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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

So you don't want to write...right?

Today is just one of those days. We're literally snowed in....nothing is moving. No trucks. No cars. I haven't even seen a bus. Schools are closed. Libraries are closed. Even the Ohio State University is closed. Frankly, I don't feel like writing.

That's how all writers feel from time to time. That's how teachers and their kids feel too. This is the perfect time to forget about writng as a form of communication. Why not take it to an even different level? Write to have fun with no expectations or pressure!

If you're a writer, make your pen or pencil be you. Get creative. Go crazy! Just play.
Here's an example:
I am Jan's pen. Sometimes I think she'll never slow down and I want her to quit. I just can't take it anymore. She grasps me like there's no tomorrow and every now and then she puts me in her mouth and takes a bite. Who is this woman who has me in her control? What is she?

If you're a teacher play with your kids for a bit. Talk through this same kind of exercise, only make a paper the personified object. The act of sharing an activity like this will free your kids up to truly write later. Sharing is the key to successful student writing. You value what your kids have to say, (as well as write)so why wouldn't they want to become engaged in the game of writing?

After you've orally completed this exercise, do the first activity I suggested using the example of the pen. If your kids are too young to write, you can talk this one through too. Writing is fun. Writing is playful. Don't forget to take time to play with words just for the thrill of the game!

6 comments:

Sandy said...

Offering my sympathy's for the pencils that you bite! Silly woman. lol

I love your ideas and can see kids getting jazzed up about them.

Sandy

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Great ideas.

I kind of envy you all that snow. Despite not liking the cold, I do like being snowed in (doesn't happen often enough around here).

Stay in and keep warm.

Glue Girl said...

And I can add from personal experience that kids do love to personify things.

Suzanne Ross Jones said...

Hi Jan

re. the question you left on my blog...

Your blogs are informative and interesting and I don't think we can have too much of those kinds of posts.

On the other hand, posting can be time consuming, so you may not want to post every day. Your followers (of which I'm one) will drop by when you've posted something new (I've also got you on my blog list, so any new posts show up on my blog page as well as on the dashboard). I know some bloggers who've been doing it a while sometimes don't post for days (or weeks even in some cases).

Perhaps your publisher can advise on what they would expect if they're thinking of linking to you.

Kathleen Jones said...

I am amazed at the places my pen has taken me....From newspapers to horse magazines to Chicken Soup! I can't wait to see where else we will go!

Sandy said...

Little more snow last night and I think more expected today, so perhaps you'll feel like writing today; looks like another good day to stay in. But, off to work I go.

TGIF
Sandy

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