Why Not Write Wednesday?: Fighting for a Cause

Do you have a cause you're passionate about? Maybe it's saving the environment, or promoting equality, or protecting animal rights. Your cause can be universal or more personal (maybe it's protecting your little brother from bullies) but nonetheless, one of the best ways to get these opinions heard is to write them out.

To do so, here are a few prompts you could follow below:

Is there something going on in the world (big or small) that you want to change? Why?

If you had a chance to change this issue, how would you do so?

What does a world where this issue is resolved look like?

Why are you upset, or impassioned by this cause?

What sort of impact do you want to have on the world?

Why Not Write Wednesday?: Food Writing

Did you know that there is a whole genre of writing for describing and explaining food?! It's called food writing, and it sure is sweet! If you like food and writing this style could be perfect for you. Here a few prompts to whet your whistle:

What is your favorite meal or food? Can you describe it using the 5 sense?

What's a recipe you follow often? Can you describe yourself making the recipe, (the actions in the steps, the ingredients, etc) in detail?

AFTERWARD: Did you like writing about food? Well lucky for you there's a TMWFI class devoted specifically to food writing. It's called "Peanut Butter and the Pen". Look for it under the classes tab on our website and sign on up!

Why Not Write Wednesday?: Collage

Sometimes, life can feel like a jumble of words and pictures with no real connection. But, from a young age, our minds learn how to connect the dots between seemingly incongruous images and texts to create meaning. The results are usually very unexpected and very unique!

So, this Why Not Write Wednesday, TMWFI wants you to make a collage! There are a couple ways you could go about this:

1) Find an old magazine that you have permission to cut up and make a story using phrases or words from its pages.

2) Use images from that magazine to make a picture collage. Once you've finished the collage, free write about it.

Whichever option you choose, we promise the result will be fun and unexpected!

(Above is an example from one our Spring TMWFI students, Mitch)

Why Not Write Wednesday?: Back To School

It's that time of year again, Back To School time. It also happens to be that day of the week: Why Not Write Wednesday! This week, let's focus on the new school year.

What was your first day like? Can you describe it (or a moment from it) using all five of the senses?

What's your favorite subject?

What do you do during recess or breaks? Why do you do those activities?

What's your favorite thing about learning?

Write a note to a favorite teacher (from the past of present) explaining how they've influenced you and why you're thankful to be their student!

If none of these prompts suit you, make up a character and walk the reader through their imaginary day at school!

Why Not Write Wednesday: Character Development

One of the most important parts of writing is developing your characters. Characters are a part of every piece of writing, no matter if it's poetry, fiction or non-fiction, and the most important thing is to make them believable. That is what draws readers in--their own involvement in the life and story of the character you are portraying.

This week for Why Not Write Wednesday, why don't we work on ways to develop well-rounded characters?

1. Physical Details about the character: Is he/she short, tall, thin, old, etc?

2. Physical environment surrounding the character: Is he/she on a desert island, in an urban community, living in the mountains, etc?

3. The other characters surrounding the character: What kinds of people does the character associate with?

4. The things that the character does: Does he/she go to school, fly an airplane, eat pizza every night for dinner, etc?

5. The things that the character says or thinks: These things reveal the character’s feelings and opinions about things.

Start by answering one of these questions, or more, but take your time and really develop a character that you understand on paper as well as off. Pretend the character you are creating is a friend of yours, someone real and knowable.

If you want, you can always create a character chart. It can help you lay out the information more clearly. Here's an example:

500CharacterChart

Why Not Write Wednesday: Favorite Day

It's Why Not Write Wednesday, which happens to be one of our favorite days here at "Take My Word For It!". Do you have a favorite day? Why not write about it?

Start by answering these questions:

When was it? What did you do? Were you with anyone?

Describe the day using as much sensory detail as you can, to make the reader feel as if they experienced the day with you.

Or, maybe your favorite day hasn't happened yet, but you know exactly what you'd do/see/say. Plan your favorite day as if you're experiencing it as you write.