"Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are, what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish." -John Jakes I truly believe that you all have a wonderful story waiting to be told. However, I know that sometimes it can be a struggle to start. Here are some tips that I think are helpful when you're stuck in a story rut: 1.) Think with your senses. What do the details in the scene look, sound, taste, smell, and feel like? 2.) Show rather than tell. For example, rather than saying "Susie had brown hair" say "Susie's hair was the color of coffee mixed with a speck of cream." 3.) Start at any point in the story. If you can envision the middle of the story but the beginning is a bit hazy, then start from the middle. You'll fill in the beginning eventually! 4.) Write about what you know. If you have a limited understanding of salsa dancing, then writing a character who is a professional salsa dancer is going to be a struggle. 5.) Get inside your character's head. Imagine what he or she thinks about, what he or she hopes and dreams about, what excites or embarrasses him or her, or any other thing you can possible think about. 6.) Don't endlessly edit. Get your thoughts out on paper first, and revise later. 7.) HAVE FUN! Still stuck? Try out one of these creative writing prompts: http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/journal-prompts.html
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 Creativity counts, but grammar is still an important part of writing! Explore this site to test your grammar. Click "I am a student" and use the password [Looney] if you have trouble with the link! |
