Fun Writing Exercises  

“What should I write about?” For those times when you haven’t a clue or are feeling blocked, exercises can be fun ways to get your creative juices flowing. Here are just a few:

General

• Try to picture your earliest memory. About how old were you? Why do you think this memory is so distinctive?

• Write about a vivid dream.

• Write about the room you’re in. Be as descriptive as possible. Now, describe a room that you can’t see but know well. Compare the two descriptions.

• What is the hardest thing you’ve ever had to do?

• What makes you laugh out loud?

• Describe in great detail your favorite meal. Who makes it? When do you eat it?

Children’s Fiction

1. Write a 250-word description of a place from your own view point (as an adult.) Then, write it from the view point of a five year-old child.
   
2. Try to adapt a classic fairy tale in an easy reader format.
   
3. Tell a fairy tale from a different character’s perspective (eg, the wicked stepmother from “Snow White” tells all.)
   
4. Write a fictional story about a topic generally taught to first graders (dinosaurs, insects, ocean creatures, etc,) weaving in factual information.

Children’s Nonfiction (Some of these are adapted from You Can Write Children’s Books by Tracy Dils)

1. Make a list of 10 things that kids like in different categories, like sports, people from history, tv stars, etc. Consider how these items might be used in writing a “behind-the-scenes” book.
   
2. Think of a skill you have that you might turn into a “how-to” book.
   
3. Research a famous historical figure and identify one or two episodes from that person’s childhood which might be interesting to young readers.
   
4. Choose a decade from history and write down 10 things that happened during that era which might appeal to kids.