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Writing Developing Your First Draft
Begin Your Story 🟪 Get your readers interested by introducing your characters and the historical event right away. Begin with dialogue, action, or a lively description. Here’s how Gary Copeland, a student writer, began his story:
Neil Armstrong opened the hatches between the Columbia Command Module and the Lunar Lander, Eagle. “Well, here we go,” he said as he glided through the opening. His white flight suit vanished into the Eagle, and Buzz Aldrin followed.
Michael Collins started to close the hatch behind them. “Good luck, you two. That lander is the weirdest looking contraption I’ve ever seen in the sky.”
The airlocks sealed, and Armstrong’s voice came across the intercom: “Prepare for separation.”
Keep Your Story Going 🟪 Once you begin the main action, keep your characters moving forward with different actions and scenes. Add background facts where they fit. Here’s a scene from the middle of Gary’s story:
“We can’t set down in that boulder field!” Aldrin said, pointing through the window of Eagle.