Remember the fun times and big dreams you had when you were a kid?
Grown-ups don't get it, with all of their rules. Kids just want to have a good time. Sometimes this leads to riding bikes a little farther than you're allowed to, or tossing a bag of flour around the house, or refusing to eat broccoli, just on principal.
So get back in touch with your inner child! Take some time for yourself and do something that makes you happy--like writing!
This Sunday, Sept. 15, Sarah Maizes, shows you how to write a picture book ready for the bestseller list! Sarah is an award-winning children's book author and former William Morris literary agent. After taking her 5-week class, Writing the Marketable Picture Book, you'll have a completed draft of your book. You'll even get to test it out on a small audience of kids! There's only a few spots left, though, so sign up while you still can.
Check out these other opportunities to play with words at Writing Pad! Then scroll down for your free writing prompt. What could be more fun than that?
Classes Starting This Week/Next Week
Writing The Marketable Picture Book (5 Wk)
Your Name In Print: Get Your Story Published
Writing Pad Events
Journalism/Web Writing
Writing for Actors
Writingpalooza: Find Your Literary Mojo
Writing Prompt:
Ah, the innocence of childhood. Most of us are at our creative best when we're kids, before that inner critic has had a chance to develop in our heads.
When I was little, I once got in trouble after my Mom discovered the abstract art pieces I'd been making on the wall next to my bed. She just couldn't appreciate my brilliance in using ooey-gooey boogers as finger paints when I was supposed to be sleeping. I guess I can see now why she was a little upset.
For this week's writing prompt, make a list of 3 times you got in trouble when you were a kid. Pick one. Add a sensory detail to it (smell, taste, sound, touch).
Write about that incident, making sure to include that sensory detail for 10 minutes. It could be funny, poignant, sad -- anything you want. Then post your story in the comments below. You could win a free writing class!
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I crouched down in my bell bottom, brown corduroy jeans, and felt the hard pebbles press into my knees. I leaned forward and touched the white paint on the side of my childhood home. My best friend, Kim, was kneeling next to me. It was sunny and warm outside, as it usually was during late spring in my central California hometown. I couldn't see my parents or uncle in the garage, but could hear their voices, talking about my dad's latest car purchase. Kim and I looked at each other, smiling as we both realized that the coast was clear. I reached into my back pocket, and pulled out a box of matches. I opened the box, gently pulled out a match stick and closed the box. I touched the end of the match stick ever so lightly on the side of the box. I looked at Kim. She caught my eye. We both let out a quiet giggle. At seven years old, we knew the dangers of matches. But our curiosity got the best of us - we just had to see what would happen. I looked down at the match box, hesitated for a second and quickly struck the match alongside the box. A tiny gold spark shot out and grew into a small yellow and orange flame. I held the match in front of my face, going cross eyed as I moved the flame closer to my nose. I looked again at Kim. "Come on," she said, "before they come." When I realized my family was still talking about the dumb car, I leaned forward and touched the flame on the side of the wood paneling of our family home. The flame left a small black burn, but quickly died out. Kim exclaimed, "Try again!" I pulled out another match and struck it on the side of the match box. I held the flame closer to my eyes, fascinated by its movement and color yet terrified of its power. Just as I brought the match down to set fire to our family home, I heard my uncle, in a very tense voice, "Jennifer! What are you doing?!?" I blew out the match and looked up at my uncle. Out loud, I said, "oh no." Inside, I thought, "oh crap."
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