February 2, 2008
25 Words Writing Prompt
I attend a Brown Bag writing group every now and then. Its purpose is to jump-start our creative juices by posing writing prompts or exercises to work on during the lunch hour. One of the exercises I like is “Twenty-Five Words.” We go around the table and, one by one, say a word. It can be any word that comes to mind, or sometimes words based upon a pre-determined theme. Once we have twenty-five words, we have about thirty minutes to write. The object of the exercise is to write a story using as many of the words as possible within the time frame. Here are twenty-five words for February. Set your timer for thirty minutes and try to write a picture book or children’s short story using as many of the words as possible.
Cantaloupe
Barge
Float
Happy
Weird
Ant
Aunt
Peephole
Dirt
Violin
Dusty
Annoying
Brother
Rabbit
Jewelry
Origami
Curly
Cry
Banana
Weed
Dance
Stream
Why
Pineapple
Flowers
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Magical Element Writing Prompt
When do you use a "magical element" in a children's book? There was a time when writers of children's picture books were warned that publishers were not interested in "Dumbo" books - where the child, with the help of his magic feather, gains courage to solve his problem, only to discover that the feather was not magic at all. Now, particularly with the popularity of fantasy for children, the magical element is being used with more frequency.
The consensus still seems to be that editors are lukewarm at best to the use of the magical element, preferring instead to see the child main character solve his problem with some awareness - through his wits, inner strength, or physical feat - and grow or change in the process. For this exercise, we use the magical element to explore how it impacts a scene or story.
Select one character, one character trait, one setting, one problem, and one magical element from the lists below and write a 200-250 word scene or story. To complete the exercise, eliminate the magical element and rewrite the scene/story. What had to change? Does the magical element make your main character, and the story he tells, any stronger?
Main Character (select one from list or create your own)
Cassandra
Joey
Lizard
Ardvark
Gollup
Character Trait (select one)
Shy
Curious
Loud
Slippery
Sad
Setting (select one)
Cruise ship
Hot air balloon
Zoo
School playground
Beach
Problem (select one)
Forgot lunch
Lost
Make a new friend
Bullied
Cold
Save the planet
Magical element (select one)
Skateboard
Bubble
Jumprope
Elephant
Dollar bill
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Folktale Writing prompt
The challenge in this exercise is to write a short story in the folktale style. Folktales exist in most cultures. They generally convey a moral or message to the reader, or they explain some type of phenomenon or condition (For example, "How the Leopard Got His Spots" by Kipling, or the more recent African Folktale: Why Mosquitos Buzz in Peoples' Ears. Folktales are also meant to be spoken aloud. Select a beginning, a main character, and a moral to convey. Imagine yourself telling your tale to a rapt group of children, and write about 1000 words. Keep interest high by using active verbs and phrases, use conflict to create tension, and try lots of dialog. To complete the exercise, read it aloud!
Beginning:
My friends! Gather around, close to me. We are about to embark on a strange journey...
Once upon a time, in a land nearly forgotten...
I'm as old as the trees, as old as the stars in the night sky. Only I am old enough to remember what happened a long time ago...
Long ago and far away...
Character:
The Bovine King
Quiet Leopard
The Boy in the Moon
Two Sisters
The Dancing Rabbit in the Moon
The Lonely Princess
Warty Frog
Moral or Lesson to be Learned:
Always practice kindness
A good deed can make a difference
Only you can control your attitude.
Sometimes things are not as they appear to be.
Don't be afraid to challenge authority
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Strong Characters Writing Prompt
This is a fun exercise to develop a strong teen character. The idea is to connect with the child in the adult, and in so doing, re-connect with the child in the writer. In other words, if you are writing a YA novel about a teen boy, try to re-connect with the teen boy in you, or with a teen boy you grew up with. The more you know your character, the more believable he will be. What was he like in terms of character trait? What was he like in terms of his physical characteristics? What motivated him? What issues did he struggle with that are as topical today as they were when you were a teen?
For this prompt, we start with strong or larger-than-life adult male characters from television and movies, and imagine them as teenagers. Pick one character name, one or more character traits, and one issue. Write a 200-250 word character description or active paragraph about the teen-aged character. Is there anything about the character as a teen that would foreshadow what he would become as an adult? Was he the same? Was there a pivotal moment as a teen that defined his positive or negative character trait(s)? How old is your teen character? To make it more interesting, use first person so that the character’s voice comes through.
Character Name:
Jack Bauer (from TV’s “24”)
Sweeney Todd
Charlie Harper (From tv’s “Two and a Half Men”)
Michael Clayton
Rooster Cogburn
Gregory House (from the tv show)
Mr. Big (from the tv show “Sex and the City”)
Jerry Springer (ok, he’s real, but we presume his on-air persona is somewhat fictional)
Alonzo Harris (from "Training Day")
Atticus Finch
Terry Malloy (from “On the Waterfront”)
Bill Munny (from “Unforgiven”)
Character Traits:
Loyal, Affectionate, Brave, Independent,
Kind, Lazy, Hateful, Daring,
Lonely, Dishonest, Shy, Cruel,
Angry, Gentle, Pessimistic, Generous,
Optimistic, Decisive, Confused, Childish
Issues:
Parental Pressure, Girlfriend troubles,
Academic Pressure, Boyfriend troubles,
Save the world, Save the family,
Addiction, Death in the family,
Unable to cope with life, Unable to find love
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