Projects: Storybook Introduction 

After brainstorming and planning your Storybook, you should be ready to now to write the Introduction and publish it at your Storybook website. A good way to get ideas is also just to browse through past Storybooks to see what kinds of introduction styles you find there. You will also find suggestions and comments from me in your previous Project email, so make sure you look at that also.

There is also this option: jump right in with the first story. Depending on your project, you might not need an Introduction. Instead, you can just start right in with your first Story page. If that is what you want to do, then use the checklist for adding a Story page: Storybook Story. (You can also add an Introduction later if you decide you need one after all.)

If you are going to start with an Introduction, here's how to do that:

Homepage. Do you have any pending revisions to complete on the homepage? Check the email you got from me last week to see if there is anything more you need to do on the homepage before you add a new page for the Introduction.

Add the Introduction page. As you can see, the Introduction goes on a page of its own, so you need to add a new page to your Storybook website. Here are the instructions for adding new pages at Google Sites; if you are using a different platform, follow the instructions for that platform.

Google Sites: new pages

Write the Introduction. Just what approach you take in your Introduction depends on your Storybook plan. There are basically three types of Introductions:

• Expository Introduction. In an expository introduction you present your topic and give us background information about it, along with telling us something about the stories we will find in your Storybook. This is the style you would use if you are creating an "anthology" type of Storybook where each story stands on its own. It is more like an essay than a story, and it introduces us to background information we need to know before you start telling the actual stories. You would probably include bibliography here, but not an author's note.
• Fictional Introduction. A fictional introduction is when you either present us with your imaginary storyteller (if you are using a storyteller-style), or when you draw us into your imaginary world and introduce us to the characters of that world (if you are using a frametale). The idea is that you bring us into the world here in the Introduction, and then carry on with the first story. You do not need an author's note to go with this fictional introduction; instead, the author's note will go on the first story page after this introduction.
• Intro-Story Hybrid. You might also combine those two types: you could have a paragraph or two of exposition giving us the basic background that we need, and then the fictional introduction. If you want, you could put a background paragraph on your Homepage, with the Introduction page containing the fictional part of introduction.

Introduction length. The total Introduction should be between 300 words minimum and 1000 words maximum. If you are struggling with length (writing something shorter is actually harder than writing something longer!), here are some notes about short-and-sweet writing strategies.

Include an image. Please include at least one image with image information on the Introduction page. You can put the image information down at the very bottom of the page; it does not have to go next to the image.

Proofread and spellcheck. As always, you should proofread by reading out loud and do a spellcheck. If your web publishing platform doesn't have a spellchecker, use these spellcheck suggestions.

When that all looks good to go, you can turn in the assignment!

FILL IN THE FORM and DO THE DECLARATION. To let me know the assignment is done, fill out the form below. Then, after you have submitted the form, you can do the Gradebook Declaration for the Project assignment in Canvas. I will send you back comments on your assignment by email.