Guidelines for Submissions and Comments

We welcome students, teachers, parents, and community members to submit original works of writing.  These submissions may be sent to swansboroteach@gmail.com and must follow the submission guidelines below.  After they are submitted and reviewed, the writings will be posted by the webmasters of this blog.

• ORIGINAL work only
• Microsoft Word document
• Two pages or less, single spaced
• 12 pt Times New Roman font
• Clipart is optional
• Your story needs to include:
• A title
• Your name
• Your school (for students, teachers, and parents)
• Your grade (for students and teachers)
• Send as an e-mail attachment to swansboroteach@gmail.com.

We encourage POSITIVE comments on writings you enjoy.  All comments will be moderated to ensure proper commenting etiquette.  Inappropriate comments WILL NOT be posted.

Example Story: Into the Dark

Here is a sample story, and an example of acceptable comments.        

            Last Halloween, my family and I decided to forgo the typical Trick or Treating around the neighborhood, and instead, go to the Fear Factory in Morehead City.  I had heard lots of things from friends about how scary an experience it was for all of them, but I had figured that they were all just a bunch of scaredy cats.  After all, how scary could a place be that is coated in fake spider webs, with fake figures perched all around?
           That night, we set off for our half hour trip at 8:30 sharp, each of us eager for this ghoulish experience.   We had dressed in regular clothes, but we all brought an extra jacket because fall had come early that year, and there was a good chance that frost would settle on the ground before we purchased our tickets and entered the building.
           A half hour ride later, we stood in line and awaited our turn.  At first, I was excited to show everyone that I was not easily scared and this nonsense had no chance of making me scream with fear….but the longer we stood, my face turned from stoic to stone cold fear.
          The echoes of noises that emanated from the old house made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.  Each echoed moan and shrill scream was captured by my ears.  My heart rate climbed as I saw the ghost-like faces of the people exiting the building from their turn inside. I expected that when people exited they would be laughing and sharing their experience.  Instead, their blood-drained faces remained silent as they walked on unsteady legs toward their cars.
          My feet were firmly planted and unwilling to move forward.  My brain kept sending me signals to flee, run…hide…before it is too late! My blood turned to ice as I neared the front of the line. And all too soon, I was “next”.   As I opened the door, I saw that there was no light to guide my way inside.  I looked back at the line of people still waiting their turn.  I think I wanted them to remember my face, in case I did not return. Taking a deep breath, I walked past the line of light and into the dark unknown of the Fear Factory.

November Writing Prompts

Here are some suggested writing prompts for each genre of writing.  Feel free to use these, or be creative and come up with your own!  The possibilities are endless!

 

Writing Genre	Suggested Writing Prompt
Letter	Write a friendly letter to thank the Pilgrims and Native Americans for inviting you to the first Thanksgiving.
Persuasive	The best former president was ____ because…  I would make a great president because… Why should/shouldn’t we eat turkey at Thanksgiving?
Personal	Write from the point of view of a turkey at Thanksgiving.
Imaginative	Imagine that Chief ____ shows up at your house for Thanksgiving dinner.  Tell what happens.
Clarification	Tell about three things we wouldn’t see/eat at the first Thanksgiving that we see/eat now.