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THE MAIN EVENT |
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We are saving the best for last . . . almost.The main event is the most critical aspect of the story. It is the difference in a child receiving the highest scores of either a 3 or 4, or receiving a score of a 2 or lower.
The main event is the grand finale. Up to this point, the writer has hooked the reader with an entertaining beginning, elaborated with details, and used suspense to strengthen the story promise, which is that the main event is worth waiting for. |
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How To Cook Up A Main Event
Blend together the following ingredients:
Action
Dialogue
Description
The main character's thoughts/feelings |
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Read below for a sample that helps you think through the whole process. |
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SUMMARY STATEMENT:
I spilled a whole pot of soup and made a big mess.
This is NOT a main event. In one sentence, we have summed up everything that took place. There are many things that could go wrong, and spilling a pot of soup could be a funny, entertaining main event.
Alright then, let's get started. Imagine that we spilled the pot of soup while walking across the kitchen. Is it heavy? What are you carrying it with? What kind of pot is it? With these questions answered, we can start. |
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I grasped the huge black cast iron pot with my old ragged potholders. "UGH!" I groaned. "This pot weighs a ton!" |
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REMEMBER: We need to have action, description, and dialogue. So far so good.
But we also need need to tell the main event in 'slow-motion,' with frame-by-frame action. We need to stretch out the actual falling part.
How are you walking with this heavy pot? What might get caught in the rug to cause you to fall? Do you fall immediately or do you tip back and forth? |
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I grasped the huge black cast iron pot with my old ragged potholders. "UHG!" I groaned. "This pot weighs a ton!" I plodded on with heavy steps, every muscle straining with the weight of the pot. "Uhhhh!" I said, sweat forming along my brow, feeling very warm from the steam floating up from the hot soup. Suddenly my toe got snagged on something. I looked down. My poor little toe was stuck in the fringe that was unraveling along the edge of the old rag rug in the middle of the floor. I tipped to the left. "Woooh!" I yelled as the soup sloshed toward the edges of the pot. GLOOP! GLOOP! GLOOP! The soup spilled over the edge of the pot as I tipped to the right. Thick, greasy soup slopped down the sides of the pot. "HOT! HOT!" I yelled as the soup dripped over my fingers. |
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Now the pot is ready to fall and let the mess begin.
Other questions to consider: How does the pot actually fall? What kind of sound does it make? What would you say as it fell? How does the kitchen look when the pot falls? Do you fall as well? What is your reaction to the spill?
Finally, the last questions to ask: How will you clean it up? What did you learn from this experience? |
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Click here for more practice. There are several written examples including more summary statements with teaching tips.
Click Here |
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Click here for what the finished, fully elaborated main event might read like:
Click Here |
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