that forces 12 children to participate in an Olympic-style game, only it is to the death. The reader is allowed inside the mind of Katniss, the main character, as she fights her way through the games."
- Try to "bookend" your post thoughtfully: use a lead to begin and try to leave your reader thinking at the end.
- As a courtesy, if you are writing about the end of a book, put a "spoiler alert" in the post so that anyone who hasn't read the book doesn't see what happened in the end, just in case they want to read the book. It is very possible to write a reading response thoughtfully without giving away the entire plot.
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