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Dear Mr. Coville,
Our 5th grade class is currently reading My Teacher is an Alien. We love reading how Susan Simmons is finding out her teacher is an alien (we are currently reading chapter 5). Do you have any book suggestions for our class? Also, do you have any tips for us as writers?
Sincerely,
Mrs. Black's Class
Our 5th grade class is currently reading My Teacher is an Alien. We love reading how Susan Simmons is finding out her teacher is an alien (we are currently reading chapter 5). Do you have any book suggestions for our class? Also, do you have any tips for us as writers?
Sincerely,
Mrs. Black's Class
Reply by Bruce Coville
Ahoy, Mrs. Black's Class -
I'm delighted to know that you are reading (and enjoying!) MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN!
As far as book suggestions - what are you looking for? More science fiction? Some fantasy? Books by me, or by other people? Tell me a bit more about what you want, and I will offer some suggestions.
Here are three writing tips for you:
1. When you're trying to make a scene come alive, use more than one of the senses. By that I mean don't just tell me what a place looks like; tell me what it smells like and what it sounds like.
2. To help make your characters more memorable, give them some little trait that is unusual, something to help them stick in the reader's mind. (For example, a character might put mustard on everything he or she eats. Or only reads mystery books. Or has a habit he or she uses - like biting his/her tongue - while thinking.)
3. Read your writing out loud. This will help you discover things that you need to fix when you are revising.
Happy reading . . . and writing!
your friend,
Bruce Coville
I'm delighted to know that you are reading (and enjoying!) MY TEACHER IS AN ALIEN!
As far as book suggestions - what are you looking for? More science fiction? Some fantasy? Books by me, or by other people? Tell me a bit more about what you want, and I will offer some suggestions.
Here are three writing tips for you:
1. When you're trying to make a scene come alive, use more than one of the senses. By that I mean don't just tell me what a place looks like; tell me what it smells like and what it sounds like.
2. To help make your characters more memorable, give them some little trait that is unusual, something to help them stick in the reader's mind. (For example, a character might put mustard on everything he or she eats. Or only reads mystery books. Or has a habit he or she uses - like biting his/her tongue - while thinking.)
3. Read your writing out loud. This will help you discover things that you need to fix when you are revising.
Happy reading . . . and writing!
your friend,
Bruce Coville