Before I present today's writing prompt, I wanted to share a couple of pictures from Saturday's Ready - Set - Write conference. It was such a success that we have already scheduled the event for next year. So, mark your calendars for October 22nd and plan to hang out with the rest of us as we get ready for the NaNoWriMo challenge.
If you have any suggestions for classes that you would like repeated or new topics that you would like us to cover please send me an e-mail or post a comment.
The first picture was taken during my presentation while I was helping eager writers with their elevator pitches. The second picture is of my wife and daughter as they manned the book store.
PROMPT FOUR – LYRICAL MUSE
Songs are a great source of inspiration for story ideas. Not only can you generate ideas from the title, but the lyrics seem ideally suited for coming up with interesting story concepts. The music itself often translates directly into mood and setting.
Listen to a few songs. If you have a rough idea of what you want write about you can even pick songs that have a tempo appropriate for the story. Since lyrics are interpreted differently by each individual the chances are good that it will lead you to create a unique storyline. I think the trick to this method is to think outside the box. Most songs have a message that is easily followed (when you can understand what they’re singing), but ignore that and really stretch your imagination on what it could mean.
Here are a portion of the lyrics from a few songs.
1. Children of the Sun by Billy Thorpe
The people of the earth stood waiting
Watching as the ships came one by one
Setting fire to the sky as they landed
Carrying to the world children of the sun, children of the sun
2. My Generation by the Who
Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
3. Holiday by Green Day
There's a song sounding out of key
To a hymn called Faith and Misery (Hey!)
A plead, the company lost the war today
I beg to dream and differ from the hollow lies
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On holiday
4. Savin’ Me by Nickelback
Heaven's gates won't open up for me
With these broken wings I'm fallin'
And all I see is you
5. The Look by Roxette
She's got the look.
She's got the look.
What in the world can make a brown-eyed girl turn blue.
When everything I'll ever do I'll do for you
and I go: la la la la la
Based on the lyrics above I generated the following elevator pitches.
Based on “My Generation” here is a pitch for a YA book. Most teenagers complain about their parents, but Jerrod may have the coolest parents on the planet. The problem is—they’re too cool. How can he convince his friends to pay more attention to him than his parents?
Based on “Holiday” here is a pitch for a dystopian book. After a brutal war, the Holy Voice has brought peace and harmony to the nation as it recovers from near annihilation. But when Sunflower’s parents mysteriously disappear she discovers a diary that chronicles their activities with a secret society intent on overthrowing the government. And that’s when the Holy Voice takes notice of her.
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