Writer's Loft - Meghan Nuttall Sayres

Welcome to the Writer's Loft. 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.

I find that images often inspire me to write. Perhaps you'd like to write a poem or paragraph about what you see here. 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.

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, animal, things, or events in mentioned within. 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.

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. Click on the title if you'd like to read them. 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.

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 which lives there be affected by the destruction? Might something good come of it?

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.

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 a start for writing 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 these items dwell. The people who wore, wielded or worked with them.

If you choose to write a poem about an item, try this exercise in which you give your item an attribute such as: brave, outspoken, sky, secretive, friendly. See where a friendly shoe, a brave blanket or shy sword may lead you.

Everything you do in life can become an interesting story. Perhaps you would like to write about something that happened at recess or to one of your friends or family. How about a family 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 their great and great, great grandmother's 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 create a mood. For example, rather than write: She went to the store. Show us how she went to the store: She skipped to the store. She ran to the store. She dragged her feet all the way to the store.

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' Barn Gallery on my website.