Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     The last idea you should know about might be the hardest one!  But don't get scared- it should be relaxing.  Although, if you are anything like me, there is no "one way" to do this.  The last idea is to clear your mind.  Don't think about anything.  And if you really want to write, it is hard to do that.

     Try to get work, people, problems and ideas out of your head and come to the writing table with an open mind.  A scattered mind is an already determined idea and usually results in failure.  Whether it's a school paper, work, or a story, try to give that material a chance to develope on its own.  Relax.

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Next, of course, is the brainstorm bubble.  I learned this in middle school.  It is really a great idea and there is a reason that people still use it.  It works.


     Brainstorm bubbles simply start out with a word written in the middle of a page.  This word can be a characters name, an event, a chapter, and anything else you can think of.  Once you have written that word, draw lines extending from it to anything that pops into mind when you hear that center word.  If you create a new idea off of the word extending from the center word, then make this word another center of another bubble.  Simply put, write all the words or questions you can think of and don't stop.  I have many pages of bubbles per novel.  Go crazy!

Can You Learn About Your Character?- Writing Books

I learn about my characters everyday!  Whether or not I am taking notes, I am learning.  This is the best part about writing because each writer's characters are so unique.  You think you know that character when you are reading a book, but what you know doesn't always hold true.  The same situation goes for real life!  Characters are based off of real people whether it is a mixture of people or not.  There are so many individual people with different qualities and flaws out there, and a hundred times more characters when you mix these qualities and flaws up.  I learn from people.  Every person I meet has the full potential to be a character in my books, or part of a character.

My Book- A Movie?

     Have you ever watched a movie in writing mode- I mean, focusing on the acute movements that that powerful actor is making, thinking how you would write this in words?  The only approach that brings you back is a grim look from your buddy when he notices that you look like a zombie.  Not cool, but if you can keep your composure, thinking of a movie as a book can be helpful.

     When you're ready to write sometime, put your book on the big screen and see how it would look.  Close your eyes if you have to.  What do you notice first in a sequence of events?  And what pace were they noticed?  What kind of mood did the setting present?  How does your buddy feel in that theater chair- considering that he does'nt have a zombie distracting him?

     Now, how does that feel?  It should feel pretty good.  The only thing left, is to put all of those observations into words and let your writing set the tone, picture, and pace. 

Comic Books Make the Best Movies

The list of movies from these books never ends.  Comic books make some of my favorite movies.  I am sure you have some favorites also.  You could probably guess, but Superman is at the top of my list.  Comic books are becoming ever so popular as movies these days.  Just to name two of my favorite recent ones, Kick-Ass and Iron Man 2.  Alien vs. Predator (published by Dark Horse Comics) is one of my favorites of all time!  Some good ones that I have not yet seen include Transformers 3 and Cowboys and Aliens.

Comic Books Make the Best Movies- Revisited...

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Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     To get an idea of when your events occur in your story, jot down a word or a couple of words to summarize each main event and place them in order from beginning to end on a timeline.  Leave enough space so that you can include extra events and ideas.  Don't worry if your paper is crowded.  I tend to think that my paper is probably more crowded than yours! 

Writing Ideas- Activities For Your Book

     Another idea is to enhance characters.  There is no limit to how this can be done.  You could use the second method I listed (expand vocab.) to find out more about your character and you can even put yourself in their shoes.  If you wanted to enhance your character through a writing exercise, I have a perfect way to do it.  Use metaphors to substitute for the character's goal, obstacle, talent etc.  Take any of these and put your character into his/her psychological world that they don't see.


     For example, use an open window to represent a way out of a relationship that is troubling.  The setting can mean many things, so think about this in detail.  Is this relationship dark and gloomy, or is there just something better on the other side?  Is there something he/she treasures that keeps them there, like gold?  Will gold symbolize this treasure or could you use something else-maybe it's more intangible than that.