Invention

The first stage in the writing process

Kinds of Invention

ClusteringListingCubingDramatizingLoopingQuestioning

ClusteringIn a word or phrase, write your topic in the

center of a piece of paper. Circle it.Also in words or phrases, write down the main

parts of central ideas of your topic. Circle these, and connect them to the topic in the center.

Generate facts, details, examples, or ideas related in any way to these main parts. Cluster these around the main points.

Cumberland

Academics Athletics

Campus Life

Facilities Extracurricular

EnglishMath

CriticalThinking

Business

NursingEducation

Science

Football Basketball

Baseball

Volleyball

Pursuit ofExcellence

EligibilityFCA

BSU

StudentGovernmentGreek

LifeCafeteria

Dorms Studying

MemorialHall

JustinPotter

LibraryFine Arts

Center

DallasFloyd

ListingGive your list a title.Write as fast as you can, relying on short phrases.Include anything that seems at all useful. Do not try to be

judgmental at this point.Reflect on your list and organize

Put asterisks by the most promising items. Number key items in order of importance. Put items in related groups. Cross out items that do not seem promising. Add new items.

Reasons I Like My ChurchPastor is intelligent and open-mindedMusic is very goodFood is good on Wednesday nightsI like the people in my Sunday school classThe church helps house and feed homeless people*2It welcomes all people, regardless of race or sexual orientationWomen are allowed to assume positions of authority*3We help each other out when we need to move*1We are good at helping families when loved ones are sick or dyingWe participate in Tying Nashville TogetherThe church values the input of children, teenagers, and young adultsWe are allowed to decided whether our money goes to the SBC or notThe pastor takes brave stands on issues in the communityI am never asked to say I believe something that I don’t

CubingExplore a writing topic by looking at it from six perspectives:

describing, comparing, associating, analyzing, applying, and arguing.

Guidelines for cubing Select a person, scene, event, object, etc. Limit your writing to 3-5 minutes per perspective. Write from all six perspectives. Begin with what you know, but also ask questions about what you

might need to know. Reread what you have written, looking for bright spots or surprises.

The Cube

Describing: What does your subject look like? What size is it? Color? Shape?

Texture? Name its parts.

Comparing: What is your subject similar to? Different from?

Associating

DialoguingWrite a conversation between two speakers.

Label the speakers “A” and “B,” or make up names for them.

If you get stuck, you might have one of the speakers ask the other a question.

Write brief responses to keep the conversation moving fast. Do not spend much time planning or rehearsing responses.

DramatizingMethod (How?)

Action (What?)Motives (Why?)

Setting (When and where?) Actors (Who?)

More on DramatizingConsider each point of the star alone, but also

consider the relationships among these five elements. What are the motives of the actors? What is the effect of setting on the actors? What are the relationships among the actors?

Dramatizing can be an effective way to analyze readers whom you want to inform or convince.

Looping

Write down your area of interest.Write nonstop for ten minutes.After ten minutes, pause to reread what you have

written. Decide what is most important and express this in a single sentence.

Beginning with this sentence, write nonstop for ten minutes.

Summarize in one sentence again.Keep looping until you produce a focus or thesis.

Questioning (Heuristics)

Think about your subject.Start with the first question in the list. Try

to answer each question, but some questions will provoke more writing than others.

Write your responses quickly, without much planning. Follow digressions or associations. Do not screen anything out. Be playful.

A Boring Paragraph

Heath was hot as he watched the fire burning the field. It also smelled and was loud. It left a bad taste in his mouth.

A Sensory ChartSight Sound Touch Smell Taste

Ashes spiralinginto the air,red, then black,then white

Large, lickingtongues of redflame

Dry grasscrinkling underthe heat

Black patchesof burned grass

Water arcingtoward the fire

The low-pitched roarof the fire

Higher-pitchedsounds ofgrass burningand twigspopping

Water sizzlingas it meets thefire

Mice runningthrough thegrass awayfrom the fire

Shimmeringheat in his face

Sweat pouringdown his face,cheeks, andarms

The heavy hosein his hands,bulky andpropelling himbackward

His feet bracedon the hard,burned groundbeneath him

Bitter smell ofburned grass

Theevaporatingwater smellslike a springrain, but mixedwith death

A light breezebrings a hint ofhoneysuckle

Charred tomatoplants

Salty sweat,mixed withbitter carbonfrom the ashesof the flame

Cool pure waterwith just a hintof metal fromthe rim of hiscanteen

The start of a better paragraph

Heath braced his feet on the hard ground to hold his position as the water streamed from the end of the bulky hose, trying to push himbackwards. He watched as the flames licked the sky, then turnedinto ashes, fiery red at first, then black, finally floating toward the road on the light breeze that brought a hint on honeysuckle from the direction of the house, a welcome change from the bitter burninggrass and charred tomato plants. The water from the hose sizzled asit met the fire, a light sound against the ominous low roar. Sweatpoured down his face, cheeks, and arms. A drop settled on the top ofhis lip. He captured it with his tongue, but found it salty and lacedwith bitter carbon from the falling ashes. He watched as the grassseparated a few yards away. He knew it must be a snake making his escape from the inferno.

Make Your Own Sensory ChartSight Sound Touch Smell Taste