Spook-tacular Halloween Writing Ideas

By Melissa Kline

Design-A-Costume. This is a great exercise for a writing group or class. Pick a partner and “design” a costume for them while they do the same for you. Write about the details – what it looks like, its function and where the costume might be worn. Then share your designs and why you think it’s the perfect getup. As an added exercise, draw the costume with color and details.

http://websterleiden.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/interview-with-a-costume-designer/

Speed Candy List. Set a timer for 1 minute and list as many candies as you can. If you are in a group setting, compare lists to see who has the most listed and which candies are most popular/rare. Then write a short story and incorporate as many candies as you can without listing them.

 

Potion Concoctions. Come up with the most creative magical potion that you can think of. Write about its purpose - what it does when used for good…or evil. What does your potion look like? Does it have a scent? Color? Texture? Is it made up of various items or just a few? Don’t forget to give your potion a name! Group Bonus: Fill a bunch of jars/bottles with colored water and let each member choose a “potion” for inspiration.

 

Character Doodles. You will need a few sheets of paper and at least two people for this exercise. Fold paper(s) in thirds. Each participant draws a head on top half first, then passes and draws torso. Pass one last time to draw the legs. Do not let anyone see your doodles until they are complete and don't forget to include continuation lines. When characters are complete, unfold and reveal your kooky creations! Use your creatures as a writing prompt or discussion piece.

http://mslk.com/reactions/exquisite-corpse-aka-the-drawing-game/

Do you have any Halloween inspired writing exercises you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about them.

Happy Halloween, Friends!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SWAGGER!

by Kathy Cannon Wiechman

Three years ago, a group of 8 friends at a Highlights Foundation Writers’ Workshop started this blog. It was the brain child of Kim Van Sickler, and Kim has been the main member to keep it afloat.

Since its inception, one member has left to deal with enormous health issues (We love you, Grace!) and two members left to begin their own inspirational blog at City Muse/Country Muse. A few others only occasionally put in rare, but welcome, appearances when their busy schedules and inspiration allow. But Kim has gone out into the blogosphere and developed a following, and always manages to come up with a post when needed, no matter what.

When Swagger began, I couldn’t envision being able to write new posts on a regular basis. After all, I was busy with ideas for novels and short stories. So were all the other Swaggers. But over the past 3 years, I have written more than 100 blog posts, some of them on topics delegated by blog hops. Others were inspired by events in my own life, like getting a publishing contract for my debut novel LIKE A RIVER (due out April 7, 2015 from Calkins Creek). I have also told stories from my childhood, that had been tucked safely in a file drawer inside my mind.

Life has thrown many things at all of us, those kinds of things that Life throws, things that could end a blog’s existence. But Swagger survives—and thrives.

                

                                Happy birthday, Swagger!

Come Visit Me at Literary Rambles!

by Kim Van Sickler

I'm over at Literary Rambles today! Come visit!

My first review from the Snatched in Gullybrook giveaway on Goodreads was posted by a winner who lives on a military base in Germany. You can read it, along with other reviews of the book, here.

On Wednesday I will be at the Not Under Our Roof Conference in Lima, Ohio. It's a sex trafficking awareness conference tailored to workers in the hotel and tourism industries.

Kim signing books at the University of Toledo's Sex Trafficking, Prostitution and Sex Workers Conference last month.

Fall Giveaway!

by Melissa Kline

This month my company is hosting a super easy, writer-friendly giveaway starring my dystopian YA novel, My Beginning and hot-off-the-press psych thriller, A Fine Line. Four autographed copies are up for grabs. Just leave a comment below per the entry instructions or visit the giveaway site at http://www.dreamfusionpress.com/-fall-giveaway.html, and tell us what you think of our cover images. That's it!

 

Here's a sneak peek at the entry images and rules: 

MY BEGINNING:

Tell us what lurks beyond the 

keyhole. Use your wildest 

imagination to come up with

what lies behind these rust 

stained walls. Is it an escape? 

A prison? Who, or what's out 

there? Or within?

A FINE LINE:

This Rorschach image 

was created specifically for the

cover of A Fine Line. Use 

your imagination to decipher

what's in the ink. What do 

you see? Blobs of 

black, white and grey? Or

something else? Is it light

and happy? Or dark and

disturbing?

Tell us your thoughts at http://www.dreamfusionpress.com/-fall-giveaway.html or leave a message with your answers in the comments below for a chance to win one of these spooky Halloween reads!

FACING “FAILURE”

by Kathy Cannon Wiechman

  

Today's post is written for the IWSG's monthly blog hop. Visit the link below for more information.

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/2014/09/insecure-writers-support-group.html

In June, I gave a talk to the local chapter of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators on my 40-year journey to a published novel. That’s not a typo. It took me 40 years.

When I looked back over all those years, I saw what seemed at the time to be failures. I see now that they were just steps in my journey. Any step that moved me forward was not a failure.

Slow and steady got Kathy her publishing contract.

Some of those steps were learning experiences at workshops, classes, and conferences. Forty years has taught me a great deal. When I look back at the naïve young beginner I was when I started, I am surprised by how little I knew.

I networked and made contacts. Even if those contacts did not land me a book contract, they moved me forward with dealing with professionals and taught me about the publishing industry. Some of those contacts taught me how NOT to deal with people and some became dear friends.

Other steps were days, months, and years of writing. My about-to-be-published novel is actually the eleventh one I wrote. Were the others failures? No way. Each taught me more and more about plotting, character, and Voice. Each led me closer to the one that’s being published. Each made me a better writer. (And there is still a chance that a rewrite of Number 9 will be published. Time will tell. I haven’t given up on it yet.)

Every step in my journey was a necessary one for me to take. I am extremely proud of my novel LIKE A RIVER (due out in April from Calkins Creek). I am glad that my first published novel was not written by that naïve young beginner, but by the experienced, seasoned writer I am now.

What I am telling you today is that the only failure is quitting. Everything else is just a step forward in your writer’s journey. Appreciate each one for what it is. And I hope your journey will not take you 40 years.