Welcome to the Kids’ Kingdom and Kids’ Universe. Many of the images on these pages are photographs from my travels. I hope they spark your imaginations for stories.

On this page you will find some suggestions for jump-starting your creative muse. While some exercises are based on my books, others are not. So whether or not you've had the opportunity to read one of my stories, please read on.

IMAGE AS INSPIRATION

I find that images often inspire me to write. Perhaps you'd like to write a poem or paragraph about what you see on this page. Try to include details which draw from all your senses: touch, taste, smell, vision, and hearing. If you choose to write a poem, feel free not to rhyme. You may like to make use of rhythm and repetition.

The picture above is my friend Kristina Rice-Erso when she was a college student. Perhaps you noticed Kristina floating through space on the Kids’ Universe page. Kristina helped NASA figure out how humans would tolerate space travel. Imagine yourself in this space suit traveling through the Kids’ Universe and write a story or poem about it.

If you would like to do a second exercise based on what you have just written, choose one sentence and write more about the people, animals, objects or events mentioned. This will allow you to deepen the plot or your character's thoughts, and bring to life your setting with more detail. If you've written a poem, lift a sound or color from your first poem and write a second poem with these words and images. Or, write a second poem about what is not present in your first. This will add mystery.

PEOPLE AS INSPIRATION

Here is an exercise you can do using the excerpts from my stories in Daughters of the Desert that are located on this web site. Choose one of the stories and write a paragraph or two about what happened just before or after the action which you read in the excerpt. For those of you who are ambitious, write your own story about one of the ancient women in this book, or some other person who has inspired or influenced you.

NATURE AS INSPIRATION

Many of us are cheered by the natural beauty around us. Write a paragraph about one of your favorite outdoor places. Explain why you like to go there. Show the reader what your place looks, feels, sounds and smells like. What are your hopes for this place or your dreams about what you might do in this spot in the future? Maybe you plan to build a fort there, or paint a picture, or wade through a creek.

Perhaps you know of a natural place that is threatened in some way: a river that is polluted, a wild space that will soon be paved over for a parking lot, a stand of trees that will be cut down. Write a paragraph or poem about this place, what it means to you or your community. How will you, your community and the wildlife living there be affected by the destruction? Might something good come of it?

Write a second paragraph about what you might do to protect this place.

Do you know of natural places that are protected such as conservation lands, national parks or wildlife refuges? Write a story or poem celebrating these places. In my book, The Shape of Betts Meadow: A Wetlands Story, I wrote about a man who restored a cow pasture into the wetlands it once was. Maybe you, or someone you know, is nurturing the environment, too. Write a story about how they are making a difference in the world.

OBJECTS AS INSPIRATION

Do you have a favorite blanket, stuffed animal, crystal ball, sword, trophy, charm, pocket knife or pair of shoes? All of these items can be the subject of  a story or poem. I have written stories inspired by things such as ancient sandals, rock art, carpets and stone walls. Let your imagine take you to the places and eras of these items and to the people who wore, wielded or worked with them.

If you choose to write a poem about an object, try this exercise in which you give your item an human attribute. See where a friendly shoe, a brave blanket or shy sword may lead you.

STORY AS INSPIRATION

Everything you do in life can become an interesting story. Perhaps you would like to write about something that happened to you at recess or to someone in your family. Perhaps a vacation where something unexpected happened. Memories make good stories. Grandparents are good for this activity, ask them to tell you about your ancestors. Visit my genealogy page on this website for ideas. Here you will find pictures from my children's journals on a family trip to Ireland ,where they learned about both their great and great, great grandmothes’ homeland.

Tips: Show rather than tell your story. Try to use much action and dialogue. Search for active verbs to give your story spunk and to create a mood. For example, rather than write: Mary went to the store. Show us how Mary went to the store. Did Mary skip to the store? Run to the store? Drag her feet all the way to the store?

FOR ASPIRING ILLUSTRATORS

Paint your own pictures to stanzas in my book, The Shape of Betts Meadow: A Wetlands Story or illustrate one of my stories in Daughters of the Desert. If you would like to share them with me and others, I will display them in the Kids' Universe pages on my website.

Send your artwork to me at my web address.

LINKS TO OTHER AUTHORS who share tips for writers:

www.clairerudolfmurphy.com
www.bethbrust.com
www.kellymilnerhalls.com
Kenn Nesbitt www.poetry4kids.com