Another Tool for Telling Tales

PicLits is a creative writing site that matches beautiful images with carefully selected keywords in order to inspire you. The object is to put the right words in the right place and the right order to capture the essence, story, and meaning of the picture.

This free online application found its way to the American Association of School Librarians list under the Digital Storytelling, Standards for the 21st Century Learner, 4.1.7 Use social networks and information tools to gather and share information. 4.1.8 Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning. and 4.3.1 Participate in the social exchange of ideas, both electronically and in person heading. 

To register for use, as with most applications, an email address is necessary, a password needs to be given and a pen name needs to be chosen.  Once the user is registered two options are available for creating a PicLit---Drag-n-drop (using only words that are listed beneath the photograph) or Freestyle (writing your own words on a page watching them appear on the picture as you type).

It is advisable to select the Learn It button at the top of the screen before attempting to pen a PicLit.  A screen appears with Write It, Rhyme It and Master It icons.  The Write It icon guides users in the basics of sentence structure up to writing a complete paragraph.  Word rhyming, poems in general and similes are discussed in Rhyme It.  Master It includes full blown lesson plans regarding poetry and the writing of poetry.

There is a large gallery of photographs from which to choose that provide ample inspiration.  To the right of the PicLit screen are four tools--Save, Blog or Share, Email or New PicLit.  When a PicLit is saved it is housed in a cloud online.  When retrieved it can be edited, shared, emailed or deleted.

To use as a group brainstorming lesson or for individual writing pieces nothing could be simpler.

The blog or share it feature does not seem to be working at this time but PicLits can be viewed in the gallery.  When you click on the Explore The Gallery heading you can search by newest, highest rated, sample PicLits, by picture and by author which is an alphabetical listing of usernames. I am going to link to my two "creations".  The first  link is a PicLit using their words.  The second  illustrates how you can use your own thoughts.