Inspiration
IT’S REALLY, REALLY DIFFICULT TO WRITE WELL WITHOUT IT. SOME YOUNG WRITERS HAVE PLENTY OF THIS CREATIVE FUEL. MOST, HOWEVER, BENEFIT BIG-TIME FROM BRAINSTORMING THEIR IDEAS WITH AN INTERESTED OBSERVER.
I’M INTERESTED!
Imagination
SOME ADULTS CONSIDER IMAGINATION TO BE FOR KIDS. WELL, IT IS ESPECIALLY FOR KIDS BECAUSE IMAGINATION IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING WE DREAM ABOUT— EVERYTHING WE WANT TO ACHIEVE.
On Story Arc
IF YOU GO INTO THE HOSPITAL YOU NEVER WANT TO “FLAT-LINE”. THAT’S A STRAIGHT LINE ON A MONITOR REGISTERING BRAIN OR HEART ACTIVITY AND A PRETTY GOOD INDICATION YOU HAVE MOVED ON. STORIES CAN BE DEAD TOO. IF THE ACTION AND EMOTION FAILS TO BUILD, YOUR STORY IS DOA.
Know Your Characters
THERE’S AN OLD ADAGE THAT SAYS IF A WRITER TAKES THE TIME TO CREATE AUTHENTIC, COMPELLING CHARACTERS, THEY WILL GRAB THE REINS OF THE NARRATIVE AND THE STORY WILL WRITE ITSELF. THAT MAY BE A BIT OF HYPERBOLE, BUT THE ESSENCE OF THE CONCEPT IS WORTH NOTING. CHARACTERS DRIVE A GOOD STORY.
Essays
IN STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC CAREERS THERE WILL BE ESSAYS — LOTS OF THEM! IF YOUR CHILDREN CAN LEARN HOW TO WRITE STELLAR ESSAYS, THEY WILL BE BE WAAAAAY AHEAD OF THE PACK.
Using Similes
EVERY GENERATION COMES TO RECOGNIZE CERTAIN SIMILES.: “FAST AS A CAT”, “BUSY AS A BEE” — THESE WERE COMMON PHRASES IN MY HOUSEHOLD GROWING UP. BUT THE MORE COMMON SIMILES GET, THE LESS EFFECTIVE THEY BECOME. AND THIS IS WHY YOUNG WRITERS NEED TO CREATE THEIR OWN.
BOOMERANG! and Listening to Story
STORYTELLING WAS ONCE AN ORAL TRADITION. TODAY WE HAVE THE LUXURY OF PORING OVER CLASSIC FAVORITES AT OUR LEISURE. BUT LISTENING TO STORIES IS STILL A PRECIOUS TREAT. THEY TAKE YOU THERE, INSIDE THE STORY: WHETHER “THERE” IS AN 18TH CENTURY SHIP, A FARM IN RURAL ILLINOIS, OR A CUBBYHOLE UNDER A YOUNGSTER’S FRONT PORCH. SEND ME AN EMAIL AND I WILL SEND YOU LINKS TO SEVERAL BOOMERANG! STORIES FOR YOUR CHILDREN TO ENJOY. (WWW.BOOMKIDS.COM)