where do ideas come from?

This module will give you the opportunity to stretch your creative writing side through exercises in plot, character, and setting development. You'll explore ideas from all sorts of angles, write a bunch of story starters, then develop one into a full-blown story!

This Creative Writing Seminar can be completed independently with regular check-ins along the way. Please let Christine know you are working on it before you jump in.

Module summary:

• review principles of creative writing
  • plot structure
  • descriptive language
• follow prompts to create story starters based on plot, characters, and settings
• share your ideas with the group to get feedback
• choose one to develop into a full plot

The pen (or, in this case, the Waterford Kilbarry Edge) is mightier than the sword

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essential questions

• Where do we start when writing a story?
• How do we add imagery to stories?
• How does the revision process strengthen our writing?

goals

• Students will understand that ideas come from many different angles - from our lives, from idea generators - and the more you practice, the more the ideas come.
• Students will understand that key skills for creative writing (patience, trying new approaches to solve a problem, and revision) are important skills for most areas in life.
• Students will understand that revision strengthens writing by being critical, looking for holes in the story, and ensuring ideas are expressed clearly.

activities

INTRODUCE 

• warm-up: read "Snow" excerpt and highlight descriptive language as directed
• check in with Christine to discuss syllabus and expectations of module

EXPOSE

• Watch "How to Write Descriptively" video from TED-Ex
  • take notes on key points
• Watch "Coming up with Story Ideas" on YouTube
  • take notes on the 10 elements
• Check in with Christine on takeaways

PRACTICE

• Practice identifying and strengthening language
  • identify verbs, adjectives, and nouns with this handout
  • re-write boring sentences into vivid images with this handout 
• ROUND 1: write three story starters
  • pick from these idea generators: (write on each for 20 minutes)
    • fortune teller generator
    • Muddle and Match
    • Story Path
    • Tell Me a Story
    • Tell Tale Cards
  • Annotate your story starters with three different highlight colors
    • first color: descriptive language or words
    • second color: weak language or words
    • third color: plot elements you like
  • Rate your starters from worst to best based on the potential you see in them
  • Check in with Christine

• ROUND 2: write three more story starters
  • pick from these prompts: (write for 20 minutes on each one)
    • try out story ideas based on "Coming Up with Story Ideas" video
    • pick a prompt from these creative writing ideas
    • write either the back story or the visible story in one of these pieces of art
  • Annotate your Round 2 story starters with three different highlight colors
    • first color: descriptive language or words
    • second color: weak language or words
    • third color: plot elements you like
  • Rate your starters from worst to best based on the potential you see in them
  • Check in with Christine

CREATE

• plan out a story based on one of your story starters
  • fill in plot arc
  • review with Christine
• draft short story - finished story should be 500-1000 words
• highlight verbs, adjectives, and nouns in three different colors (yes, you need to really do this)
• critique story using Writing Scoring Guide for short stories
• submit highlighted draft and conference with Christine

REFLECT

• revise story draft
• pay particular attention to descriptive language
• critique story again using Writing Scoring guide, and conference with Christine

c-tachs

Writing

• Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience
• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach

Language

• Demonstrate command of conventions of standard English grammar when speaking and writing
• Demonstrate command of standard capitalization and punctuation
  
• Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meaning 
  

resources

Creative Writing syllabus
​The rest of your resources are embedded in the "Activities" section... so look for them there and read the instructions!

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