Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature

A WAY WITH WORDS

Young Writers’ Camp — Sept. 9 & 10, 1999

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Andy Griffiths' Timed Writing Practice . . .

Ex. A [ 5 - 10 minutes ] Keep your hand moving Don't stop to think Be specific - give details / reasons [Show, don't tell!] Lose control [can wander from topic to topic ] . . .If stuck, write down what you are thinking until Inspiration comes   Ex. B For 2 minutes - write something that makes absolutely no sense   Ex. C "I was sitting at the kitchen table eating my cornflakes when I began to shrink … "

When I go home, I must: Buy a cheap exercise book Write for 5 mins. nonstop every day Read . . . Read . . . Read some more ! !

Andy Griffiths'

PLOT GENERATING QUESTIONS .. for Comedy and Science Fiction in particular!!

 

1. What is the worst thing that could happen next? How would you respond logically at that point?
2. What is the reader NOT expecting to happen ?
3. What if . . . . ?
4. a. What does my character want ?

   b. What's stopping the character from getting what they want ?

   c. How will they get it?

    

   FROZEN MOMENT exercise - to find accurate, 'believable' detail.

   A moment you will never forget - Embarrassing / Scary / Funny / Sad / Exciting / Most annoying . . .

   I remember . . . · Sketch scene · Add dialogue boxes · Add thinking bubbles eg. Michael Ward's frozen moment

   "I'm all right!!!"

   "Oh you poor thing!"    o o o "I hope the lifeguard doesn't try to save me. I will be so embarrassed!"

   Can start a story with the most interesting bit of dialogue … Add who said it SHOW... DON'T TELL

   Author's thought process: [acting the role of the chief character]

   • "Get off the clothesline!" yells mum.
   • I am [ where ] and [ what's happening ]
   • [ I can see ] . . . . . . . .
   • [ I can hear ] . . . . . . . .
   • [ I can feel ] . . . / I feel . . . / My hands . . . .
   • MAIN THOUGHT … [ what is chief character thinking? ]
   • Only use description if the character sees / feels what you are describing

   Note: As much humour [slapstick] involves people being hurt, there needs to be a sense of real danger.

Don't know what to write about?

Andy Griffiths: "Bet you can't fill the blackboard with ideas for writing ! "

Campers: " Try us ! "

*Instructions *Lists *Advertisements *Newspaper articles *Letters *Stories *Scripts *Movie Poster *Diary entry *Blurbs [fake] *Biography *Recipes *Autobiography *Fantasies *Dreams/Nightmares *Poems *Interview *Time Line *Arguments *Jokes *Song Lyrics *Day in the Life of... *True confessions *Points of view *Puppet Plays *Posing dilemmas for the reader *Advice columns *Cartoons [eg. 12 squares]

Brian Caswell

It is essential to plot

your beginning, your middle and your ending.

Know the ending before you begin writing.

? Surprise!

Show, don't tell !

 

Non-fiction gives the facts … Literature asks the questions . . .

Three questions to generate a story idea:

1. What if . . . x happened ?

This generates the PROBLEM for the beginning. x twists normality.
Small twist.... realistic story
Huge twist....... fantasy/Sci Fi

2. How do[es] my character[s] feel?

Work out what the character feels and what you want your reader to feel, before you work out what the character might do.

3. What do[es] my character [s] do?

Your characters' actions should follow what they are feeling.

¤ Idea is now generated. BRAINSTORM to get a Middle and an End.

Causes :
Look for many ways in which the problem [x] could have happened....... better possibilities to develop

Situations:
How many different situations orconsequences could develop out of your initial problem? Include several to make your story interesting.

Endings:
Try to think of several before you start. Near the end, choose an ending which will leave your reader thinking about the purpose you intended for your story.

¤ Now decide the final plot before writing - a beginning, a middle & the end.

• Divide the plot into scenes, then concentrate on one scene at a time . . .
• Focus on the characters - their motivations, emotions, unusual characteristics, what they notice, how they react.
• Don't move on until each scene is 'believable'. Show, don't tell.
• Demonstrate emotions through actions. Reader needs to be involved as a participant in story, not merely an audience to character's point of view.
• Finally, have fun, so that your reader does too!

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Mark Svendsen 7.9.99

POETRY

IMAGES: Brainstormed from Topic chosen

- Pictures

- Smells, Sight, Sounds, Touch, Taste

- Think, Say, Do, EMOTION

 

ASSOCIATIONS: Related thoughts/ideas/feelings Effects

QUESTIONS : What is … ? What if … ? Consequences Actions

 

Possible Steps in composing a short poem:

1. Select a topic

2. Write an image bank [ ie. Brainstorm using ideas above ]

3. Write 3 describing lines [ sourced from your image bank ]

4. Answer the Question [ eg. What is (topic)? ]

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