While visiting my brother he showed me some photos I can’t ever remember seeing. These photos were originally on slides but John had converted them to digital images and could show them to me on his television. Many of the photos were of John’s pride and joy: his tractors. He thinks he has a photo of every tractor he ever owned – except one.

While this was interesting, what really grabbed my attention was that several of the shots showed me aged between eight and fourteen. It triggered in my mind a desire to focus a little more on writing about my childhood days. Here is a largely untapped resource of experiences that I can use in my writing. It is a deep well of interesting and colourful incidents that can only enhance my writing.

A word of caution is needed. Approaching a topic like this in a dry, journalistic way would be of interest to no-one. Except perhaps immediate family. A more creative method is required if you are interest a broader readership. This is not a problem if you are only recording your experiences as part of your family heritage.

If you do desire a wider audience for these stories, why not try rewriting your life experiences as a child (or an adult for that matter) as fiction? Take that incident with the bull when you raided a neighbour’s paddock while picking mushrooms and turn it into an exciting escapade, complete with other characters who may or may not have been a part of the original story. Turning fact into fiction can release those creative juices and you will never know where the story will end up. It will surely be a more interesting read than a dry narrative account of the facts.

You never know: one or more of these stories might end up being the text for a children’s picture book, or included in a magazine or anthology.

Good writing.

I rarely have this problem. In fact, I usually have far too many things to write about. My problem is choosing which one to write about first.

There are hidden treasures lurking everywhere. You just have to open your eyes to see the possibilities for writing that can crowd in upon you every day.

Start with everyday objects and let your imagination soar:

1. Make a list of twenty (or 50 or…) objects in your bedroom. Now think about one object and how it came into your life. Change this to a really bizarre story. For example, the photo on the dresser is not your mother; it is the photo of a distant relative who was married to a famous explorer or an infamous mass murderer.
2. Describe three objects in the room where you are sitting now. Now pick just one of them and imagine you dug it up in the garden. How did it get into your garden, and how is it now influencing your life?
3. Look in the refrigerator.  Take note of one thing and write about how it came to be there. Give it a life of its own, telling the story of it existence in its own voice.
4. Go outside and sit in the garden. Write about the one thing in your garden you really like (or absolutely detest). Write a conversation (or argument) between you and the object.
5. Walk to the nearest park with notebook and pencil. Describe one person you passed on the way. Note how they are dressed – and change their attire into something very usual, like a grandma wearing pirate clothing. Use you imagination and let her sit with you to tell her story.
6. Visit your nearest shopping center with a notebook and pen and find a seat. Pick out two people in the crowd. Try to imagine what they are saying. Give them new lives, new identities. Let them tell you their story.
7. Find an old  magazine or newspaper and open it at random, picking out a photo at random. Use the photo as a starting point to your story. For example, if it is a photo of a young man advertising deodorant, imagine him doing something adventurous, or heroic or courageous. Bring the photo – and the subject – to life.

Story ideas are lurking everywhere; you just have to have eyes to see them.

Good writing.

]]> http://www.trevorhampel.com/writing-about-hidden-treasures/feed/ 0 http://www.trevorhampel.com/writing-from-your-children-experiences/ http://www.trevorhampel.com/writing-from-your-children-experiences/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2009 22:15:36 +0000 Trevor http://www.trevorhampel.com/?p=1428 Last week I enjoyed reading the collection of inter-connected short stories called The Turning written by award winning West Australian author Tim Winton.  I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it was all I had hoped it to be. I’ll review it on these pages soon.

One of the most obvious strengths of the collection of stories is how Winton has drawn extensively on his childhood experiences growing up in rural Western Australia. This sense of time and place is powerful, and it set me to thinking and reminiscing about my own childhood. I grew up on a farm in the Murray Mallee districts of South Australia. the more I thought about it the more the memories came surging back. Some good, others I’d rather forget.

I was supposed to be on holiday last week, but there are times when the writer in me just cannot switch off. I actually wrote several stories  and made notes for another one, all based on childhood experiences. At this stage I am too close to the stories to know whether they will stand alone as unique stories in their own right, or they will become a part of a much bigger work.

Drawing on childhood experiences is something all writers can do.

‘Flannery O’Connor said that anyone who has survived beyond the age of twelve has enough fictional material for the rest of her life.’ (John Dufresne in The lie that tells the truth)

What I have done with these memories of my childhood is to take a real incident – and fictionalise it. I changed the names – to protect the guilty – and often twisted or totally changed the  events to suit the drama of the story. I distinctly remember a classmate breaking his arm while we were playing football. His reaction astonished me. I changed this incident to a broken arm during a cricket match. That’s the beauty of fiction: you can change or make up whatever you like. The stories read almost like a memoir – but much of the content is fiction. I’ve drawn on just one incident – the broken arm, for example – and let my imagination soar.

Writing activity:

• Cast your mind back to your primary (elementary)  school days.
• Think of one incident that sticks vividly in your memory.
• Write down exactly what happened – or as accurately as you can remember.
• Now rewrite it in a fiction form, bringing in imaginary characters, new incidents, a different ending – just let your imagination have free rein.

Good writing.

Also becoming popular are the articles in my writing prompts series of articles.

Today we have another 20 writing prompts. Use these as warm up activities, or for ideas for stories or articles or blog posts. Use them however you like. Let me know in the comments how you went using these ideas.

Twenty Writing Prompts:

1. Write about your favourite fruit.
2. Who is your favourite famous person in history (alive or dead)? Write down a list of questions you would like to ask during an interview.
3. You are waiting for a bus. A public phone starts ringing and you answer it. Write down your conversation.
4. You go fishing and catch your best fish ever. As you take it off the hook, it talks to you. Record your conversation.
5. Describe the life of a clock – from the point of view of the clock.
6. A small spaceship flies in through your window and lands next to your computer. Describe your reaction. What do you do next?
7. Describe the worst disaster you’ve ever experienced.
8. Write the first sentence of the novel you want to write someday. Make it great.
9. “It’s not over yet.” Write down what you think might happen next.
10. Write about the things you wish you had done on your holidays.
11. “That’s what’s wrong with this organisation.” Make a list of the things that need correcting. It might be best if you don’t leave this list lying around at work.
12. Write about the things you are not certain about.
13. Describe what happened tomorrow.
14. Imagine you are an ant living in a colony of ten million ants. How valued do you feel? Write about your feelings.
15. One of your hens hatches an egg containing a small dinosaur. How do you look after your new pet?
16. Imagine your best friend has died. Write an obituary for your friend.
17. “I thought this would never happen to me.” Describe what happened and how you dealt with the situation.
18. Make a list of things you could do when sick in bed.
19. “My life is based on a true story.” Write about the things that you wish had happened in your life.
20. Make a list of the highlights of your life so far.

Further reading:

• Short story starters – this series of articles list dozens of opening lines for short stories.
• Writing Prompts - dozens of writing ideas to get you writing.

Whatever the situation, writers are left without ideas. This is where my very popular short story starters can help. Then we have this series of writing prompts to get you out of those writing ruts. Today I present the latest list of writing prompts.

Use these as writing warm up activities. Use them as jumping off points for stories, or magazine articles or even blog posts. Use them however you wish.

Twenty Writing Prompts

1. Write about a career you have always dreamed about.
2. Write a conversation between a cow and a blade of grass.
3. What is your favourite household appliance? Write about its life from the point of view of the appliance.
4. If you had a choice, where would you live and why?
5. Write a list of ten things you would never write about.
6. Write a list of menu items you would offer to an enemy who came into your restaurant.
7. Choose an item in the room. Describe it without saying what it is and from the object’s point of view.
8. Make a list of the ten greatest inventions ever.
9. Write five things you would never tell your children – or your parents.
10. You are alone in the house. Your cat/dog starts talking to you. Record your conversation.
11. Choose a colour. Write about how it would feel if everything in the world was that colour.
12. A stranger approaches you in an airport and asks for a thousand dollars. Record your conversation.
13. Describe boredom. Make your description exciting.
14. Assume that more ice creams are sold on Tuesdays. Write a short report on why this is so.
15. Take on the role of your editor. Write the most devastating rejection letter you can imagine.
16. What would you do if you could live for a thousand years? describe your life.
17. Make a list of ten things that the world would be better off without. (“Things” – not people!)
18. Describe the best party ever. Who would you invite? Where would you hold it? What would you have to eat?
19. Describe what you would do if you found an elephant in your garden.
20. Write down your thoughts about the most controversial current news item.

Further reading:

• Writing prompts – more in this series.
• Short story starters – heaps of ideas for getting that story started.

Nothing.

It’s a frustrating feeling, knowing that you have to get a story written in the next two days and off to meet the magazine deadline or competition due date, but you have no ideas. The sinking feeling in the stomach makes the sinking of the Titanic seem like a hole ridden rubber duck in bath tub.

Sound familiar?

It’s a common feeling with too many writers. That’s where I come in. My most popular posts on this blog by far are the series I’ve called Short Story Starters. This is how it works: I give the first line or sentence or two of a story – you use that to get you started and before you know it, you have 200, 500 or even a thousand words and it’s taking over. Wonderful. Problem solved. Use any of the ideas here, adapt them to your own ideas, style, voice – whatever.

Short Story Starters

1. “I’ve seen that face before.” Ken stared at the photo, trying to remember. That’s the thug who…
2. Loretta knew she had one chance left. The butterflies were already dancing and the stomach churning threatened a further disaster of epic proportions. She gripped the pole tighter and…
3. In the fog of trying to wake up Mickey was aware of someone else in his room. He tried to sit up but….
4. ‘Neil? Are you there Neil?’ The voice was persistent and tinged with anxiety. ‘Are you in there?’ The knocking grew louder and Neil knew he had to respond, somehow. He….
5. Paula had finished. With a smile of satisfaction she lightly brushed across her mouth with the back of her hand. ‘That was…
6. The setting sun lit the vineyards stretched out across the valley. Rob watched as the golden glow deepened. He reached for…
7. Susan hesitated. The door should have been locked. It gently swung open to reveal a…

Over to you. Time to get writing.

Good writing.

Conditions of use:

• Feel free to use any of the story starters listed above. Change anything to suit your needs.
• Give it your best shot.
• Edit your work carefully before sending it off to a publisher or posting it on your blog.
• Let me know in the comments section how it went.
• If you publish your story on your web site or on your blog let me know so I can make a link to it for others to read.

This time I thought I’d do something different. Instead of just one idea, I’m going to give a list of writing ideas. Use these ideas however you want. You might get an idea for a story, or a magazine article or a blog post. Or you might just use it as a warmup activity before the main writing project for the day.

20 Writing Prompts:

1. Write about the Teddy Bears’ Picnic from the ant’s point of view.
2. Write a list of things that are white.
3. Explain why your character is afraid to go into the shadows.
4. Write about a librarian who discourages people from borrowing books.
5. Describe the most vivid dream you ever had.
6. Make a list of things that make you laugh.
7. Describe the last time you had a really good cry.
8. Write about the joys of moving house.
9. Write a conversation between a tree and a bird.
10. Describe the most exotic place you’ve ever visited.
11. Write the transcript of an interview you did with the character of a book.
12. Make a list of the ten major events in your life.
13. Write about the worst smell you have ever experienced.
14. List the attributes of the most evil character you can imagine.
15. Tell your life story in 50 words or less.
16. Write a story about a cat in exactly 50 words. It must have a beginning, middle and end.
17. What would you most like to change about your life – either in the past or the present.
18. Imagine what it would be like living in a palace and write about it.
19. Write a list of the ten things you would never do.
20. Imagine being in your mother’s womb. Write about your feelings.

Related articles:

• Writing prompts – an archives of articles in this series of articles.

We used to have five sheep, but they had an accident and ended up in the freezer. The sheep did a good job in keeping the grass down and mowing was unnecessary. It’s a different story now. In spring and early summer the grass and weeds grow quickly, sometimes up to waist high, depending on the winter rains. Of necessity I bought a ride-on mower a few years ago. It was a good move.

What has this to do with writing?

Plenty.

I learned a great deal about writing from mowing the grass.

Get a  spark of an idea

Last spring the grass needed mowing. It was becoming a fire hazard as it dried in the warm sun. I went to start the mower – nothing.

Not a spark. The battery was flat. It wasn’t going anywhere.

Our writing can be like that. It seems to be going nowhere; in fact, some days it just won’t even start. Sometimes it needs a jump start to get it going. Take a break. Make a cup of tea or coffee. Go for a walk.  Read a book for ten minutes. Then come back refreshed and ready to get it going again.

Get some outside help

Even though I charged the battery of my ride on mower, it still wouldn’t start. I tried everything I know about mowers and motors and batteries (which isn’t much – more of a short, short story actually). It needed professional help. I loaded it up on the trailer and took it to the dealer, a specialist in mower maintenance. That did the trick. He knew exactly how to solve the problem, giving me a few maintenance hints as well. Get some professional help with your writing. This is where networking and writers’ groups can be so beneficial. If necessary you may even need to pay to have your manuscript professionally assessed.

Eliminate the rubbish

When the mower was home again I got busy. There was plenty of grass that needed mowing before the summer fire danger season. Round and round I went mowing happily until… until the mower stopped mowing efficiently. What the… ? I stopped and looked down: the cutting area was clogged up with matted dry grass. The blades couldn’t do their job properly.

Is your writing clogged with rubbish? Words that don’t fit, or redundant sentences. Paragraphs that are really run-on sentences going nowhere. Wordy descriptions that “tell and don’t show.” Spelling and grammatical errors that readers – not to mention editors – will trip over and curse you for their sore knees.

Shed some light on your work

Sometimes I was enjoying the mowing so much the sun set on me and it started getting dark. The mower has two headlights but they don’t shed much light on the path ahead. I had to shut down, put the mower away and start again the next day.

Sometimes with our writing we get eyes that are dimmed through tiredness or trying too hard for too long. Put it away over night, or for a few days, and come back in the light of a new day. Instantly you will see where you were having troubles with a piece of writing and be able to correct it and move on.

Be sure to top up the fuel tank

My mower sometimes runs out of fuel. The gauge is on the side of the tank where I can’t see it from where I sit. It leaves me in no doubt about what is happening. It splutters to a stop with no warning. Sometimes it is a long walk back to the shed to get fuel.

Has your writing ever sputtered to a sudden stop, going nowhere? It is then time to refuel. Take a short holiday completely away from the work that is bogging you down. Go for a long walk every day. Set aside a day or two just for reading a novel. Stop and refuel by listening to music. Walk on the beach. Let the wind blow through your hair. See a movie or  two or three. Visit a friend and have a good yarn about anything except your writing. Then come back fully refueled and ready to go on with your writing.

Good writing.

Exercise the writing muscle every day, even if it is only a letter, notes, a title list, a character sketch, a journal entry. Writers are like dancers, like athletes. Without that exercise, the muscles seize up.

Jane Yolen

Good advice.

As writers we need to be writing on a regular basis.  I could almost guarantee that Tiger Woods practises his golfing skills on a daily basis. All professional sportsmen and women spend countless hours going over the basics, time and time again, day after day. Actors, dancers  and musicians rehearse, rehearse and then rehearse some more. I’ve read that it takes ten thousand hours to become truly proficient at any skill.

Write every day.

This is the only way to hone those skills, to learn how language works, to iron out any problems you may have and to discover your voice.

Here is a quick and  simple list of writing activities you could do on a regular basis to exercise those writing muscles. You can probably think of dozens of other ideas. Share them in the comments section.

A very short list of 30 writing exercises:

1. Write a few paragraphs in your journal today.
2. Write a list of the things you really like.
3. Write a list of writing goals for this week.
4. Start writing a blog.
5. Write ten sentences about your childhood.
6. Write a paragraph about your first pet.
7. Make a list of the things that annoy you.
8. Describe the smells that make you happy.
9. Write three paragraphs about your best friend.
10. Describe what you can see out through the nearest window.
11. Write a letter to a family member who lives far from away from you.
12. Write about your favourite fruit.
13. Describe the most frightening experience you’ve ever had.
14. Write about the happiest day of your life.
15. Describe how to make your favourite meal.
16. Make a list of the places you would like to visit.
17. In twenty words (or less), tell the story of your favourite movie.
18. Write a character sketch of your favourite fictional character.
19. Make a list of the twenty best books you’ve ever read.
20. Describe the smells that make you hungry.
21. Write an email to a friend or family member.
22. Describe the scariest movie or television show that you’ve ever seen.
23. Write a letter of protest to your local paper.
24. Write about a time you were terribly embarrassed.
25. Write about your favourite toy (even if you are getting on in years).
26. Write a list of the ways in which you would change the world.
27. Write a list of things you like to do alone.
28. What things really bother you?
29. Describe the most dangerous thing you have ever done.
30. Who is your hero – and why?

A Note to Teachers:

The list above is a great starting point for writing activities for your students. Give them a go and let me know how they go. You may copy the entire list for classroom use.

Good writing.

Further reading:

• Short story starters – an archive of dozens of ideas for short story writing.

Last week Rosanne wrote a sentence on the whiteboard. She then challenged us to write for about five minutes – ending our piece with that sentence. Here are some interesting (I hope) and challenging (I hope) story endings.  Use them in whatever way you like. Try them as warm up activities for your current writing project.

1. Which one will I poison first?
2. That is how the school burnt down.
3. I will never go there again.
4. That is the last time I ever saw her.
5. It still amazes me that I lived to tell this tale
6. I never expected to hear from him again.
7. The precious key slipped from her hand, bounced once and disappeared over the edge of the jetty.
8. Just when I’d given up all hope, the phone rang.
9. Sometimes life is stranger than fiction.
10. I was left staring at the solid door that had just been slammed in my face.

It was the first one we were challenged with. Here is what I wrote. Remember that we only had five minutes. This left little time for story or character development and none for rewriting.

Tuesday started like any other day: shower, breakfast, cuppa, paper, crossword and then don’t forget the teeth. All was going well, on schedule, according to plan, just like any other Tuesday.

Until.

Until my brother-in-law came to stay with his tribe of brats. All seven. Four boys and three girls plus two over active Jack Russells who always decided to wait until getting here to relieve themselves – on the new carpet.

‘I’ve left Susanna,’ he announced matter-of-factly. ‘Nowhere else to go. So I’ll have to move in with you. I’ll use the spare room shall I?’

I stared in disbelief. This was the fifth time it had happened. I couldn’t stand my brother-in-law. The Brat Pack was uncontrollable. The Jack Russells beyond control.

‘Which one will I poison first?’ was my immediate thought.

Have a go – let me know in the comments how it went.

Good writing.