Summer time is the perfect opportunity to experiment some
creative writing. Want to make it even more fun? Involve your family.
I wrote Purple Pencil Adventures: Writing Prompts for Kids of All Ages as a way to get kids excited about writing. My recommended way to use this book is to get families writing together.
Have a family writing night
every week, have everyone spend a half hour or so writing a fun short story, and
then go around the room, reading them out loud. Some of the activities require actual adventures, which you can also do
as a family before writing time comes around.
No kids? No problem. You can also play with these on your
own. I am actually working on the last one for a new writing project.
Below are five fun and creative prompts from my book.
* Share a Hobby. What
are your hobbies? Do you enjoy crafts, play a sport, dance, read, cook? Make a
list of all the fun activities you do. Then pick one to write about. Describe
how you discovered this particular hobby. Did someone introduce you to it? Or
teach you how to do it?
Then, go into detail about what is involved in doing this
hobby. If you knit, how do you decide on your next project? If you dance, do
you take a class? What kind? Where? Who are the friends who dance with you? If
you read, how do you discover good books?
Write about what you enjoy about the hobby, and explain why
someone unfamiliar with it should give it a try.
For extra credit take up a new hobby and write about it.
* Read and Write About a Book.
What books are you reading this summer? Here’s a fun twist on a book review:
write a report or summary of a book you have not yet read. Use the title and
back cover copy as a starting point. And then write what you think the book is
about and why you did or did not like it. Be as detailed as you want – you can
even include character descriptions.
When you have finished reading the book, write another
report. Then, read them both, one after the other to see how accurate you were.
* Create a Game. You
have probably made up games in the past, whether they are outdoor games,
swimming pool games, board games, or make believe. If not, here’s your chance.
Make up a game. Write out at least five rules. How many
players? How is it played? How does someone win? If it’s a board game, describe
what the box looks like, what the game itself looks like, and what pieces are
included. You can even add why your game is the best game ever!
Feel free to combine rules from other games, toys, and
activities.
* Give a Speech. Write
a short speech - just three to five minutes long - about something or someone
you really love. It can be about a game or toy, a family trip or adventure, a
class at school, or a person you admire.
Write your speech, and, after you practice it a few times,
present it to a friend or a parent.
The ability to communicate well, whether it is on paper or
by talking, is a skill you will be able to use throughout your life.
* Write a Sidekick.
Superheroes are not the only ones who have sidekicks. Create a fictional best
friend. Make sure to include all of the basic details: name, age, family
background. What does he or she look like, wear, eat, and do for fun? Is you
sidekick smart, funny, quiet, or all of the above? How did you meet? Why did
you become friends?
Take an imaginary adventure with your sidekick and then
write about it.
Whenever you are writing, whether it’s for work or for fun,
remember to enjoy it. You never know when or where you will encounter your next
bit of inspiration.
So, did you try out any of these writing prompts? How’d it
go? Let me know in the comments.
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Debra Eckerling is a writer, editor and project catalyst, as well as founder of Write On Online, a live and online writers’ support group. Like the Write On Online Facebook Page and join the Facebook Group.
