![]() A mentor text is a well-written book that gives you the structure, the language, the arc that you could use for your own work. It is especially useful when you hit a wall. I have a fat folder of research on an unsung, feisty American woman with lots of kid appeal. But where to start? What to put in and what to leave out? Should I use chronological, flash-back, anecdotal structure? I was stuck. Then I came across Kathleen Krull’s Dolley Madison: Parties Can Be Patriotic! (Bloomsbury, 2015) on the new book shelf at the library. A quick scan of the first page and I wanted to yell, “EUREKA!” I had found the coach to lead me out of my literary dead end. Kathleen Krull readily came home with me and has stayed for the last couple of weeks. Dolley Madison is part of Krull’s new series on Women Who Broke the Rules. That’s also an apt description of the heroine of my current WIP. Studying the way Krull skillfully wrote Dolley Madison is like having her seated beside my desk, patiently tutoring me. Here are some of the things Kathleen Krull has taught me so far: 1. Use a topic sentence with details--but not always. Note how this topic sentence is followed by the quick fire of four telling details. All the rules in the new country of America were stacked against women. They were like property, first belonging to their fathers, then their husbands. They couldn’t attend college. No respectable jobs were open to them. They couldn’t vote or have any role in government. 2. Use a relevant quotation to hammer home your point. The paragraph above ended with,”In fact America’s FF (Founding Fathers) believed women in politics would be unnatural—‘the world turned upside down.’” 3. When facts are skimpy, frame them with period details you know to be true. Instead of the bare bone fact that Dolley’s husband and child died of yellow fever in 1793, Krull fleshes it out this way: Then the deadly yellow fever reached town in 1793. Spread by mosquitoes, the horrible disease killed one of every five people in Philadelphia. The victims, alas, included Dolley’s new baby and her husband. 4. Know your theme before you start, and refer back to it often. Krull’s first sentence is “Dolley Payne was born with extra zip.” The last two sentences of the first chapter are: “Good thing she had a third secret weapon working for her. That extra zip.” In another chapter, “Would Dolley come to the president’s house…and help? Would she! Dolley jumped in with her usual zest.” The last chapter tells us that in retirement at Montpelier, after a tumultuous and popular reign as First Lady, Dolley “was still the hostess with the mostest.” 5. Use emotional details. Emotion is what makes us connect to characters, even historical ones. With deft strokes, Krull includes heart touching details that bring Dolley, an 18th century woman to 21st century life.
Any of Kathleen Krull’s many titles are like a master class. Stop by your library or bookstore and invite her over. She may be just the coach you need. 10/27/2015 09:49:02 am
Great post Pat! I never imagined that the author was coming home with me 'in' a mentor text, but it really helps to do that when I examine them. It tends to make me ask 'why' the author did it that way...and there, in the space between pages, you can hear them whisper the reasons to you. 10/27/2015 10:25:26 am
Hi Pat - Thanks for allowing me to follow you home! And for this charming analysis. I wish you ALL the best with your new project - sounds like a winner. 10/28/2015 09:45:44 am
I just stumbled on your site and read this blog. It's terrific! 10/29/2015 02:12:28 pm
Great post, Pat! Love the practical examples you found, too!!!! Comments are closed.
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About MeAh, books. I never outgrew my love of children's books. My passion became a career--I was an elementary school librarian. And now I write books for kids! Categories
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Pat Miller * Author, Presenter, Writing Instructor * Richmond, TX
Header illustrations by Kathi Ember * Header design by Joe Kawano * Author photo by Ruth Rose Photography * c2021 NF 4 NF Logo designed by Karah Bradshaw. |