Writing the Unexpected

I live on Bainbridge Island, Washington, where we don't get a lot of ice. But it's been in the 30s the last couple of mornings, and this morning I looked out our front window to see an icicle hanging from our gutter. I was seeing the unexpected.

Sometimes it's fun to add something unexpected--a sort of surprise--into our stories. It wakes our readers up (not that we want them falling asleep in the first place). It makes our readers say, "Ah. I didn't expect that!"

Of course, we don't want a jolt out of the blue. But something small and unexpected is like a gift to our readers. As the writer Garrison Keillor would say, it makes them sit up and take notice.

Try adding something unexpected to your story. Maybe the cat in your story eats dog food. Or your character likes to wear mismatched socks. Or your character wakes up to find an icicle hanging from the gutter --in the spring.

Play around with the unexpected, and expect to have fun!

Have Fun with Your Name

I was walking along the ship canal in Seattle the other day, and saw this red tugboat with my name: Margaret Ann. I rushed for my camera.

It's fun to find an object that has your name, and of course that leads to story ideas. I immediately wanted to write about a red tugboat named Margaret Ann. What kind of adventure would she go on as she pushed a barge down the canal?

If you don't see an object with your name (and we usual don't, do we?), look around for an object you like, and give it your name. Maybe it's a pencil you name Carson. Or a soccer ball you name Katie Grace.

Now imagine an adventure for your pencil or soccer ball. What kind of trouble can Carson or Katie Grace get into?

Have fun with your name and your story.

More on Writing 15 Minutes a Day

How did you do on writing 15 minutes a day? Pretty good? Wonderful!

I like to have one day a week where I don't do my usual day-to-day activities. I've made that day Sunday. On Sunday I'm flexible on whether I write for 15 minutes. If I do, great. If I don't, that's OK too.

What are ways to use your 15 minutes a day of writing? Here are some ideas:

1) Pick a character from a story you're writing, and interview your character. Your character "talking" may surprise you with something you want to add to your story.

2) Describe something you see each day but don't really "see." Do you have a clock in your bedroom? Describe it. What does it look like? Does it make a sound? Touch the clock. Is it cool or warm? The clock above has Chinese characters. If you don't have a clock in your room, describe this Chinese clock. How is it the same as American clocks? How is it different?

3) Write one long sentence for 15 minutes. That is a challenge, but I know we're up for it! Keep your pen or pencil moving (and use a lot of commas).

4) Write about the best thing that happened yesterday. You may think nothing "best" happened, but every day has something that makes us feel good.

5) Remember that character from #1 above? Describe that character's lunch. Does your character eat a McDonald's Big Mac with French fries? Or peanut butter and a banana on a bagel? Or a salad with beets and artichokes? Write in detail, describing the colors, taste, feel, and smell of your character's lunch.

Writing 15 Minutes a Day

Hello there! Do you have 15 minutes? Great! Then let's get writing.

Many authors promote the idea of writing each day. Your story or novel stays fresh in your mind, and you feel less rusty when you go back to your writing.

But let's face it. Some days are busy. We have trouble finding time to write. We may have a lot of homework, or we're visiting relatives, or there's a list of things to do and we'll get to our writing "later." Sometimes, "later" never comes. Sometimes, a few days or weeks go by, and "later" keeps getting pushed back. Before we know it, a month has flown passed us and we haven't found time to write.

A simple solution is to write for 15 minutes a day. It doesn't sound like a lot, does it? Think of it this way. If you write for 15 minutes a day x 30 days, at the end of a month you'll have 450 minutes of writing. That's 7 1/2 hours, or nearly a full work-day of writing.

Almost everyone has 15 minutes. Try carrying your notebook with you wherever you go. Write on the bus, in the car (not if you're driving!), before breakfast, or right after dinner. Write without stopping, letting your words get down on the page.

Try writing 15 minutes a day about anything you'd like. All writing is good. Next week, we'll talk about different ways to use your 15 minutes of writing.

Ready? The clock starts now!