Story StartsWords From a Writer......Yes, you can write too!What does it take to be a writer? PASSION-POLISH-PERSISTENCE When the desire within you to write grows into a passion, you're on your way. You can't not write. What you write, you must re-write over and over again; polish. Try to get your writing published again and again; never give up; persistence. A quote from Calvin Coolidge, our 22nd president: "Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent." VOICEOne of the most powerful tools a writer has is voice. A writer's voice breathes life into a book and gives it heart and soul. Try some writing exercises to find where you can best express yourself: Close your eyes and imagine: 1) You're at a ballgame. What does it feel like? Are you sniffing any good smells? Is your team winning? Do you see anyone you know? Is it hot/cold? Do you fantasize about being a professional ball player? 2) You're learning how to swim. How old are you? How did it feel to put your face under water for the first time? Is it exciting or scary? How did it feel to later swim in deep water? When you first hit the water is it with a big splash, or do you edge in slowly? 3) You're skiing down a hill. Are you a good skier/ just beginning? How cold is it? What are you wearing? How fast are you going? 4) Today is your first day at a new school. Are you scared, shy, happy? What does that feel like? Describe some of the other students. What do they look like? What do you fear? Explore different scenes; think of lots of past experiences you've had. Put yourself there, then write from those feelings. Your true voice will emerge. CHARACTERSCreating characters that come alive builds your story. To do that well, it's important to know everything about your characters. Gather more information than you'll ever use. Know what they love, hate, and fear. Know their quirky traits, pet peeves, wildest dreams, and all their favorites. Make a profile for each main character and list everything you can think of; what they look like, worry about, keep in their closet, and what they want. PLOTYour plot needs structure; a beginning middle, and end. Obstacles need to occur; problems and solutions will happen. Building up to your climax is a skill you will want to work at. Building tension is the art of a good story. You may be surprised how your characters seem to make things happen. Let your story idea start in your head. Let it percolate for awhile before putting words down on paper. Later, add new word choices and ideas to re-work. Polish your story; make it your best. Story StartsThe following middle-grade story starts are available for those who want help getting started. Add your own words and the pages will follow: THE MYSTERY AT BORREGO CREEK: My twelfth birthday landed on Friday the 13th. It's not that I'm superstitious, but trouble arrived on that day, and it's been piling up ever since. _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________.
BETWEEN FRIENDS: "His name is Tyler." I say it quietly like it's my deepest, darkest secret. "Does he like you?" Meg says, her eyes opening way wide. "Probably not. He used to tease me, make fun of me and stuff. But that was before last Tuesday. _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________.
LOST: Yikes, why did I keep following Max? He kept jumping and yelping when I threw the stick. We were having a blast. But now it's getting dark and with the snow piling up, I don't have a clue which way to go! _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________.
A CAT NAMED C.A.T.: Captain Alistair Tibbs was too fancy of a name for a cat, so they called him C.A.T. His rich coat of brown, black, and white swirls matched his attitude of importance. He was a prized indoor cat, adored by his owners. I was the cat sitter. I'd fed him, played with his toys with him, brushed him; now it was my turn for a break. I settled on the brown leather couch, opened my new Stephanie Meyer's book and glanced out the sliding glass door. I screamed when I saw C.A.T. looking back at me from outside. _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________. |
