Mary Rand Hess
Children's and Young Adult Author
Story Prompter
Get out of Writer's Quicksand...and into The Story!
Where does the picture take you?
On a journey someplace you've never seen, or a place you've only dreamed? To a land old, or new? Does the picture inspire a story or a poem? Every picture has a story waiting to be told.
Photo by Greg Hess
The song whispers a story
Listen to a song; imagine that song is the theme to a story. Write a short (or long) story based on what you hear and start creating.
The story inspires a story
Take a favorite short story, and rewrite the story from the perspective of a secondary character (a classic exercise from Professor Cheuse's class).
Randomness is ingeniousness
Cut out random pictures from magazines and newspapers. Mix the pictures up in a hat, bowl, or whatever, and then start pickin'. The picture you pluck is the inspiration for your next poem or story.
Dictionary hunt
Hunt for words that sound delicious to the ear. Try to write one poem using all those words. The trick is not to plan, just fetch, and write. It may be nonsense; it may just be genius.
Daring journal
Write what you are afraid to write. Never show anyone this journal. It is your secret to keep, until you are ready to flesh out the story or poem from inside and share with the world.
Did you say, "Book Trailer?"
Writers are now making trailers for their soon-to-be published books and already published books. But you don't have to wait...why not make a trailer of your work-in-progress (WIP) to motivate you. Play it back/or read it to yourself or others to keep the momentum going. You can change the trailer as needed, but it may help you stay on track. (Check mine out for ideas.)
