Achieving success in Middle School writing is based on familiarity with works of literature and analyzing the characters, themes, and author's tools. It is important for writers to grasp basic concepts of structure, organization, and idea flow. The following questions are important for keen writers to answer before, during, and after reading a work of literature.

• Become familiarized with metaphors, similes, and personification. What do these writer's tools mean, and what are their functions? How do they help authors express their ideas? What are some examples of these writers tools that appear in the work, and what do they mean?
• When was the work written? What is the context for the period history of the work?
• What are the central themes of the work?
• What are the struggles between the characters?
• What does the author wish for the reader to take away after reading the work?
• Why do you think the work is significant, and if it is considered suggested reading material, why do you think it was chosen?
• What are some important details of the characters that allow them to express the work's central theme?