ON THIS PAGE:
There are writing exercises, tips, and some reading suggestions
for both reluctant and ravenous readers.
Let the Wild Writing Rampage Begin!
To get your hands on the TONS OF writing exercises of the wildly imaginative variety packed
into THE ANYBODIES TEACHER'S GUIDE, click here to make a request!
AND NOW!: A List of Books!
I often get asked for reading suggestions. And so I have made a
list -- and broken it down a bit -- of some current faves...
1. For readers who are smart and savvy but slow when it comes
to words on a page ... here is a list of books to keep in mind.
Witness by Karen Hesse
This is a gritty, gripping book that's told in short monologues
from many perspectives. The reader can keep the pages flipping and
can be satisfied, in short order, by the heavy themes and deep
characterization and plotting.
Love That Dog by Sharon Creech
There have been a bunch of novels for younger readers written in
poems. Check this one out on Amazon and look at the others listed
around it. These tend to offer a lot of material in few words.
Perfect for someone who takes their time reading a book.
Dear Dumb Diary by Jim Benton
I know, I know. You're thinking that it sounds like silly
fluff -- and it is plenty silly -- but it's a great pick for a reader
who wants a book that's easy to read, but smartly written. This is
good writing, folks! Witty, funny stuff. I've seen some non-readers
fall in love and plow through the series.
2. Mythology Freaks
You've likely read the Rick Riordan series -- staring with
The Lightning Thief -- but have you tried Anne Ursu's series,
The Chronus Chronicles? Do.
3. Spooky
Coraline. Neil Gaiman. I love this book.
4. Talking Animals
You know how I feel about talking animals. I don't
like them. They make me nervous. But there are a lot of great talking
animal books -- and, well, some talking animals have shown up in
my books too -- despite my best efforts.
The Red Wall by Brian Jacques. Talking mice.
Warriors by Erin Hunter. Talking cats.
Guardians of Ga'hoole by Kathryn Lasky. Talking owls.
Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins. Talking roaches, bats, etc.
5. Medieval-like Books
Arthur -- Book One: The Seeing Stone. Kevin Crossley-Holland.
Fly by Night. Frances Hardinge.
And NOW! ... some notions and writing tips!
Oh, writing exercises are just like other exercises except
you don't have to jump up and down and flail your arms. But
if you want to jump up and down and flail your arms – if
this gets blood to your brain – then by all means:
jump up and down and flail your arms!
Exercise One:
Respond to these:
Write down the name of something that can fit in the palm
of your hand.
Write the name of something that could fit in the trunk of
a car.
Write down your favorite color.
Write down something that smells really good or really bad.
Write down something that is very noisy.
Write down the name of an animal.
Write down something that is shiny.
Write down something that tastes really wonderful.
Write down something that feels smooth or something that
feels rough.
Now take those nine or so words and use them to start a
story. Use the words in any order. Change them around some
if you need to. Cow, for example, can be cowboy. Rain can
be raining or rainstorm. Once you run out of words, keep
on going. Finish the story!
Exercise Two:
To get at good words, start with ... good words.
Where does one find good words? In good books.
Go to your favorite book and go hunting. Make a list of words.
You can simply spin your finger, plop it down, and choose at random.
But only say yes and commit a word to the list if it is you
can touch -- bird, creek, prune, icicle -- or a great action
verb -- punch, whistle, whine, sing. Steer clear of abstract
words like joy and sadness. Sometimes, you'll find a creek can
talk about sadness even more than the word sadness. This will eventually
make sense.
Once you have a list of 10 words, use them as a prompt
to start writing. Write a poem or the beginning of a story.
Don't worry about knowing what it's about. Just write. Have faith
that one good word will lead to another.
Exercise Three:
Go out and interview someone. Remember, if I hadn't talked
to my source (a girl with rooster hair and big eyes), I'd
have never come up with this story. And here's a hint. Old
people know a lot. They might be smart. They might not be
smart. But they've lived a long time and know of many really
strange, crazy, bizarre things that have happened in the
world and to themselves and their neighbors – neighbors!
What would writers do without the stories of crazy neighbors?
Another good thing about talking to old people is that they
often have more time than those people scurrying around in
middle age or teen years. They're in a reflective state of
mind.
So go out and collect stories by asking questions:
Go up to Gramps, for example and blurt out: What's the
strangest thing that ever happened to you? What's made
you you? Or Grammy: What was the happiest thing in
your life? The scariest? The most magical? Now Gramps and
Grammy may not be good storytellers. So keep on asking
questions of other folks. Questions are good. You're
young. You can probably get away with blurting out
questions. People might pat you on the head and call you "precocious," and
there are worse things to be. Finally, write down the answers.
That's what makes writers writers. They write things down.
Exercise Four:
This isn't really an exercise. It's just plain old good
advice. Keep a journal. Write down things that happen to
you and how you feel. This will often make you feel a lot
better. Journals are good for that. Remember how important
diaries are to Fern and her mother!!! And if you're a boy,
just call it a journal not a diary ... if the word diary
is too girlish. You know sea captains always wrote journals
or daily logs ... so there's a manly tradition here at work.
Also, write down what you see, taste, smell, hear, what things
feel like in your hands. This is good training for being
a writer. We all rely on our senses; writers rely on them
desperately so to make people experience the things the writers
write down, and not just read words on a page like a spelling
list.
Exercise Five:
Geez! This isn't an exercise either, really. It's just plain
good advice once more, staring you in the eyes. READ. Read
what you love to read. In your spare time, don't read what
you have to. Read what makes you want to write ... You are
what you eat, or so some person once said – though
I don't agree! I had a banana for breakfast, and I'm not
a banana, am I? No. But there's some ounce of metaphorical
truth there, and it applies to writing. Sometimes you write
more like what you read. So, read someone you'd love to write
like. Sample a lot of different writers. Keep pouring over
the library shelves and keep looking for great writers. When
you're reading THE ANYBODIES, you might notice that there
are lots and lots and lots of other books referenced. That's
because those books were mighty important to me and to the
story. I think that Mrs. Appleplum lives in a great house.
Maybe I'll build one like it one day – a house made
completely out of books. That's where I'd like to live. Yes.
Exercise Six:
Root around in your own brain! Many strange and wonderful things
have happened to you.
Write a memory of a bird. Write a memory of teeth. Write a memory
of water.
Now think of a story that might have all three of these things
happening in it.
I'm an author, yes, but much of my day is spent collecting memories
(and images and bits of overheard conversation) and then quilting
those bits into a story that makes some kind of sense. Try it!
For more Wild Writing Rampage games and big hooting fun,
click here. (Booksellers)
For freebies, click here.
To get a free book-plate sticker signed by N.E. Bode and
made out to you to put inside of our copy of The Anybodies
and The Nobodies, click here.
If your parents are reading this with you (and good for
them!) and they want Wild Reading and Writing Rampage tips,
click here.
