Children believe that when they grow up they will know and be able to do anything.
It is a charming notion we all had once. I’m not keen to disillusion them, but this quick exercise gives them an insight into what it’s like being a grown up, and how they have far more control over their lives as children than they thought they had.
• List 25 questions adults do not know the answers to.
If they can write more, allow them to write more. It opens up ideas for stories, ideas that they can use that they wouldn’t otherwise have thought about.
One question might be: How do I get my son/daughter to clean their room?
That will trigger a personal response. They will briefly see the situation from someone else’s point of view, which will help them to develop further characters.
They could also make up a story based on that question. A story about parents who use the most outrageous methods to get their children to keep their rooms tidy.
Bribery, blackmail, moving out of the house, forcing them to live in a tent in mid-winter, serving up Brussels sprouts and liver for breakfast, lunch and dinner every day,
Give them permission to be as outrageous with their ideas as they can, once they’ve chosen a question to develop.
At the end you could ask them one question to go home with.
• What question would you most like answered if you were guaranteed a correct, honest answer?
Provoking thoughts away from the computer, chat-rooms and gaming mindset is essential. It also fits in with creating good story ideas, because it may start with something simple and develop into areas that would have been otherwise inaccessible to the mind, had the question not been asked.
The trick to a great story is to put ordinary characters of any species into extraordinary situations, climb into their world and go with what you find there, however outrageous or weird it might be.
Rob Daniel is a children's author, creative writing, memory and self-esteem teacher. He lives in beautiful Albany on the south west corner of Western Australia, has a passion for mangos, the Greek Islands and bringing the best out of young people. He has been booked to go on a creative writing tour of primary schools around the south-west in September, and is very excited about the adventures he's about to have!
'Rob Daniel's Magical Mystery Tour Of The Imagination' is calling at Esperance, Boulder and Perth, eight one hour sessions in five schools.
Rob creates 'turn the page' children's e-books with illustrators from around the world. You can check out and buy these books instantly from http://www.chocmint.com You'll also find an opportunity to join the chocmint adventure yourself, if you have a passion for writing and illustrating for children.
LATEST book published 'A Tail's Tale', illustrated by UK artist Elizabeth Stringer. Part proceeds from books go towards sponsoring children at the Bear-Care orphanage in Kitgum.