Archive for the 'Writing prompts' Category

Writing about your childhood

3 Comments »20th April, 2011; Category: Fiction, Picture Books, Short Fiction, The Writer's Life, Writing for Children, Writing prompts

I don’t get home to the farm where I grew up often enough. It’s only about a two hour drive in the country from where I now live, but I find life gets far too busy at times. A few weeks ago, however, I did have an opportunity to visit my brother on a day trip. Sure, it was only a few hours but pleasant all the same. Sadly I didn’t have time to visit the farm where I grew up, and where my nephew now lives.

While visiting my brother he showed me some photos I can’t ever remember seeing. These photos were originally on slides but John had converted them to digital images and could show them to me on his television. Many of the photos were of John’s pride and joy: his tractors. He thinks he has a photo of every tractor he ever owned – except one.

While this was interesting, what really grabbed my attention was that several of the shots showed me aged between eight and fourteen. It triggered in my mind a desire to focus a little more on writing about my childhood days. Here is a largely untapped resource of experiences that I can use in my writing. It is a deep well of interesting and colourful incidents that can only enhance my writing.

A word of caution is needed. Approaching a topic like this in a dry, journalistic way would be of interest to no-one. Except perhaps immediate family. A more creative method is required if you are interest a broader readership. This is not a problem if you are only recording your experiences as part of your family heritage.

If you do desire a wider audience for these stories, why not try rewriting your life experiences as a child (or an adult for that matter) as fiction? Take that incident with the bull when you raided a neighbour’s paddock while picking mushrooms and turn it into an exciting escapade, complete with other characters who may or may not have been a part of the original story. Turning fact into fiction can release those creative juices and you will never know where the story will end up. It will surely be a more interesting read than a dry narrative account of the facts.

You never know: one or more of these stories might end up being the text for a children’s picture book, or included in a magazine or anthology.

Good writing.

Writing about hidden treasures

No Comments »22nd May, 2010; Category: Fiction, Short Fiction, Short Story Starters, Writer's block, Writing prompts

Some writers complain that although they want to write, they just don’t know what to write about. In another life (as a classroom teacher) I constantly heard this complaint.

I rarely have this problem. In fact, I usually have far too many things to write about. My problem is choosing which one to write about first.

There are hidden treasures lurking everywhere. You just have to open your eyes to see the possibilities for writing that can crowd in upon you every day.

Start with everyday objects and let your imagination soar:

Make a list of twenty (or 50 or…) objects in your bedroom. Now think about one object and how it came into your life. Change this to a really bizarre story. For example, the photo on the dresser is not your mother; it is the photo of a distant relative who was married to a famous explorer or an infamous mass murderer.
Describe three objects in the room where you are sitting now. Now pick just one of them and imagine you dug it up in the garden. How did it get into your garden, and how is it now influencing your life?
Look in the refrigerator. Take note of one thing and write about how it came to be there. Give it a life of its own, telling the story of it existence in its own voice.
Go outside and sit in the garden. Write about the one thing in your garden you really like (or absolutely detest). Write a conversation (or argument) between you and the object.
Walk to the nearest park with notebook and pencil. Describe one person you passed on the way. Note how they are dressed – and change their attire into something very usual, like a grandma wearing pirate clothing. Use you imagination and let her sit with you to tell her story.
Visit your nearest shopping center with a notebook and pen and find a seat. Pick out two people in the crowd. Try to imagine what they are saying. Give them new lives, new identities. Let them tell you their story.
Find an old magazine or newspaper and open it at random, picking out a photo at random. Use the photo as a starting point to your story. For example, if it is a photo of a young man advertising deodorant, imagine him doing something adventurous, or heroic or courageous. Bring the photo – and the subject – to life.

Story ideas are lurking everywhere; you just have to have eyes to see them.

Good writing.

Writing from your childhood experiences

2 Comments »24th December, 2009; Category: Fiction, Short Stories, The Writer's Life, Writing prompts

Last week I enjoyed reading the collection of inter-connected short stories called The Turning written by award winning West Australian author Tim Winton. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it was all I had hoped it to be. I’ll review it on these pages soon.

One of the most obvious strengths of the collection of stories is how Winton has drawn extensively on his childhood experiences growing up in rural Western Australia. This sense of time and place is powerful, and it set me to thinking and reminiscing about my own childhood. I grew up on a farm in the Murray Mallee districts of South Australia. the more I thought about it the more the memories came surging back. Some good, others I’d rather forget.

I was supposed to be on holiday last week, but there are times when the writer in me just cannot switch off. I actually wrote several stories and made notes for another one, all based on childhood experiences. At this stage I am too close to the stories to know whether they will stand alone as unique stories in their own right, or they will become a part of a much bigger work.

Drawing on childhood experiences is something all writers can do.

‘Flannery O’Connor said that anyone who has survived beyond the age of twelve has enough fictional material for the rest of her life.’ (John Dufresne in The lie that tells the truth)

What I have done with these memories of my childhood is to take a real incident – and fictionalise it. I changed the names – to protect the guilty – and often twisted or totally changed the events to suit the drama of the story. I distinctly remember a classmate breaking his arm while we were playing football. His reaction astonished me. I changed this incident to a broken arm during a cricket match. That’s the beauty of fiction: you can change or make up whatever you like. The stories read almost like a memoir – but much of the content is fiction. I’ve drawn on just one incident – the broken arm, for example – and let my imagination soar.

Writing activity:

Cast your mind back to your primary (elementary) school days.
Think of one incident that sticks vividly in your memory.
Write down exactly what happened – or as accurately as you can remember.
Now rewrite it in a fiction form, bringing in imaginary characters, new incidents, a different ending – just let your imagination have free rein.

Good writing.

Writing prompts #10

No Comments »25th March, 2009; Category: Writing Hints, Writing prompts

My short story starters remain popular month after month.They are the most accessed articles on this blog. You can access these ideas by clicking on the link below.

Also becoming popular are the articles in my writing prompts series of articles.

Today we have another 20 writing prompts. Use these as warm up activities, or for ideas for stories or articles or blog posts. Use them however you like. Let me know in the comments how you went using these ideas.

Twenty Writing Prompts:

Write about your favourite fruit.
Who is your favourite famous person in history (alive or dead)? Write down a list of questions you would like to ask during an interview.
You are waiting for a bus. A public phone starts ringing and you answer it. Write down your conversation.
You go fishing and catch your best fish ever. As you take it off the hook, it talks to you. Record your conversation.
Describe the life of a clock – from the point of view of the clock.
A small spaceship flies in through your window and lands next to your computer. Describe your reaction. What do you do next?
Describe the worst disaster you’ve ever experienced.
Write the first sentence of the novel you want to write someday. Make it great.
“It’s not over yet.” Write down what you think might happen next.
Write about the things you wish you had done on your holidays.
“That’s what’s wrong with this organisation.” Make a list of the things that need correcting. It might be best if you don’t leave this list lying around at work.
Write about the things you are not certain about.
Describe what happened tomorrow.
Imagine you are an ant living in a colony of ten million ants. How valued do you feel? Write about your feelings.
One of your hens hatches an egg containing a small dinosaur. How do you look after your new pet?
Imagine your best friend has died. Write an obituary for your friend.
“I thought this would never happen to me.” Describe what happened and how you dealt with the situation.
Make a list of things you could do when sick in bed.
“My life is based on a true story.” Write about the things that you wish had happened in your life.
Make a list of the highlights of your life so far.

Further reading:

Short story starters – this series of articles list dozens of opening lines for short stories.
Writing Prompts – dozens of writing ideas to get you writing.

Writing prompts #9

No Comments »16th March, 2009; Category: Short Story Starters, Writer's block, Writing Hints, Writing prompts

Sometimes writers get stuck for ideas. This might just be a temporary blip on the radar screen. If it persists over a long period of time, the dreaded writer’s block might be the cause.

Whatever the situation, writers are left without ideas. This is where my very popular short story starters can help. Then we have this series of writing prompts to get you out of those writing ruts. Today I present the latest list of writing prompts.

Use these as writing warm up activities. Use them as jumping off points for stories, or magazine articles or even blog posts. Use them however you wish.

Twenty Writing Prompts

Write about a career you have always dreamed about.
Write a conversation between a cow and a blade of grass.
What is your favourite household appliance? Write about its life from the point of view of the appliance.
If you had a choice, where would you live and why?
Write a list of ten things you would never write about.
Write a list of menu items you would offer to an enemy who came into your restaurant.
Choose an item in the room. Describe it without saying what it is and from the object’s point of view.
Make a list of the ten greatest inventions ever.
Write five things you would never tell your children – or your parents.
You are alone in the house. Your cat/dog starts talking to you. Record your conversation.
Choose a colour. Write about how it would feel if everything in the world was that colour.
A stranger approaches you in an airport and asks for a thousand dollars. Record your conversation.
Describe boredom. Make your description exciting.
Assume that more ice creams are sold on Tuesdays. Write a short report on why this is so.
Take on the role of your editor. Write the most devastating rejection letter you can imagine.
What would you do if you could live for a thousand years? describe your life.
Make a list of ten things that the world would be better off without. (“Things” – not people!)
Describe the best party ever. Who would you invite? Where would you hold it? What would you have to eat?
Describe what you would do if you found an elephant in your garden.
Write down your thoughts about the most controversial current news item.

Further reading:

Writing prompts – more in this series.
Short story starters – heaps of ideas for getting that story started.