When you are stuck for inspiration it helps to use a certain structure/form to help get you started. This first poem by Georgina B is an example of how you can use questions and answers as the basis of a poem. By repeating lines, the poem is also given a rhythm and structure.
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Are you married?
Are you married?
No me neither!
Are you engaged?
Are you engaged?
No me neither!
Are you cool?
Are you cool?
No me neither!
Are you a girl?
Are you a girl?
No me neither!
Are you popular?
Are you popular? No me neither!
Are you single? Are you single?.............................
.......................
Yerrrr........Me too!
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In the second poem (below) Georgina has repeated 'I know a.....'. To bring the poem to a close she has changed the second to last verse to: 'The lady/man....'. She has then finished by adding a personal couple of lines about herself. To add to this Georgina has also used a rhyming pattern.
.
I know a girl who can touch her toes.
I know a boy who picks his nose!
I know a girl who likes to do art.
I know a boy in my class who goes in a cart!
I know a boy who likes to dig.
I know a girl who is such a pig!
I know a boy who likes mice.
I know a girl who does not like rice!
I know a girl who likes to fly kites.
I know a boy who puts up the fights!
I know a girl who fancies Wain!
I know a boy who just is a pain!
The lady down the bakery scratches her hair.
The man in the shop looks like a bear!
The lady in the fier team is quiet scary.
The man in the police force is very hairy!
But most of all it has got to be me.
Because I do EVERYTHING!
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Why not try writing on the monthly theme starting with questions like 'How?' What?' or 'Who?'. Or/and try using a repeated start to each line such as : 'I like...' 'I don't like....' 'I wish....'
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A big thank you to Georgina B from St Tudy CE VA Primary School. You can read more of her writing at www.bodminbookworm-sttudy.blogspot.com .
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Monday, 29 September 2008
Inspiration from Moira Andrew
Moira Andrew is a children's poet, writer, teacher and lecturer who runs creative writing workshops for schools. Her website is http://www.moiraandrew.com/. She has kindly let us publish the following poem to help inspire your own writing:
Recipe for a sandcastle
Take one sunny day,
a wide empty shore
and lots of sparkling waves.
Add one red spade,
a ton of golden sand
and a bucketful of sea-water.
Mix well, build high,
decorate with pearly shells
and top with a fluttering flag.
Bake under a yellow sun
where the tide tickles your toes
and you have made
a sandcastle!
(Please note: this poem is the Copyright of Moira Andrew and cannot be reproduced without her permission)
Take one sunny day,
a wide empty shore

and lots of sparkling waves.
Add one red spade,
a ton of golden sand
and a bucketful of sea-water.
Mix well, build high,
decorate with pearly shells
and top with a fluttering flag.
Bake under a yellow sun
where the tide tickles your toes
and you have made
a sandcastle!
(Please note: this poem is the Copyright of Moira Andrew and cannot be reproduced without her permission)
Perhaps you could try writing a recipe style poem/story on a holiday theme. Or a recipe for a scary poem/story - (for example: one hairy spider, two wailing ghosts and a pointy hat witch...........)
Please share your writing by emailing bodminbookworm@aol.com . Let us know if you found Moira Andrew's poem helpful and send us your Holiday/All things scary recipe style writing.
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Quick Hints & Tips
When writing description remember to consider all five senses - taste, smell, sight, sound and touch.
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Try keeping a notebook handy for writing down your thoughts, ideas and observations. It's amazing how quick a fantastic idea can be forgotten if not written down!
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When creating a fictional character try interviewing them by designing a questionnaire that asks about their favourite things, family, hobbies, experiences, bad habits, physical features etc.
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When you are stuck for inspiration there are a number of tried and tested techniques for stimulating your imagination:
**Cut out appealing pictures/text from magazines/newspapers and make into a collage - use as inspiration or a visual mind map.
** Listen to different sorts of music
** Engage with other artists work (drama/art/fiction/dance etc) - visit the theatre, watch a film......
**Take a walk or visit a new place paying attention to every detail
** Pick five words at random and use all five in a ten minute timed piece of writing
**Play word games - word association, round robin storytelling.
LOOK OUT FOR MORE INDEPTH IDEAS/TOOLS ON OUR REGULAR BLOG POSTS AND PLEASE WRITE TO US WITH YOUR OWN IDEAS THAT WE CAN SHARE!
************************************************
Keep a journal/diary. A place to organise your thoughts and record your ideas/dreams.
************************************************
Read. Read. Read. The best way to improve your writing and find inspiration is by reading. (eg. Books, magazines, internet, and other people's work on the Bodmin Bookworm).
************************************************
Organise your thoughts and ideas using a spider diagram. Write your theme/subject inside a circle in the middle of your page. Draw lines off this circle (spider legs) and by each line add thoughts/ideas/what you want to include.
*************************************************
************************************************
Try keeping a notebook handy for writing down your thoughts, ideas and observations. It's amazing how quick a fantastic idea can be forgotten if not written down!
************************************************
When creating a fictional character try interviewing them by designing a questionnaire that asks about their favourite things, family, hobbies, experiences, bad habits, physical features etc.
************************************************
When you are stuck for inspiration there are a number of tried and tested techniques for stimulating your imagination:
**Cut out appealing pictures/text from magazines/newspapers and make into a collage - use as inspiration or a visual mind map.
** Listen to different sorts of music
** Engage with other artists work (drama/art/fiction/dance etc) - visit the theatre, watch a film......
**Take a walk or visit a new place paying attention to every detail
** Pick five words at random and use all five in a ten minute timed piece of writing
**Play word games - word association, round robin storytelling.
LOOK OUT FOR MORE INDEPTH IDEAS/TOOLS ON OUR REGULAR BLOG POSTS AND PLEASE WRITE TO US WITH YOUR OWN IDEAS THAT WE CAN SHARE!
************************************************
Keep a journal/diary. A place to organise your thoughts and record your ideas/dreams.
************************************************
Read. Read. Read. The best way to improve your writing and find inspiration is by reading. (eg. Books, magazines, internet, and other people's work on the Bodmin Bookworm).
************************************************
Organise your thoughts and ideas using a spider diagram. Write your theme/subject inside a circle in the middle of your page. Draw lines off this circle (spider legs) and by each line add thoughts/ideas/what you want to include.
*************************************************
