Freewriting To freewrite, you must write without stopping for a designated period of time. While freewriting, don’t pause to think of the perfect word.

Freewriting To freewrite, you must write without stopping for a designated period of time. While freewriting, don’t pause to think of the perfect word or to get your thoughts in order. Don’t even worry about spelling or punctuation. Just write whatever pops into your head and keep your pen moving. At the end of 5 minutes, count your words and record the number. This will improve fluency.

Jonas Brothers vs. Creed
Identify your favorite band or musician and your least favorite band or musician. Compare them. Record your Word Count.

Poison Pamphlets In the old days, feuding writers wrote pamphlets attacking each other’s ideas. These pamphlets were inexpensive and quick to produce. The pamphlet form has been reborn in recent days with the advent of and blogs. Have you ever attacked someone’s ideas online? Write about what happened. If you’ve never done that, write about the ideas you’d like to attack, and why. Record your Word Count.

Igloo Living If you knew you were going to be banished to an igloo for the rest of your life, what five items would you take along? (Assume you would get all the food, water, heaters, and warm clothes you needed.) Write a paragraph about what you’d take, and why. Record your Word Count.

No One Needs Is important for people to have? Why or why not. Make sure that you make an arguable claim. Record your Word Count.

Inventing the New Checkers
New board games come out all the time, but very few of them catch on. Describe a new board game that you think could be a big hit. Record your Word Count.

An Army of Everyone What do you think about requiring every American teenager to serve in the army for two years? Record your Word Count.

It’s Off to the Spa If you could be any celebrity for one day, who would you be? Explain why you would want to be this person and what you’d do that day. Record your Word Count.

For Breakfast, I Ate… Write a journal entry about your day today. Be honest, and include mundane details. Record your Word Count.

Lip-Synching Hall of Fame
If you could create a hall of fame, what would you devote it to? Write a paragraph about what topic you think deserves a hall of fame. Who would be your first inductees? Record your Word Count.

Donkey, Elephant, Neither?
Write about your views on American politics. Record your Word Count.

Thailand, England, Iowa? Where would you most like to go on vacation. Imagine that money is no object. Why would you like to go to this place? Record your Word Count.

A Seat From Giant Stadium
If you could own any piece of memorabilia, what would you choose? Why? Record your Word Count.

Fog Obscured the Old Mansion…
Create and describe a setting for a scary story. Include details. Record your Word Count.

A Terrible Loss Imagine that you’ve lost your most precious and prized possession. Write about what the item was, why it was special to you, how you lost it and how you felt when you realized you lost it. Record your Word Count.

The Meat Is Mysterious Write about the food in the school cafeteria. Include facts and opinions. Record your Word Count.

For Sale: A Splendid Sweater
Choose something you’re wearing right now and pretend you’re about to put it up for auction on eBay. Sing its praises. Record your Word Count.

Chocolate Milk and Croissants
If you had to spend two weeks alone on a remote island and could choose only one kind of food and one kind of drink to take along, what would you choose? Why? Record your Word Count.

Magic Mail Suppose the invention of a magical mailbox has made it possible to deliver letters to any person in human history. To whom would you write a letter? What would you say? What questions would you ask? Record your Word Count.

On the Topic of Pets Write on the topic “The Worst Pet Imaginable.” Record your Word Count.

This Is The World Write a description of the world as you know it. Pretend that the description will be placed in a time capsule that will be opened 500 years from today. Record your Word Count.

Your Own Antagonist In the story of your life, who is your antagonist? Describe the way in which this person acts against you. Record your Word Count.

Hair Horror Write an account of a disastrous visit to the salon or barber shop. Record your Word Count.

Parent Switch In the novel Freaky Friday, by Mary Rodgers, a daughter and her mother switch bodies. Write about the day you’d have if you changed places with a parent. Record your Word Count.

Ronald and Arnold Do actors make good politicians? Record your Word Count.

Twilight Zone Imagine that you wake up one morning, walk outside your house, and find that everyone in the world has mysteriously vanished. Describe what you do next. Record your Word Count.

Snowed Again Today Imagine that you live in a place where it snows all the time and temperatures regularly approach thirty degrees below zero. Write about daily life in this climate. Record your Word Count.

Prison Memoir One of literature’s classic novels, Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita, takes the form of a confessional written from jail. Imagine you’ve been jailed for some crime. Begin to write your memoir from prison. Record your Word Count.

You’re Invited Describe a lavish party that you would like to throw. Record your Word Count.

I’m Hungry Describe a meal that includes all of your favorite foods. Record your Word Count.

I Need a Vacation The University of Bahamas has named you one of three finalists for a full scholarship to its College of Vacation and Relaxation Sciences. Why do you deserve to get this scholarship? Record your Word Count.

Soaring or Sneaking? If you could either fly or be invisible, which would you choose? Write about why you’d choose that ability, and what you’d do with it. Record your Word Count.

About Hudson Describe life at Hudson. Address aspects such as sayings, dress, mannerisms, customs, groups, and the best and worst qualities. Record your Word Count.

What’s In Your Name Write about your name. What does it mean? Are you named after someone? If you could change it, would you? Record your Word Count.

What I’ve Learned Imagine that you are moving to a foreign country and won’t see your friends and family for many years. Write a letter to a friend or sibling, shelling out some words of wisdom and explaining how you would have done certain things differently. Record your Word Count.

Childhood Memories Most people have vivid memories of certain events from childhood. What sticks in your mind? Pick one particularly strong memory and describe it in detail. Record your Word Count.

The Big Event When a special event is on the horizon, people plan for it and get excited about it. Think of a special event that you planned for and looked forward to that turned out much differently from what you expected. Write about what you expected would happen and what actually happened. Record your Word Count.

Musical Memories Songs can invoke vivid memories; hearing a particular song can rocket you back to your past. Write about a song that is really evocative of a certain time in your life. Record your Word Count.

Friend Types Do you have one best friend? Are you the kind of person who goes everywhere in big groups? Or do you prefer to fly solo? Write about the kind of “friend person” you are. Record the Word Count.

Remembering Firsts There are many firsts in our lives that we don’t remember, such as our first step and first birthday. Firsts from later in childhood come easily to mind: a first pet, a first award, a first kiss, a first summer at camp. Write about a special first that you remember clearly. Record your Word Count.

To Be Great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Everyone has the power for greatness, not for fame, but greatness, because greatness is determined by service.” Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Record your Word Count.

Holiday Cheer Write about your favorite and/or least favorite holidays. Record your Word Count.

All Alone Mark Twain once said, “The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with oneself.” What do you think he meant by this? Record your Word Count.

This I Believe You probably share a basic outlook on life with your friends. However, most people have a few beliefs that would shock their friends. Write about a belief of yours that annoys or surprises the people who are close to you. Record your Word Count.

The Boob Tube “Television hangs on the questionable theory that whatever happens anywhere should be sensed everywhere. If everyone is going to be able to see everything, in the long run all sights may lose whatever rarity value they once possessed, and it may well turn out that people, being able to see and hear practically everything, will be specially interested in almost nothing.” -E.B. White Comment on this statement. Record your Word Count.

The Nature Nut Are you a nature fan, or would you sooner eat cockroaches than voluntarily go on a hike? Write about your best or worst nature experience. Record your Word Count.

Delivery You answer a knock at the door and find a delivery guy holding a package for you. You open it up and find…what? Describe the best package you can imagine receiving. Record your Word Count.

To Live Deliberately “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.” -Henry David Toreau What do you think Thoreau meant by the phrase “to live deliberately”? Do you think you live deliberately? Record your Word Count.

A Story of Food In Laura Esquivel’s novel Like Water for Chocolate, each chapter begins with a recipe that gradually turns into a narrative. For example, one chapter begins with intructions for preparing Christmas rolls: “Take care to chop the onion fine. To keep from crying when you chop it (which is so annoying!), I suggest you place a little bit on your head. The trouble with crying over an onion is that once the chopping gets you started and the tears begin to well up, the next thing you know you just can’t stop. I don’t know whether that’s ever happened to you, but I have to confess it’s happened to me, many times….” Think of a food that provokes strong emotion in you, perhaps because it reminds you of your childhood or because you were eating it when something dramatic happened. Taking the passage above as a model, write the recipe for this food and gradually shift into a narrative. Record your Word Count.

“Just So” Stories Rudyard Kipling wrote a series of famous stories called Just So Stories. These stories create myths to explain how the leopard got its spots, how the rhino got its skin, and how the camel got its hump. For example, Kipling imagines that the camel was lazy and said only “Humph!” whenever he was asked to work. Finally, as punishment, his “humph” turned into a hump. This way, the camel could work for three days straight without eating or drinking. Write your own Just So Story to explain something. Record your Word Count.

What a Fright There’s “fun scary” (walking through a haunted house, screaming through a horror movie, riding a roller coaster) and then there’s “scary scary” (being in a car accident, getting caught in the ocean’s riptide). Describe the scariest experience you’ve ever had. Was it fun scary, or was it really terrifying? Record your Word Count.

The Best Year Is there one year of your life that stands out as exceptional? Maybe you starred in a play, or you met someone very important to you, or your mother was in a yearlong fantastic mood. Describe this year. Record your Word Count.

Hit the Jackpot Suppose you win $10 million in the lottery, but there’s a catch: You have to donate half of the money to charity. What charity would you choose? What would you do with the money you got to keep? Record your Word Count.

Literature for Life “What we call education and culture is for the most part nothing but the substitution of reading for experience, of literature for life, of the obsolete fictitious for the contemporary real.” – George Bernard Shaw Someone who hates reading could use Shaw’s words to argue that books merely distract from real life. Whatever your feelings on the matter, write a rebuttal to the anti-reader, explaining why literature is an important part of life. Record your Word Count.

A Star Is Born If you were allowed to star in the movie of your choice, what kind of movie would you choose? Pick out your costars, your shooting location, and your wardrobe. Include, if you like, your action sequence and the martial arts you’d learn. Record your Word Count.

The Road Ahead “Each of us has the right and the responsibility to assess the road which lies ahead and those over which we have traveled, and if the feature road looms ominous or unpromising, and the road back uninviting, then we need to gather our resolve and carrying only the necessary baggage, step off that road into another direction. If the new choice is also unpalatable, without embarrassment, we must be ready to change that one as well.” – Maya Angelou What is Angelou saying about courage and decisions? Do you think this is a helpful way to look at life? Talk about a time in your own life when you had to change courses. Record your Word Count.

Five Senses Minus One Most of us are born with five senses – sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. If you had to give up one sense for the rest of your life, which would you pick, and why? Record your Word Count.

A Dream Come True Describe your most terrifying nightmare, your recurring dream, and the dream you wish had been real. Record your Word Count.

You Make the Law You have been called to Washington, D.C. The president wants you to add an amendment of your choosing to the Constitution. What would you add? Write out your new amendment and explain how you hope it will affect or help the people of the US. Record your Word Count.

Exemption from Prejudice
“There is no prejudice so strong as that which arises from a fancied exemption from all prejudice.” –William Hazlitt Hazlitt suggests that those people who are most convinced they’re not prejudiced are actually most vulnerable to holding prejudices. Do you think he’s right? Do you know anyone who proves him right. Discuss. Record your Word Count.

Time Machine If you could go back in time and change one decision you’ve made, what would it be? Why do you regret making this decision? Record your Word Count.

I’m Sorry Apologizing is hard to do. Sometimes you can’t bring yourself to do it, or sometimes your attempt to apologize just infuriates the other person even more. Write about an apology you wish you’d made or an apology that went awry when you tried to make it. Record your Word Count.

15 Minutes Pop artist Andy Warhol once said that in the future, every person will experience fifteen minutes of fame in his or her lifetime. The advent of reality TV, among other phenomena, has certainly made many average people briefly famous. What do you think would make you famous for fifteen minutes? Consider your own skills, ambition, and geographic location. Record your Word Count.

Dare to Date Say you’ve met an amazing person you’d love to date. This person is interested in you, only there is a quality about them that your family would flip out about, even though you don’t think it’s a big deal. What about a potential boyfriend or girlfriend would be problematic for your parent(s)? Would you date the person anyway? Record your Word Count.

Making a Life “An educational system isn’t worth a great deal if it teaches young people how to make a living but doesn’t teach them how to make a life.” –Anonymous React to this quotation by reflecting on how it applies to you and your future. Record your Word Count.

Spilled Popcorn What’s the worst movie you’ve seen recently? Imagine you’re a film critic and tear this movie to shreds. Record your Word Count.

Generation Representation
For many people, the passage of time reduces history to a series of oversimplified images and ideas. We associate the 1950s with prosperity and conservatism; the 1960s with social upheaval, experimentation, and war; the 1970s with self-examination; the 1980s with prosperity and decadence. How do you think history will reduce the events of your generation? What will people associate with your generation in the future? Record your Word Count.

Generation Gap Parents and children often claim to be misunderstood by each other. Explain something you think parents don’t understand about your generation. Then explain something you think parents would say people your age don’t understand about them. Record your Word Count.

Prisoner of Prejudice “Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices – just recognize them.” –Edward R. Murrow Murrow was a journalist and broadcaster. Do you think journalists have a special obligation to examine themselves honestly? Record your Word Count.

I’m Grateful Even the dreariest weeks have moments that aren’t awful. Think of a few things that have happened this week that you’re grateful for. Record your Word Count.

Breaking Up Woody Allen once said, “It’s better to be the leaver than the leavee.” Do you agree? Which do you think is more painful. Record your Word Count.

Kids in the Shade “One generation plants the trees; another gets the shade.” –Chinese proverb This proverb, which uses a metaphor to express a big idea, applies to all generations. How does it relate to a current political situation? Record your Word Count.

Class Design What new class would you add to the curriculum? How would this class help you prepare for life after graduation? What kind of assignments would be required? Record your Word Count.

From Passive to Active “We have not passed that subtle line between childhood and adulthood until we move from the passive voice to the active voice – that is, until we have stopped saying ‘It got lost,’ and say, ‘I lost it.’” –Sidney J. Harris Write about a moment when you were tempted to use the passive voice but ultimately decided to use the active voice. Or explain what this quote means. Record your Word Count.

Never Ever The one thing I will never do is… Record your Word Count.

Prom Night You have to plan the prom. You have total control. What decisions would you make? Record your Word Count.

Darkness and Light “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” –Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Do you agree? Do you think that in all situations a peaceful response is the correct one? Record your Word Count.

Love Is the Flower “Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration.” –D.H. Lawrence Explain this metaphor. Record your Word Count.

Life Lessons What are some lessons that you would want to pass on to future generations? Record your Word Count.

In the Attic You have just discovered a trunk in an attic that belongs to relatives. What would you like to find in that trunk? Record your Word Count.

The Ideal Mate Describe the values that you imagine your ideal future mate to possess. Does this person look similar or different from you? Record your Word Count.

Whom Would You Call? “If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?” –Stephanie Levine Answer Levine’s question. Record your Word Count.

Happiness Some people think that we can be as happy as we decide to be. Others believe that events and circumstances beyond our control determine how happy we will be. Is happiness something that you can work at, or is it beyond our control? Record your Word Count.

Time Capsule What items would you place in a time capsule which best representation today’s world? Record your Word Count.

What Is Love, Anyway? “People love others not for who they are, but for how they make them feel.” –Irwin Federman Have you found this statement to be true? Record your Word Count.

Under Pressure Do you think your friends or parents have a bigger influence on you? Has this changed throughout the years? Is there an issue that you feel so strongly about that neither your friends nor your family could influence you? Record your Word Count.

Holding Out Hope “Reserving judgment is a matter of infinite hope.” –F. Scott Fitzgerald Do you think people who refuse to think badly of other people are fools or optimists? Do you tend to make snap judgments about people? Is your first impression usually right or wrong? Record your Word Count.

School Cliques Do you think cliques are an unavoidable part of school, or do you think they’re preventable?

Like a Giant In Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, the character Isabella tells the powerful duke, “O, it is excellent to have a giant’s strength; but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.” What does this mean and how does it apply to a situation in your life? Record your Word Count.

If I were Ahab If you could live the life of any character in fiction, whom would you choose, and why? Record your Word Count.

Money Is The Root of All Evil
Do you agree that the desire for money and the possession of money lead to corruption and violence, or do you think something else is the root of all evil? Record your Word Count.

Famous Firsts of the 1900s 1903- Marie Curie becomes the first woman to win the Nobel Prize Amelia Earhart becomes the first woman to make a transatlantic solo flight Jackie Robinson becomes the first African- American baseball player to sign a formal contract in the major leagues Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon. Which one of these people would you choose to have been, and why? Record your Word Count.

Bad Habits What are your bad habits? What can you live with, and what would you rather stamp out altogether? Record your Word Count.

Dogs and Cats Do you prefer dogs or cats? Explain your preference. Record your Word Count.

So-So Schooling “I never let schooling interfere with my education.” –Mark Twain What is meant by this, and how is it relevant for your life? Record your Word Count.

First Sentence Begin a Story With…
He swore on his mother’s grave, but then he swore on just about everything.

My only defense was to write down every word that they said.

My brother did this weird thing with turtles.

On Tuesday, Margaret told me she like the little oranges with the seeds better than the ones I bought. I hated her for that.

I had this system for getting exactly what I wanted out of people.

“I like hats.” That’s what Donald said the day before he killed Sally.

I loved the way she said “balloon.” She said it as if she were blowing bubbles.

There were 17 cats living in Larry’s basement.

Dad gave me a wink, like we were pals or something.

Your mother lied to you. That’s the truth.

Michael sat down in the middle of the road and began to cry.

I put tulips under all the pillows, and then I set fire to the house.

I was dressed in a completely inappropriate shade of pink.

Charlotte ate green peppers all day long.

My grandfather lied to my grandmother. I guess it runs in the family.

My mother was doing that thing she did. That thing with the rag in the sink.

The only way John could pass the exam was by cheating.

Write a 5 minute story & Include 1 or both of these …
She was standing behind the counter, giving him this root beer-float kind of smile. the stain on the wall

“There you go, making up lies again.” That’s what they told me. the hole in his sock

She started taking up a lot of bad habits. the day her mother slapped her face

On Tuesday she asked me the most peculiar question. the time Fred went to the car wash and never came back

She found him in the Terminal Bar and Grill. He was sober, for a change. the way Herb defrosted the refrigerator.

On the following Friday, we packed our bags and planned our escape. the tear in her dress

The plane was two hours late. the lemon sherbet that melted all over the counter

Eloise was my half-sister, but everyone thought she was my cousin. the last time they saw a movie

“You could make a living doing that kind of thing.” I suppose I could, but I had never thought about it, until then. the bill she forgot to pay

She may be young, but she’s not stupid. the time Leslie called me a leech

She found a diamond bracelet in the back of the car. the day Lillian learned to drive

They were all the same, I decided the day Sheila brought Hillary to my office

It wasn’t so much that I had been blind to the truth. It was just that I had seen the truth differently. the way she made tea

Tom lost 25 bucks at the races. the thing he does with the newspaper

“If you don’t take chances,” said the man in the striped pajamas, “you might as well not be alive.” the time he caught a fly ball

He was skating on thin ice – that’s all I can say. that weekend in Duluth

Margaret had this habit of spitting. It began to get on my nerves. the time he invited his mother to dinner

Last Sentence End a 5 Minute Story With…
the day I loaned Morgan 400 bucks

the thing she did to the brakes on the Honda

the way he writes with both his left and right hands

In a 5 Minute Story Include 1, 2, or 3 of these…
pink fuzzy lint a supermodel with a large cat the sound of Henry crying

orange spray paint a green bird in the winter the smelly microwave

Berlin last summer the smell of fresh mint a man wearing a plate on his head

the smell of Susie’s leftovers the voice of the ex-wife the taste of lipstick

the smell of spring the toenails of the yoga girl a rusty weathervane

a beekeeper’s outfit a child with wings the fresh floor wax

the barefoot waif a can of Easy Cheese November in Cincinnati

yesterday‘s Wall Street Journal the sounds of the surgeon’s footsteps blue index cards

the whine of a lost dog a bat circling the sky the last of the toothpaste

notes from a jealous husband a ripe apple the Jenny Craig Center

sticky raspberry yogurt ripped upholstery an old Danielle Steel novel

the sound of the dishwasher a chewed-on pencil a woman with 12 fingers

a half-eaten box of Fig Newtons a purple lollipop the feel of spandex

a crooked umbrella five bucks left on the table moldy oranges

the sound of a garden hose a half-eaten tangerine the straggling cuticle

someone’s red leather journal a sidewalk with a crack the sound of Marcie’s feet

a lime green deck chair a man selling bananas the smell of your grandmother’s laundry room

Paris in August the smell of peach pie the taste of chicken

a yellow bus the smell of the T-shirt from a Coldplay concert an old letter from Amsterdam

Elements of the Story Combine these to form PLOT
Protagonist: Frank, the painter Goal: to find true love Obstacle/Conflict: the inspector Action: takes up dancing

Protagonist: Bill, the circus clown Goal: to be the strongest Obstacle/Conflict: Mother Action: learns to foresee the future

Protagonist: Joy, from the rock band Goal: to see the world Obstacle/Conflict: the barista at Starbucks Action: takes up cooking

Protagonist: Laurie, the famous actress Goal: to escape an abusive situation Obstacle/Conflict: the Cat Lady Action: takes up stalking

Protagonist: Margaret, who loves Sy Goal: to save mother Obstacle/Conflict: the bartender from Seattle Action: learns to drive

Protagonist: Angelo, who is dating someone in Long Island Goal: to be young again Obstacle/Conflict: the lady at Stop & Shop Action: gets married

Protagonist: Iris, the psych major Goal: to get rich Obstacle/Conflict: the woman in 3B Action: wears a disguise

Protagonist: Liz, who works on a cruise ship Goal: to write the Great American Novel Obstacle/Conflict: that idiot from corporate Action: does research at the library

Protagonist: Devin, with a gift for comedy Goal: to discover Obstacle/Conflict: fear of heights Action: gets on television

Protagonist: Jill, who’s left leg is in a cast Goal: to be wild and free Obstacle/Conflict: Fred, the monster Action: gets special training

Protagonist: Margo, who just returned from Israel Goal: to know God Obstacle/Conflict: Irene, the temptress Action: buys a new wardrobe

Freewriting To freewrite, you must write without stopping for a designated period of time. While freewriting, don’t pause to think of the perfect word.

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Freewriting To freewrite, you must write without stopping for a designated period of time. While freewriting, don’t pause to think of the perfect word.

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Presentation on theme: "Freewriting To freewrite, you must write without stopping for a designated period of time. While freewriting, don’t pause to think of the perfect word."— Presentation transcript:

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