SOL2015 -Sit Still And Ideas Will Reveal Themselves



Sometimes we make finding something to write about more arduous than is necessary. I am reminded of the saying- ideas exist in things. I recently read what Children’s author, Andy Griffiths had to say on finding something to write about in his book, 'Once Upon A Slime.'  
I have reproduced his words below. They are worth considering when it comes to finding a suitable focus for a writing piece.
 
Extract recorded in my notebook

Today, using Andy’s advice I sat quietly in my study and began to focus on what was right in front of me. And  suddenly there it was. An idea waiting to be discovered.

Some might call it a porcelain knick-knack, a trinket or trifle. It is actually all those things. A cheap porcelain dog which has been in my possession for many years. My youngest sister gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday. I’m not sure what possessed her to give a seventeen year old boy such a gift, but she did and I was honour bound to accept it. She even named it for me. She informed me its name was, Alan. Alan the dog it was and Alan the dog it has remained. 
 
Alan the Dog sits among an assortment of artifacts in my writing space.

That dog has been with me through multiple house moves and two marriages. It has come to signify longevity. Alan the dog is a survivor of sorts. He sits on a shelf in my study and is a link to my family history. I can’t specifically point to why I have kept it. It is just there and that’s about all there is to it. I don’t question it remaining in my possession. It doesn't bark, demand to be fed, or chew my books. 

 It is just there on the shelf having outlived its dog years by several lifetimes. It is an artifact in a broader collection of artifacts that have found a place in the study. Writers are collectors….

Comments

  1. Lee9 March 2015 at 21:09

    Thanks for sharing this great writing quote. I was reading others' blogs hoping to be hit with inspiration and this is just the advice I needed. I also loved reading about your dog. I have so many things around my apartment that I can write about. One might even be post-worthy.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tara10 March 2015 at 08:29

    I think we sometimes get so hung up on feeling that we have to write "about the meaningful" that we forget to look for the meaningful right in front of us. Lesson learned. Love that collection you have assembled, Alan - writing ideas all of them!

    ReplyDelete
  3. elsie10 March 2015 at 10:38

    A great strategy for sure! Interesting gift from your sister, but now a treasured artifact from your life.

    ReplyDelete
  4. PAMELA HODGES10 March 2015 at 14:23

    Thank you for sharing Alan the dog and the photograph of treasures. I will try this idea tomorrow with what is on my desk. :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous10 March 2015 at 14:55

    It's true...what is right in front of our eyes is something to write about. People, objects, photos, scenery, pets...ideas are alwaysthere, if we open our eyes and notice.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Carol Varsalona22 March 2015 at 06:23

    Alan, thank you for sharing your thoughts on writing and reminding me that I asked teachers to bring in a memento to write about. Although this did not happen because they must have forgotten, I think the exercise is a good one to bring memories to light. I like that your dog reminds you of longevity but it could also be thought of as your perseverance pup.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular With Other Visitors

Writing Opposite Poems

Image
 O pp o s ite  P oem s In his book, ' How To Write Poetry,'  Paul Janeczko presents the idea of opposite poems. Paul suggests they could also be referred to as antonym poems. This is wordplay and it's fun to try. Here are some examples Paul provides to help us see very clearly how these short little poems work. I think the opposite of chair Is sitting down with nothing there What is the opposite of kind? A goat that butts you from behind Paul Janeczko You will  notice the poems are written in rhyming couplets. They can be extended so long as you remember to write in couplets. Paul shows us how this is done. What is the opposite of new? Stale gum that's hard to chew A hot-dog roll as hard as rock Or a soiled and smelly forgotten sock You might notice that some of Paul's opposite Poems begin with a question. The remainder of the poem answer the question posed. Opposite poems are a challenge, but it is a challenge worth trying. Not eve...
Read more

Writing About Reading - Reading Reflection Journals:

Image
UPDATED February 2022 Writing in response to literature can be a great way for students to organize their thoughts, explore what they think, and generate ideas. One of the strengths of writing in journals is that it allows students to capture all of those great ideas that generally float off into the air during the discussion.  Journal writing can also become drudgery if students are asked to write too often, given little choice or inspiration in what to write, or if they simply don't have anything to say. While some students eagerly share their impressions about selections they have read in class discussions, others are less comfortable and keep their thoughts to themselves. In an effort to encourage all students to think more about what they read and confidently share their observations and opinions, some teachers are turning to the reading reflection journal and are gaining insights they never anticipated.  The Value of Reflection Journals   Journals assist teachers...
Read more

Learning How to 'Zoom In' When Writing

Image
It is important for young writers to understand that not all parts of a story are equal. There are parts through which a writer moves quickly, and important parts where the writer slows down and lingers a while. This is where the writer might intensify the action or reveal the character’s reactions in greater detail. Young writers need to know that this is a deliberate strategy on the part of the author. The author consciously zooms in. The writer uses a magnifying glass to view a part of the story more closely; to focus on a moment and to slow down time. When an important part of the story is enlarged upon, it   is a signal to the reader, that this part of the story is important. The strategy of ‘zooming in’ goes by many names: ‘exploding a moment’ ‘magnifying a moment’, ‘hotspot’ ‘snapshot’, ‘adding detail’ or ‘slowing the action.’  What ever the name, the idea is the same. The author writes in a way that expands a significant part of the story with the intentio...
Read more

Slice Of Life Story-The Trials Of A Left Handed Writer

Image
Amazingly I learnt to write using my left hand. An achievement against the prevailing beliefs of the day. My very first teacher saw it as her mission in life to ‘fix’ the poor, wretched little boy suffering from what she clearly diagnosed as left handed disease. She must have thought, 'This child must be re formatted! If he remains left handed he will be forever condemned to writing in a scrawl that no one will be able to read. Ugly hand, ugly hand.' ...They tried to say it couldn't be done, it mustn't be done. They took the pencil out of my left hand and placed it in my right hand. It felt unnatural. It felt weird. It was not right. More to the point it was not left. I was not about to conform. At least they didn't try tying my hand behind my back. Watch me I said. I may be an oddball, left handed scribbler but I am a determined oddball. I mean how boring would the world be if everyone wrote with their right hand? So I dug my toes in –and my hands to...
Read more

Exploring Themes in Poetry With Emerging Writers

Image
There is so much more to poetry than haiku and acrostics. Yet, so many young poets never get to experience the rich breadth of poetry beyond these highly structured forms. Why? Primarily, it’s about their teachers comfort levels with poetry. We often teach to what we know, meaning that being adventurous and taking young poets into new realms is not part of the poetic landscape for many. This sells young poets and poetry itself short. Last week I had the pleasure to again work with a group of young poets from Derrimut Primary School grade 5/6 in Melbourne’s west. We have been exploring patterns and repetition in poetry. We have explored personification as a literary device to develop the writing of poetry. We delved into the idea of writing through a mask to provide inanimate and animate entities with a voice. They told stories in words from their own perspective. On this occasion we again went to the edges and began to explore poetry through themes. We discussed a range ...
Read more