5 Easy Ways to Build Writer’s Notebook Topics
- February 6, 2023
Writing can often be a time-consuming and creative endeavor, especially when trying to find writer’s notebook topics. From generating ideas to organizing your thoughts, writing can easily overwhelm even the most experienced writers, so making it manageable for your students is important.
Here are five easy methods to develop ideas for your writer’s notebook!
Want more ways to build writer’s notebook topics join me for five days in the Writer’s Notebook Challenge as we transform how you and your students use notebooks!
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Use lists to generate ideas for writing
One great way to come up with writer’s notebook topics is to use the power of lists. Whether it’s an inspirational list of places you want to travel, things you want to learn or goals you want to accomplish, lists are a great way to generate topics for writing. Lists can be as simple as the following topics:
Favorite things
Least favorite things
Characteristics of a friend
Best life events
Movies you have seen
Favorite video games
Favorite show
List of questions
Lists are a work in progress, continually encouraging students to update ideas in their notebooks – inspiration can strike at any time.
Writer’s Notebook Heart Map (and Writing Territories)
This strategy is similar to generating lists, but it asks the students to think on a more personal level. Georgia Heard’s Heart Maps * are one way to encourage students to find what matters to them. Heart maps can then turn into stories or topics for writing when students are stuck on what to write.
Another strategy for writer’s notebook topics is Kelly Gallagher’s Writing Territories. This is a simple strategy where students list any and every topic they know about or have experience with. The idea is simple, but many students need prompting or an example. Students will say, “I don’t know anything” or “I haven’t done anything.” Brainstorm as a class and share some of your list with students, this will get the ball rolling. It is important to revisit the list often and add to it when inspiration strikes. The Writing Territories strategy can be found in Teaching Adolescent Writers * by Kelly Gallagher.
Another creative way to come up with ideas for your writer’s notebook topics is to pick a noun and write. Take one simple word, like “tree” or “beach,” and explore all the possibilities associated with it. Write about adventures that take place at the beach, describe an enchanted tree deep in the forest, or let your imagination soar and create something totally new!
It is okay and normal to stray off topic and I encourage students to allow their minds to stray. New ideas may come up and take the story to a new place or spark new ideas. This is part of the excitement and magic of the writer’s notebook! Let students make it their own, a place for their unique thoughts and perspectives to take shape.
Challenging students to come up with something unique can lead to some of their best work.
Read to Write
Reading is a great way to discover new topics and inspire writer’s notebook topics. Reading the work of other authors helps students gain valuable insights into different writing styles and techniques, while also providing new ideas for writer’s notebook topics.
This is a perfect activity for a mini-lesson as a class; using picture books is a bite-sized way to expose students to rich text in less time. The first read through should be as readers and for the enjoyment of a good story. The second read through should be as writers – analyzing and evaluating writer’s craft. Students must practice this many times with a teacher as a facilitator before they will begin to do this on their own; the goal is to have them reading like writers on their own!
Keep an eye out for exciting plot lines and creative use of language as students read—these can spark an idea for a new story or poem in the writer’s notebook.
Three-by-three (3 x 3)
There are two ways to do a 3×3 for writer’s notebook topics.
3×3 Strategy One
The first way is simple, but challenges students to think about previously listed topics in a new way. Have students look back at lists they have created, topics they have used in their writer’s notebooks, or new ideas.
Write the topic or idea on a new page in their notebook.
Set the timer for 3 minutes
Write as many 3 word phrases as possible about the chosen topic.
3×3 Strategy Two
This strategy relies on three columns and three rows, with each column and row representing a different idea.
In the first column, list any characters or people for the story. The second column lists three settings or locations which could be used in the story. The third column lists actions for the characters to take. Once you’ve completed your 3 x 3 chart, explore possible combinations of characters/people – settings – actions.
Students will also want to consider the motivation of the characters and figurative language, but for the purpose of the writer’s notebook topics, this is enough to get the creative juices flowing. Students might encounter difficulties in thinking about topics; providing task cards with ideas might spark creativity. Grab the task cards here
Building writer’s notebook topics does not need to be a struggle. Remember to have fun, language is fun and students should use their notebooks to explore new ideas and play with language. As always, the magic is in the process, friends!
The magic is in the process!
More on Writer’s Notebook Topics
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I help secondary teachers bring the magic and joy to writing instruction in the secondary classroom!
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How to Title an Essay, With Tips and Examples
If you read this blog regularly, you’ll notice something about our blog posts’ titles: They all summarize what their post is about. This is so you know exactly what you’ll find in the post, so if you’re looking for specific tips, you know exactly which post to read.
An essay title does the same thing. There are a lot of similarities between essays and blog posts , and one of those similarities is that for the title to be effective, it needs to be concise and clear. It should also contain one or more keywords, which tells readers the essay’s main topic. Write papers with confidence Grammarly helps you make the grade Write with Grammarly
What is the purpose of an essay title?
An essay title tells readers what your essay is about. This gives them a heads up on what to expect from the essay and, if they’re reading it to conduct their own research, whether it’s relevant to their area of study.
Ideally, an essay title also catches readers’ attention and stokes their curiosity, prompting them to read your work. How important it is to achieve this depends on the kind of essay you’re writing—if it’s an assigned essay and your instructor has to read it, an engaging title isn’t your top priority. But if you’re submitting your essay to a contest, as part of an application to college or graduate school, or pitching it for publication, it needs a catchy, intriguing title because the title is the first part of your work the editor or admissions committee will see. And depending on the title’s catchiness and other circumstances of your submission, it could be the deciding factor in whether they read your essay.
As we mentioned above, a strong essay title gives a clear preview of what the reader will find in your writing . You don’t have to give it all away, but it should act as a general briefing on what to expect from your work and make them want to continue reading it.
>>Read more: How to Start an Essay: 7 Tips for a Knockout Introduction
What are the rules for essay titles?
Guidelines for essay titles in mla format.
In MLA format , your essay’s title should be in title case. That means every principle word— words that aren’t articles , prepositions , coordinating conjunctions , or the word “to” paired with an infinitive —is capitalized. The only exception to this is when one of these words is the first or last word in the essay’s title. Here’s a quick example:
Looking Through the Rear Window: Perspective in Hitchcock’s Films
Guidelines for essay titles in APA format
Similarly to MLA format, APA format requires essay titles to be in title case. In addition to this formatting requirement, APA requires that essay titles be succinct and specifically not contain any abbreviations or unnecessary words. Here is an example of how an essay title looks in APA format:
Effects of Blue Light on Boston Lettuce Crops
See how straightforward this essay title is? You know exactly what the essay is going to be about: How exposure to blue light impacts growing Boston lettuce crops. Keep in mind that APA format is typically used for scientific and technical work, so it’s unlikely you’ll use figurative language in your title.
Guidelines for essay titles in Chicago Manual of Style format
Chicago style also requires that essay titles be in title case. Other than that, Chicago style doesn’t have specific guidelines for what a title should or shouldn’t include. Here is an example of an essay title in Chicago style:
2021 Returns: What We Projected vs. Actual Returns
How to brainstorm your essay title
When you’re brainstorming for your essay, think about the potential titles you can choose. Jot down your keyword and the kind of essay you’re writing, such as an analytical or compare-and-contrast essay . This won’t only help you determine an effective title, but it can also help you determine the best way to structure your essay .
Stay away from punny or otherwise funny titles unless you’re writing a humorous or personal piece—your creative writing class is probably the only course where that kind of title is appropriate.
Here’s what your essay title should include
- One or more relevant keywords to your subject
- Any other necessary words or phrases that tell the reader what to expect from your essay
- When applicable, a catchy phrase or figurative language
Let’s take another look at the example essay titles from the section above. In the first example, Looking Through the Rear Window: Perspective in Hitchcock’s Films , we have the following elements:
- An attention-grabbing phrase that references one of Hitchcock’s most well-known films
- The keyword “perspective,” which tells us immediately what this essay is about
- Clarity around how the essay specifically explores perspective in Hitchcock’s films and instances where Hitchcock used perspective as a storytelling device
Now take a look at the example APA title essay, Effects of Blue Light on Boston Lettuce Crops. This one is more straightforward and technical. But still, it’s got the key elements that make up a strong essay title:
- A clear preview of exactly what’s in the essay: data on how an environmental factor affects specific crops
- Clear keywords: “blue light” and “Boston lettuce crops”
Additionally, notice how the tone is different from the tone in the MLA essay title. This essay title feels more objective and detached from its subject, giving a preview of the tone the reader will find in the essay.
What not to include in your essay title
It’s usually best to stay away from negative or controversial terms. Do this even if your essay is taking a stand against something or arguing that another position is harmful. Instead, reframe your position using neutral or positive words to avoid potentially offending a reader or undermining your own position by coming across as aggressive or bitter. Compare these two essay titles:
- Why Rerouting Campus Traffic Is a Terrible Idea
- Finding Solutions to Campus Traffic Challenges
See how the second option, the one that avoids negative language, sounds more engaging and promises a more resolution-oriented read? Remember, your reader is supposed to draw their own conclusions from your essay—don’t attempt to do their work for them by telling them what to think in your title.
As you brainstorm titles, write them down so you can revisit them after you complete your first draft. Once you have a finished draft , it can be a lot easier to determine the title that fits your essay best.
Essay title examples
Take a look at these example essay titles and take note of how the tones and vocabulary vary between essay types. A title that’s perfect for a persuasive essay might not be right for a college application or expository essay . And similarly, a title that works for a comparative essay might be too lackluster for a personal or argumentative essay .
Personal essays
Why I’ll Never Wear a Blue Baseball Cap Again
How 20 Years in Corporate America Made Me a Better Parent
Analytical essays
What is Love? How Romantic and Modern Artists’ Answers Differ
Three Reasons Why We Won’t See a Repeat of the 2008 Bubble
Argumentative essays
The Correlation between New School Buildings and Higher Test Scores—Three Stats You Can’t Ignore
Are We Using the Right Success Metrics for Students?
Persuasive essays
Four Ways Free Wi-Fi Will Boost the City’s Economy
Unless We Take Action, This Heat Wave Is Just the Beginning
Compare-and-contrast essays
Dynamite, Profit, and the Pursuit of Power: Chasing White Whales in Moby Dick and Jaws
Outdoor Growth Patterns of Shiitake and Lion’s Mane Mushrooms
College application essays
What Scooping Ice Cream Taught Me about Human Nature
Dancing and Math Are More Similar than You Realize
Essay title FAQs
What is an essay title.
An essay title concisely states what an essay is about.
Why is an essay title important?
An essay title is important because it accomplishes a few things:
- Tells readers what the essay is about
- Catches potential readers’ attention
- Helps researchers sort essays and find the ones most relevant to their work
What should you consider when creating an essay title?
When creating an essay title, think about the essay’s purpose. Then, explain the essay’s subject and purpose in a brief clause or short sentence, making it appropriately intriguing to draw readers’ attention.
