Planning an Appreciation

Part of writing is planning. Determine your focus and write an outline for your appreciation. The outline will serve as a useful guide as you write. Here is a sample outline based on the article, “Charlotte A. Cavatica: Bloodthirsty, Wise and True” by Melissa Block. It has four basic parts, and each part has several paragraphs.


Focus/Big Idea:
I, like E. B. White, see the true magic and beauty of a spider and her web. Thus, I, too, am very fond of Charlotte A. Cavatica, and each time I read Charlotte’s Web, my appreciation for her grows.

Outline:
I. Introduction – why I care about Charlotte
a. Describe time a grew fond of watching a spider outside my house
b. Transition to Charlotte’s Web
c. Give background on the character of Charlotte and why she is amazing

II. “Not prettified in any way” – other people’s perspectives on her
a. Neumeyer’s perception: “Sort of elegant, sexy, classy, sophisticated.”
b. Martha White: “Loyal…severe, authoritarian…”
c. Roger Angell: “disciplined…orderly”
d. E. B. White: the spider is not prettified; he spent a year studying spiders

III. “A Mona Lisa face” – the look of her
a. White struggled with the right face for Charlotte and Garth Williams had to go through many drafts
b. The book was a huge success and even turned into a movie

IV. A tribute from a devoted partner?
a. Martha White said she wondered if Charlotte was a tribute to his wife who was also loyal and true
b. End with poem “Natural History” by E. B. White in which he compares his devotion to his wife to a spider spinning a web


This is just one way to structure this type of composition. Consult your mentor packet for more ideas on how to organize it. Be creative. This does not have to be a five-paragraph essay unless you want it to be.

Also, for your outline, you can follow the above format, make a list or web, or draw panels for each part. Do what’s right for you as a writer. Make sure you write your focus and the main parts of your appreciation. Include evidence and examples you may use.

Now, go on plan your appreciation and then start drafting.

Happy writing!