Skip to main content

Thunder When the Universe Burps: A Creative Writer-cise

Below is an article (more of a mini writing workshop actually) that could help you jumpstart those creative juices.
 
And if you want 3 writing *sparks* delivered to you every day for 31 days, check out WriteSparks!(tm) Daily at http://writesparks.com/wsdaily.html for info on how to get started -- it's free!


Thunder When the Universe Burps: A Creative Writer-cise
Nature is a wonderful inspiration for any writer. In this mini writing workshop, we'll wax some poetic prose.

First, pick a number from 1 to 7:

1. earthquake
2. sunrise
3. volcanic eruption
4. lightning
5. rainbow
6. thunder
7. hurricane

Next, create 2 lists for the natural phenomenon you chose. Brainstorm for 5-10 minutes for each list.

For List 1, brainstorm for action words associated with the natural phenomenon you picked. For instance, what do you see, hear and feel happening when it thunders?

e.g.,
List 1 (action words):
explode, clap, boom, crack, shatter, burst, break, detonate, bust, shake, reverberate, applause

For List 2, pretend you are seeing/hearing/experiencing the natural phenomenon for the first time. You don't know what could be causing it. What's causing the thunder? List all the reasons you can think of.

e.g.,
List 2 (causes):
avalanche in heaven, a million stomping feet, clouds slapping hard against each other, angels gung-ho on the drums, God drops a giant bowling ball, the sound of ants walking magnified a billion times, universe burping, a giant fist smashing through the firmament

Got your lists together? Now it's time to combine the words and ideas from the lists you generated. Create lines from the combinations. (Note: You do not have to combine exact phrases.)

e.g.,
A million stomping feet shake the heavens.
The sound of ants walking a million times magnified.
Clouds detonate to begin an avalanche in the sky.
God drops His giant bowling ball and strikes.
Clap, applause! The angels are gung-ho on the drums.
A giant fist smashes the horizon.
Break the firmament with the universe's booming burps.
Leave your list for a bit -- an hour, a few hours, a day or so -- and then come back to it and revise. Revise until you're satisfied with the lines and images.

Congratulations, you've just created your first visual poem. If you're up to it, create visual poems for the other 6 natural phenomena.

And here's a suggestion: Gather a group of friends and create your lists together. Collaborate on visual poems. You'll be pleasantly surprised with the images you'll be able to come up together. And if you're a parent, try it with your kids.

Copyright © Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ
About Shery: Shery is the creator of WriteSparks!™- a software that generates over 10 *million* Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks!™ Lite for free at http://writesparks.com


And if you want 3 writing *sparks* delivered to you every day for 31 days, check out WriteSparks!™ Daily HERE for info on how to get started -- it's free :o)
Thank you again for reading. I hope you're having a productive day/night!

Popular posts from this blog

The Stories for Children show 11/14 by WorldOfInkNetwork | Blog Talk Radio

Blog Talk Radio’s World of Ink Network Show: Stories for Children will be chatting with award-winning authors Natasha Yim and Gretchen Maurer. Natasha Yim’s current book, Cixi, The Dragon Empress and Gretchen Maurer’s current book, Mary Tudor, “Bloody Mary” are two of the six books (all written by different authors) in Goosebottom Books’ series, The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames. The series profiles six women in history who have earned dastardly reputations. The show will air live November 14, 2011 at 2pm EST. You can find out more about Natasha Yim and Gretchen Maurer’s World of Ink Author/Book Tour schedule at http://storiesforchildrenpublishing.com/YimandMaurer.aspx The Stories for Children show 11/14 by WorldOfInkNetwork | Blog Talk Radio

Families Matter: Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween can be a fun and scary time for kids. Here are a few tips for keeping Halloween safe too. 1. Make sure masks and costumes don't block the vision of your child. Keep props easy to carry and avoid using any prop that has sharp points or edges to prevent injury while trick or treating. 2. Use flashlights, reflector material on the costume, or bright clothing to make sure others see your child, especially vehicles following or driving in the neighborhood. 3. Inspect all candy and treats before allowing children to eat them. Dispose of any that are not sealed properly. Fruits and homemade goodies should only be consumed from those you know, and not strangers. 4. One option to trick or treating might be a small party for your child's friends. Supervision by parents that you know, foods that you are preparing, and having the party at your house all work towards keeping your children safe while providing a fun atmosphere. Games, prizes, and a movie or bonfi...

Interview: Meet Author Sands Hetherington, Author of Night Buddies, A Lights Out Adventure Series for Kids - Books - Blogcritics

Sands Hetherington credits his son John for being his principal motivator. Sands raised his son as a single parent from the time John was six. He read to him every night during those formative years. He and young John developed the Crosley crocodile character in the Night Buddies series during months of bedtime story give-and-take. Sands shared, “We always did bedtime stories and probably didn't miss a night for six or seven years. Stories were as essential as air and food.” It’s no wonder Sands loves to read and write, and is a big advocate in starting a reading schedule with young children. Sands majored in history at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) and has an M.F.A. in creative writing and an M.A. in English from UNC-Greensboro. However, he started writing at a very young age. “I think it was 10th grade. I handed in some sappy poetical piece and the very cute student teacher gushed over it. Her name was Ellen and she was spoken for, but that did it...