I hate starting an essay.

I'll avoid starting the essay as long as possible. Sometimes, I'll start cleaning the house to avoid starting an essay. I hate starting essays because I don't know how to start. When I sit down in front of the computer I get writers block. Nothing I type sounds good.

A couple of years ago, I watched an interview with Stephen Spielberg where he talked about the importance of an opening scene in a movie, and it occurred to me that the introductory paragraph is like the opening scene in a movie. Most movies have strong opening scenes, and do a good job of hooking the audience.

Now, when I struggle to begin an essay I visualize the argument. I think about how this argument would work if I was making a documentary film, and most of the time that visualization process helps me with my writing.

I made the video below for my 9th graders, who often struggle with beginning their essays too. The video uses opening scenes from the several movies (Indiana Jones, Up, The Lion King, Warm Bodies, and Iron Man 3) to help students generate ideas for their introductory paragraphs.

This is a video for my 9th grade class at LBHS. It helps students learn how to write introductory paragraphs by comparing the introduction to the opening scene of a movie. To help emphasize the point, I use the following movies: Up, Indiana Jones & Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Lion King, Iron Man 3, and Warm Bodies.