1. Quick Write For the next five minutes, respond to the following quote.
(use complete sentences, proper punctuation, capitalization, etc.)

2. Kurt Vonnegut:
“That’s the secret of how to enjoy writing and how to make yourself meet high standards…You don’t write for the whole world, and you don’t write for ten people, or two. You write for just one person.”

3. Topical Brainstorm
Generating original ideas can be difficult. So, let’s practice by brainstorming specific ideas for some fairly broad topics…

4. “Give One / Take One” Activity
In your groups, brainstorm some specific ideas for the following example:
family
What specific ideas come to mind?

5. Gather Ideas from a Friend
Give One Take One
With each topic, brainstorm TWO to THREE specific ideas, memories, and/or events that comes to mind. (Adding adjectives, verbs, and prepositional phrases can help paint the picture for your audience!)
List Your Own Ideas
Gather Ideas from a Friend
1. Non-Example: Uncle
Example: My crazy, drunken uncle at the family reunion 2. 3.
1. ?
Family
Food

6. Now, let’s try a few more… Add some specific ideas to the “Give One” column.
Food
Music
Holiday
Animal
Hero
Friend

7. Go take some ideas…
Gather some ideas from your peers. Maybe they have some experiences and knowledge that you could use as well!
Put these new ideas in the “Take One” column for each different topic.
What did you take away from your classmates?