Story Starters - Page Seven
Writer's Challenge: An Object
Make a scene/story/paragraph that uses the following object as an important or central part of the story:
Toothpaste for sensitive teeth and gums
Make a scene/story/paragraph that uses the following object as an important or central part of the story:
Toothpaste for sensitive teeth and gums
Challenge: Characters
Who are these characters and what do they have to do with each other?
Randolph Edward Whitney
Ding Dong
Melanie Hart
Who are these characters and what do they have to do with each other?
Randolph Edward Whitney
Ding Dong
Melanie Hart
Ten Story Starters
1. How many different causes of heartbreak are there? Create two distinct characters, both suffering from heartbreaks - but for very different reasons - and tell us how their stories intertwine and how they impact each other.
2. Your character answers the phone. It's a wrong number, someone calling from jail, and this one phone call is their only hope to do what? Get bailed out? Undo an injustice? Save a life? And what does your character do? How desperate is the problem your character is asked to fix and what danger does it bring?
3. You are helping someone celebrate their 100th birthday. It could be a relative, a neighbor, local celebrity - you decide. Your job for the big party is to create a "Display of Decades," like a giant birthday card that gives the highlights of each decade in that birthday person's life. Create the decades (10 yrs. old, 20 yrs. old, etc.) or pick one decade in particular and go into more detail. What years does this person's life span?
4. A deep-cover agent for a terrorist organization has spent his/her whole life in the United States and identifies as an American. And now he/she is called upon to perform an act of horror of such great magnitude that it will destablize the American government. What act of terror could that be and what conflict does this character feel and who does he/she love who will be destroyed if they carry it through? And why can't they just say no?
5. You work for the President of the United States in a capacity that puts you in his presence every day. You can see that he is becoming increasingly mentally unstable. You can also see that others around him are using his increasing disability to some evil advantage. You are just a worker bee without any influence and power. How do you save the President and the country?
6. Your very eccentric next-door neighbor grows the largest and most beautiful roses you have ever seen in your life. What is your neighbor's secret?
7. You are slowly coming to realize that you are an alien from outer space living on Earth amongst humans. Why have you NOT always known this? And what are the signs that you are an alien that you are discovering and how does it affect your mental attitude as you begin to learn the truth? What consequences await you and the humans you have come to care for?
8. You are minding your own business having a cup of coffee at Denny's when you overhear the people in the next booth make their plans to rob the place. How do you alert the employees without also alerting the robbers? You know they have guns.
9. A TV Reporter goes around "creating news" by committing crimes like arson, etc. So far, no one is seriously hurt. And now a mystery figure of evil has learned the Reporter's secret. What are they able to force the Reporter to do? Or does the Reporter refuse and what are the consequences?
10. A precocious child on a long train ride makes a game of observing people and inventing stories about them. What if the child discovers one of his/her stories is a little too close to the truth? What danger ensues?
1. How many different causes of heartbreak are there? Create two distinct characters, both suffering from heartbreaks - but for very different reasons - and tell us how their stories intertwine and how they impact each other.
2. Your character answers the phone. It's a wrong number, someone calling from jail, and this one phone call is their only hope to do what? Get bailed out? Undo an injustice? Save a life? And what does your character do? How desperate is the problem your character is asked to fix and what danger does it bring?
3. You are helping someone celebrate their 100th birthday. It could be a relative, a neighbor, local celebrity - you decide. Your job for the big party is to create a "Display of Decades," like a giant birthday card that gives the highlights of each decade in that birthday person's life. Create the decades (10 yrs. old, 20 yrs. old, etc.) or pick one decade in particular and go into more detail. What years does this person's life span?
4. A deep-cover agent for a terrorist organization has spent his/her whole life in the United States and identifies as an American. And now he/she is called upon to perform an act of horror of such great magnitude that it will destablize the American government. What act of terror could that be and what conflict does this character feel and who does he/she love who will be destroyed if they carry it through? And why can't they just say no?
5. You work for the President of the United States in a capacity that puts you in his presence every day. You can see that he is becoming increasingly mentally unstable. You can also see that others around him are using his increasing disability to some evil advantage. You are just a worker bee without any influence and power. How do you save the President and the country?
6. Your very eccentric next-door neighbor grows the largest and most beautiful roses you have ever seen in your life. What is your neighbor's secret?
7. You are slowly coming to realize that you are an alien from outer space living on Earth amongst humans. Why have you NOT always known this? And what are the signs that you are an alien that you are discovering and how does it affect your mental attitude as you begin to learn the truth? What consequences await you and the humans you have come to care for?
8. You are minding your own business having a cup of coffee at Denny's when you overhear the people in the next booth make their plans to rob the place. How do you alert the employees without also alerting the robbers? You know they have guns.
9. A TV Reporter goes around "creating news" by committing crimes like arson, etc. So far, no one is seriously hurt. And now a mystery figure of evil has learned the Reporter's secret. What are they able to force the Reporter to do? Or does the Reporter refuse and what are the consequences?
10. A precocious child on a long train ride makes a game of observing people and inventing stories about them. What if the child discovers one of his/her stories is a little too close to the truth? What danger ensues?
Challenge: Ten Word List
Make up a story, scene, etc, and use the following words in it:
bloviate
arcanum
gamine
potboiler
abstruse
nettlesome
sotto voce
comely
abattoir
blackguard
Make up a story, scene, etc, and use the following words in it:
bloviate
arcanum
gamine
potboiler
abstruse
nettlesome
sotto voce
comely
abattoir
blackguard
Challenge: Objects
Make a scene/story/paragraph that uses ALL of the following object(s) as an important or central part of the story:
brown paper lunch sack
Elmer's School Glue
mildew
Make a scene/story/paragraph that uses ALL of the following object(s) as an important or central part of the story:
brown paper lunch sack
Elmer's School Glue
mildew
Challenge: Characters
Who are these characters and what do they have to do with each other?
a retired circus clown
a popular local political figure
a teenage prostitute
an accident victim
Who are these characters and what do they have to do with each other?
a retired circus clown
a popular local political figure
a teenage prostitute
an accident victim
Stonehenge
So... can you create a story, scene, paragraph, poem or any other form of writing that involves Stonehenge in some way?
Here's just a few suggestions. If you don't like any of these "story starters," create your own.
1. You were there when Stonehenge (or at least one of its stones) was raised. Describe your daily life, your culture, your beliefs. What was your part in the raising of the stones?
2. You are a tourist guide giving your "talk" to a few tourists who are in awe of this place. All except one and this person remains stonefaced as you talk and you sense there is a deep connection between the stranger and Stonehenge. What does it turn out to be and what adventure does it lead you to?
3. You are a scientist who discovers Stonehenge is the key to a secret that will prevent the destruction of the world. What science do you practice and how did you reach your conclusion and how does Stonehenge come into it? And does it save the world?
4. You are in a rock band or part of the crew, trying to make a music video at Stonhenge. What strange things occur? Is there a threat or danger or is the overall effect a good one? What do you witness? How are you affected?
5. As you approach Stonehenge, you hear the sound of weeping. Who is it and why are they weeping? Are they in this world or another one? Does Stonehenge allow you to make direct contact with the weeper? How? What answers do you find?
So... can you create a story, scene, paragraph, poem or any other form of writing that involves Stonehenge in some way?
Here's just a few suggestions. If you don't like any of these "story starters," create your own.
1. You were there when Stonehenge (or at least one of its stones) was raised. Describe your daily life, your culture, your beliefs. What was your part in the raising of the stones?
2. You are a tourist guide giving your "talk" to a few tourists who are in awe of this place. All except one and this person remains stonefaced as you talk and you sense there is a deep connection between the stranger and Stonehenge. What does it turn out to be and what adventure does it lead you to?
3. You are a scientist who discovers Stonehenge is the key to a secret that will prevent the destruction of the world. What science do you practice and how did you reach your conclusion and how does Stonehenge come into it? And does it save the world?
4. You are in a rock band or part of the crew, trying to make a music video at Stonhenge. What strange things occur? Is there a threat or danger or is the overall effect a good one? What do you witness? How are you affected?
5. As you approach Stonehenge, you hear the sound of weeping. Who is it and why are they weeping? Are they in this world or another one? Does Stonehenge allow you to make direct contact with the weeper? How? What answers do you find?
What are these people talking about?
Can you fill in the blanks? Tell us what kind of conversation is going on here -- do the dialog.
Can you fill in the blanks? Tell us what kind of conversation is going on here -- do the dialog.
Deep Dark Secrets
What deep dark secret is each of these characters hiding from the others?
What deep dark secret is each of these characters hiding from the others?
Story Device: Unable to Admit a Mistake
Sometimes, when you come up with ideas for stories, you might start out with just a character or perhaps a bit of action inspired by seeing something on the news. And sometimes, a quirky little idea may find its way to your writer's brain as a theme or device around which a story can be wound.
Challenge to You, Writer: Write a story, scene, or anything else around the idea of a person who is unable to admit a mistake. What consequences ensue? What action flows from this one character's character flaw?
Some Possible Examples:
Two good friends have a falling-out based on one friend's misunderstanding. This friend has plotted revenge and just as it is about to destroy her old friend, she realizes her mistake. How can she stop the disaster about to happen? Will she ever restore the old friendship?
A boss fires the wrong employee.
A cop shoots an innocent kid.
A husband believes his faithful wife is unfaithful.
A teacher accuses an honest student of cheating.
An elected official wrongly accuses another elected official of corruption.
WHAT MIGHT RESULT IF ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS WERE UNABLE TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKE?
Sometimes, when you come up with ideas for stories, you might start out with just a character or perhaps a bit of action inspired by seeing something on the news. And sometimes, a quirky little idea may find its way to your writer's brain as a theme or device around which a story can be wound.
Challenge to You, Writer: Write a story, scene, or anything else around the idea of a person who is unable to admit a mistake. What consequences ensue? What action flows from this one character's character flaw?
Some Possible Examples:
Two good friends have a falling-out based on one friend's misunderstanding. This friend has plotted revenge and just as it is about to destroy her old friend, she realizes her mistake. How can she stop the disaster about to happen? Will she ever restore the old friendship?
A boss fires the wrong employee.
A cop shoots an innocent kid.
A husband believes his faithful wife is unfaithful.
A teacher accuses an honest student of cheating.
An elected official wrongly accuses another elected official of corruption.
WHAT MIGHT RESULT IF ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS WERE UNABLE TO ADMIT THEIR MISTAKE?