Writing Coach
Checklist
Introduction
1. Tell
me about your writing ~ where you are in the process and which trait(s) you'd like to talk
about.
2.
Where did you get
the idea for your paper?
3. How would
you describe your paper (e.g., story, expository essay, persuasive argument, description)?
4.
What are you
planning to work on next?
5. What would you like me to listen for as you share your piece?
Ideas and Content
1. What
do you see as your main idea?
2. What do you want
your reader to learn or think about?
3. Which part
of your paper comes closest to saying what you think is really important?
4. Is there one
detail you're really proud of including because other people might not have thought of
it?
5. Do you feel
you have plenty of information to keep writing on this topic? If not, do you know how or
where to get the information you need?
6.
As a reader
(listener), this is the main thing I learned from your paper.
What's the one
thing you want your reader to know?
What
details have you included to focus your paper?
Organization
1. Read
me the lead to your piece. How did you think to begin that way? Did you write more than
one lead, or were you happy with the first one?
2.
For
expository/persuasive writing: What is the most
important point you make in this paper? Is it close to the beginning, middle, or end? Why?
3. For narrative writing: Does your story
have a turning point or most important moment? Does it come close to the beginning,
middle, or end?
4. Read
just your conclusion out loud to me and talk to me about it. Tell me why you ended the
paper the way you did.
What is the most
important part of your piece?
Why did you put
it where you did?
Voice
2. 2.
Who do you see as your main audience?
3. 3.
What would you like a reader or listener to feel?
4.
4.
Here's how I feel when I listen to your paper.
What does this
writing say about your personality?
How have you
made the writing speak for itself?
Word Choice
1. Do you have favorite words or expressions in this piece? Show me.
2. Are there any
words you used for the first time? Which ones?
3. Are there any
words you weren't sure of? Shall we look them up?
4. Did you use a
thesaurus or dictionary? Tell me about that.
5. Are there any
words or phrases you're not happy with? Shall we brainstorm some other ways to say it?
6. This is the
word or expression that caught my attention.
Do the words
say exactly what you want them to say?
Are there
places where your words could be more
Sentence Fluency
1. 1. You seemed to have an easy (not so easy) time reading your
paper aloud.
Am I right about that? Can you explain that?
2. 2. My
impression was that your sentences did (did not) tend to begin the same way. Do you agree?
3.
Would you like me to read all or a piece of your work so you could be the listener?
How do you feel
when you hear your piece read?
Which parts
sound smooth and musical?
Conventions and Editing
1. Have
you edited your paper yet? Show me how much of the paper
2. 2. Do you
have any editing questions you'd like to ask me?
3. 3. Do
you feel comfortable using a dictionary (spell-checker)?
4. 4. Tell me
about this mark punctuation. Why did you use it here? What does it tell your reader?
5. Talk to me
about your editing procedures. What do you do
(e.g. read over, read
aloud, talk to a friend, use a dictionary, refer to editing sheets,
etc.)?
Did you show
respect for your readers by
doing your best
to edit your writing?
Is it as
correct as it can be?