Journals are another way of getting writing ideas. Write your thoughts and your opinions in your journal, snippets of interesting dialogue you have heard, ideas for stories and poems, descriptions of people--anything you want. It is your

journal. Below are two journal entries.

A. Journal one: a letter

Audience-a small child

Purpose-Inform: you have just joined a big brother/big sister program and you are writing a letter to your little sister or brother introducing yourself and saying why you will be a great big brother or sister.

B. Journal two: a letter.

Audience-A male or female your own age whom you wish to date

Purpose-persuade, You will convince him or her why you are the best person for him or her.

BRAINSTORMING

The brainstorm is a technique for gathering ideas for a topic or for gathering information once a topic is chosen. Two variations exist. One is the free-style brainstorm where the writer sits and writes for ten minutes or so without pausing. The second type is more controlled where the writer begins with a word or phrase or sentence.

Warm-up exercise one: First do a free-style brainstorm; write for ten minutes about whatever comes to your mind.

Warm-up exercise two: Next try a more controlled brainstorm by beginning with one of the following words or phrases:

1. School 2. Freedom 3. Family 4. I believe that 5. I have often wondered why ... 6. I want people to know that I ...

When you are finished with your brainstorms choose 5 topics which could be expanded into an article or  speech.  List them and write down three possible support points for each topic.

Write three possible speech topics for each one of the following categories.

1. Music:

2. Family:

3, Movies:

4. Contemporary Issues:

5. Controversial Issues: