5 Prompt Friday!

Get ready to write, write, wrong, (Oops!) write!

Every writer needs an idea file, not just a notebook, but a file, like a pocket: keep all your goodies here, start collecting interesting words, pictures, photos, postcards, notes, memos, advertisements, even cool wrapping paper pieces: file them here for later use.

1. Find an interesting “weather” picture: a tornado, hurricane, lightning streak: make it a setting for a story
2. Browse the Halloween ads that are probably flooding your mailbox: pick your character from one of the costumes.
3. Make a quick, messy collage of words ripped or cut from magazines and newspapers (please make sure your parents are done reading them, first!) There’s bound to be a story hiding in those words.
4. Find a piece of old wrapping paper: do you remember a special or cruddy gift you received? Can a character have the same reaction?
5. Any old postcards lying around? If not, look in a local bookstore for postcards of your city/town. Write about that image from another character’s eyes: do they love their town? Hate it? Write it out!

Happy penning!!! : )

Things that make you go “Hmmm”

When you’re curious about something, do you try to find out more? The Internet is HUGE with possibilities on finding your answers. But, do you know your way around to find the facts?

Try some of these tips, and let me know how your “hunting” goes!

• Looking for the “right word?” Try http://www.bartleby.com/
• Wonder how things work? Try: http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/home.html
• Need answers on weather, food, or the environment? Start here: http://www.science.gov/
• How about why you act the way you do?? http://www.psychology.org/

Messy Mondays

Feeling messy and cluttered? If your desk is overflowing with papers, you’ll have a difficult time focusing on your writing.

Try some of these tips to get your notes and ideas organized:

1. Jot down notes on 3×5 notecards, then file in an index file box by category: horror fiction ideas; fantasy story ideas; character names; settings, etc.
2. Keep a 3-ring binder of helpful articles: handouts you get in class, articles you find on the Internet (like this post!) Again, use tab dividers to better organize all those tips! Try these: plotting; characters; setting; voice; story pacing; how to submit a story to a magazine, etc.
3. Keep another binder or accordian file for all the markets you want to send your stories to: contests, magazines, newsletters, on-line”zines” You can categorize this by deadline date: have a tab for each month of the year and place the info for that particular contest behind the tab for the month it is due.

 

Do you have any organizing tips that you can share?  Please tell us!