Writing Prompt: Who’s the Antagonist Here?

Did Dr. Seuss turn the antagonist-protagonist relationship on its head in The Grinch? Hmmm… Let’s talk about it!

grinch

In Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, the Grinch is the protagonist (main character) and yet he’s the bad guy. What he’s battling (the antagonist) is the whole idea

Reignite Your Work this Summer with a Writing Vacation

Summer is the perfect time to go on a creative writing adventure. You can work a mini adventure into your family vacation, or simply take a few hours out of your week to whisk yourself away from your routine. Dive into these adventures with the attitude of a literary explorer,

Exercise: Weaving a Story from a Few Simple Prompts

The children's books that I remember the most are the ones that came with an important message. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day had a message of positivity and keeping your head up when it seemed like everything was coming crashing down around the protagonist. While

Exercise: Turn Holiday Fun Into a Publishable Story!

One of the first things you might think of when you think of a “classic tale” is one associated with a well-known and jubilantly celebrated holiday. Personally, you probably have about 20 stories that could easily be adapted into such a holiday yarn. Here are a few prompts that can

Exercise: Past, Present & Future

Some of my favorite stories when I was young truly cultivated my imagination. These stories included images of flying cars and video phones and all sorts of other technological advancements. We may still be a few years away from a flying car, but there’s no reason why you can’t touch

Exercise: The First Time!

Before I became a writer, I started off as an actor. I think that being an actor can teach you a great deal about characters and stories in general and I highly recommend taking a class someday if you haven’t. One piece of advice I heard as an actor was

Work Through Your Flaws by Reading Your Favorite Authors

Once again, some of your best learning as a writer will come from reading. First, identify your own weak links as a writer. Are you heavy-handed with description? Do you stumble when creating dialogue? Do you tend to hit the reader over the head with a message?

Then, read several

Exercise: Getting Unstuck

Sometimes we get stuck developing a character, creating a setting, or deciding what happens next in the plot. Here are two exercises to help open the flow of ideas.

CLUSTERING

Clustering is a diagramming method for gathering and organizing ideas that you do on paper, a brainstorming method

Exercise: Establishing a Character’s “Normal” Life

In order for the reader to understand the impact of the story’s conflict on your protagonist’s life, you first have to show the character’s “normal.” But this normal needs details that have the potential to lead to something much more unstable and interesting.

Before the Story Starts – Building

Exercise: Is Your Protagonist Worth Writing About?

Part One: Spend a few minutes with a notebook in a public space where children and families are present. Simply write down a few notes about some of the children you observe, what they’re doing, and who they interact with.

Part Two: Pick one of the children to be your

Exercise: Point of View & Character Depth

Place the main character from your story in a setting that’s not in your plot (the mall, a classroom, your own home, etc.) Write a scene in the First Person Viewpoint with your main character narrating his/her reaction to the setting.

Then write the same scene in Third Person Limited.

Exercise: Strengthen Your Writing Chops By Going “Old School”

Take a familiar fairy tale and write it in First Person with the main character as the narrator.

Then rewrite the same story in Third Person Limited.

What are the advantages and disadvantages in each viewpoint?

A reminder:

First Person. This uses the “I” voice. (I flinched when

“Show, Don’t Tell” Exercise # 2

Take a character from your book and place him or her in a familiar setting (your character’s room, classroom, backyard, etc.)

Write a scene in which your character moves through that setting, and show that he/she is angry without ever using the words “angry” or “anger”. Now place your

“Show, Don’t Tell” Exercise # 1

Rewrite the following sentences in ways that show instead of tell. Use action, dialogue and/or the five senses. Try to avoid “to be” verbs such as

is, was, were, are, as well as the word felt which are often telling verbs. Also try not to use adjectives and adverbs.

Exercise, Brainstorm: Where’s Your Story Heading?

Now it’s time to take a good hard look at your own work….

Review your own catalyst, and brainstorm on different ways the plot can end. Go beyond the obvious. If you’re already into writing the middle of your book, examine the route your plot is taking. Answer these

Exercise – Analyze How Other Authors Create Endings

This exercise requires you to do a bit of reading and analyzing…

Fiction:

Choose several published books from the same age group and genre as your manuscript, and summarize how the author resolved the plot.

Exercise, Creating an Outline

Once you’ve brainstormed on your important characters, your story’s catalyst, and the general arc of the plot, you’re ready to outline.

Create a rough outline of your main storyline. Use any outline format that works for you. (If you’re stuck, here’s a nice guide to help you with

Exercise: Mapping the Middle

Here’s an exercise that’s designed to help you see what needs to happen in the middle of your story.

A Nifty Exercise to Learn Pacing from Top Writers

A simple and very powerful exercise to discover the secret of great pacing.

Read through some published books similar to what you're writing in age group and genre. If you're writing a funny talking animal picture book, read those. If you're writing a middle grade mystery, check out some

Spark Up a Hot Catalyst With This Exercise

Get your story going! Use these nifty exercises to create a killer plot catalyst.

Writing Exercise: Developing Secondary Characters

There’s an art to creating minor characters. This exercise will show you the way!

Character Building Exercises

Get your brain cells jumping with these fun exercises about developing your main character.

Writing Exercises – The Four Questions of Character

For your own story idea:

Identify your main character, and answer these four questions:

What does your character want?
Why does he/she want this?
What’s standing in his/her way?
What are the consequences of your character getting what he/she wants?

Brainstorm many possibilities for each question and mix and

Writing Exercises

Writing Prompt: Who’s the Antagonist Here?

Reignite Your Work this Summer with a Writing Vacation

Exercise: Weaving a Story from a Few Simple Prompts

Exercise: Turn Holiday Fun Into a Publishable Story!

Exercise: Past, Present & Future

Exercise: The First Time!

Work Through Your Flaws by Reading Your Favorite Authors

Exercise: Getting Unstuck

CLUSTERING

Exercise: Establishing a Character’s “Normal” Life

Before the Story Starts – Building

Exercise: Is Your Protagonist Worth Writing About?

Exercise: Point of View & Character Depth

Exercise: Strengthen Your Writing Chops By Going “Old School”

“Show, Don’t Tell” Exercise # 2

“Show, Don’t Tell” Exercise # 1

Exercise, Brainstorm: Where’s Your Story Heading?

Exercise – Analyze How Other Authors Create Endings

Exercise, Creating an Outline

Exercise: Mapping the Middle

A Nifty Exercise to Learn Pacing from Top Writers

Spark Up a Hot Catalyst With This Exercise

Writing Exercise: Developing Secondary Characters

Character Building Exercises

Writing Exercises – The Four Questions of Character

Writing Exercise: Make It Rain!

Writing Prompt: What’s Happening Here?

VIDEO – A Bonanza of Writing Exercises!

Writing Exercises for Developing Story Ideas

Exercise: Point of View

Writing Exercises

CLUSTERING

Before the Story Starts – Building Read more

Before the Story Starts – Building