In WriteNOW webinars, writing begins from a phrase, an image, or even a sound! These short pieces of spontaneous writing often inspire writers (and their readers!) to continue their stories.
Er, maybe I shouldn’t have done that. Right now I’m writing a huge raven, across craggy cliffs while it is RAINING. Well, maybe I shouldn’t have accepted Upia’s dare. She had specifically said that after I had ridden the bird, to go into the “Slurpy Goblin Bat Cave.” Sounds kind of scary. I fell off the bird into mud just as we landed and it was not fun. Ouch. I will have Upia!!! I stumbled into the cave, grumbling at this disarray.
-Sasha R.
I paddled to the flower island. This was just one of many of the delightful places in the area. I stepped out of the boat. A “NO FLOWER PICKING” sign stood to the right of the dock. But surely one flower for my sister would not be a problem. I picked the biggest flow
-Stella W.
“Uh… Which way is West?” asked Cleo.
Adara and Oria glanced at each other, then back at Cleo.
“I’m sure we’ll be heading the right direction eventually,” Adara assumed. “So let’s just… pick a direction.”
Cleo glared at Adara.
“Adara! Going the wrong direction could mean sacrificing everything.”
“Well, do *you* have plan B?”
Cleo folded her arms and stared at the trees.
“…I never said that.”
-Abby K.
The first time I saw this place I was three. I heard the crackle and crunch of leaves under my feet. Sometimes I would step on a twig. Snap! It was a satisfying sound. And I loved the whoosh of the water in the river. I could play there all day…
-Stella W.
SPLUTTER POP SNAP. The engine finally gave out. After years of disuse, then years of misuse, it could take no more. This was bound to happen, it had been running on fumes for weeks. The question was always when. The answer was hopefully not now. Not like this. There’s nothing we could do about it. This can’t be the end.
-Tristan
“Splutter, splutter!” is the sound my generator makes when I try to get it to work. I shiver as the cold rain trickles into my rain coat and down my back. This rain is nothing like the rain in Hawaii where you can run around in a dress in the rain and not be cold. This rain is the evil rain that makes you long for sunshine, or a movie with hot chocolate and presents. This is the rain that cuts the power out and forces you to go outside to get the generator. It is also the same rain that is stopping me from driving to the gas station to get gas for the generator so it doesn’t go splutter, splutter.
This rain is evil.
It just pours harder and harder the more you walk and stops when you go inside. There is magic at work here and I am going to find out why.
-Alessandra C.
WriteNOW students often begin pieces of writing during webinars, and continue to develop them outside of class. Students enjoy sharing and reading in our online forum as stories take shape and grow. Here are some peeks at recent fiction, highlighting a great range of genres and styles!
Excerpt from “The Fire In The Sky” by Alessandra C.
Prologue:
“She can help!” a woman with green hair says.
“No. She is only a child. This is not for her to do. I’m not sure she could handle it anyways,” a man argues.
“Are you forgetting that she is the one who freed you from the Homaso’s curse?” the woman argues back.
The man opens his mouth to reply but another woman cuts him off.
“Quite you two. Don’t wake the children,” she reprimands them quietly.
“Sorry Aya,” they both mutter.
The green haired woman would find a way for her apprentice to help. No matter what it took. And that blue haired friend of her apprentice would come in handy. The green haired woman had never heard of an ability like hers before.
The blue haired girl had come to her an hour before and told the green haired woman her ability. They were both sure that it would come in handy.
If only the Elders would let children help. If only they were a bit more open minded when it came to these extraordinary children.
“Enough arguing for tonight,” the man decides. “You will go to the council tomorrow with us, and you will not tell any of the children what you have heard!”
The green haired woman sighs. She has no intention to follow that rule but he doesn’t need to know that. She knows that she cannot change his mind. Only his daughter and her friends can do that. “Yes, Telek,” she says.
The man nods. “Get some sleep.”
The woman drags herself off of the couch, and heads down the hallway, towards her bedroom. But she refuses to sleep. One peek at her clock tells her that it is time for her meeting. In the secret library. She has work to do.
. . .
Excerpt of “Jingles” by Julien M.
Chapter 1: Hatred
Hatred is a powerful thing, thought jingles as she sat in her kitty tower, one minute, it’s not there, the next, it has grown like a weed.
She had been happy, oh so happy.
But then Bronco had moved in next door.
He was a Saint Bernard, and the worst of bullies. He had invaded her life, causing bitter hatred between her and all canine kind.
It was all right if any other dog had moved in. I don’t really hate dogs. Sure, they’re a bit smelly, too furry, and not sophisticated enough, but they’re all right really.
But it was not to be.
Bronco was big, mean, and way too furry. He insulted her every chance he got and called her “Da Widdle Pussy Cat.” He never backed down, even when faced with the Hiss. The Hiss usually worked on other dogs, but not Bronco. Every time she used the Hiss, he would just laugh and say something like “is Da Widdle Pussy Cat angwy?” In an awful, mocking, babyish tone. It made her so frustrated. Her owner Sally’s friends, the “Kitty Cat Club,” had not come over in what seemed like forever.
Jingles cautiously poked her head out of the Cat Door to the backyard, hoping against all hope that Bronco would not be outside, but again, it was not to be.
“There’s Da Widdle Pussy Cat! Surely it isn’t afraid of a puppy like me?”
Disgusted, Jingles retreated to the comfort of enjoying the sunshine through the window, not even bothering with the Hiss. It wouldn’t work anyway.
~~~
“Jingles dear! Time for dinner!” Called Sally from the kitchen. Jingles yawned and hopped down from the windowsill. She slinked into the kitchen and set about consuming the salmon-flavored cat food that Sally had poured into her bowl from the red tin she held in her hand.
“My my! You’re certainly hungry this evening! Is everything okay?”
If I could talk to humans, Jingles thought, I would say something like “Oh, nothing much. Just that Bronco insulted me for the ten millionth time and I want you to make him and his owner leave. Apart from that, I’m fine.”
But Jingles couldn’t talk to humans. So she just gave a mrrowp and kept on eating. ~~~
“Jingles dear! Time for dinner!” Called Sally from the kitchen. Jingles yawned and hopped down from the windowsill. She slinked into the kitchen and set about consuming the salmon-flavored cat food that Sally had poured into her bowl from the red tin she held in her hand.
“My my! You’re certainly hungry this evening! Is everything okay?”
If I could talk to humans, Jingles thought, I would say something like “Oh, nothing much. Just that Bronco insulted me for the ten millionth time and I want you to make him and his owner leave. Apart from that, I’m fine.”
But Jingles couldn’t talk to humans. So she just gave a mrrowp and kept on eating.
Chapter 2: Saturday
When Jingles woke up the next day, the sun was already shining through the window.
She should have felt happy, but instead the feeling she felt was an odd sensation.
It was Forgetfulness.
Usually, Jingles didn’t forget anything, but today was different. It felt like there was something important she just couldn’t put her paw on. Every time she tried, it slipped away, always just out of reach…
She had it.
Today was Saturday.
~~~
As Sally drove her pale blue Subaru through downtown traffic, Jingles stared out the window. Saturdays were her favorite day because on Saturdays, the Petco downtown gave free fur brushings, nail trimmings, and ear cleanings on Saturday for cats.
Jingles loved to be treated like royalty, and that did the trick all right. She felt like people actually cared what she looked like.
“We’re here Jingles!” says Sally from the front seat, “Ready to get a makeover?”
“Of course I am, I am always ready,” responded Jingles, but of course Sally can’t understand her, so it probably sounded like mrroow!
Excerpt of “The Magical Quicksand” by Sasha R.
Julio took a minute or so to fully understand that he was still breathing. He looked up from where he was sitting and realized that he was in a little bustling town, with all sorts of people, and horse carriages, and trees. A little victorian town came to his mind. Julio glanced around and saw that Sam was sitting right next to him. “Hi Dad!” said Sam. “Isn’t this place amazing?” “I was wondering how I got here when–” a stranger interrupted. “Excuse me,” he asked. “How did you get here?”
Julio replied, “I’m not sure, we went through quicksand or something…” “Well,” the person said, “there is no quicksand here. I’m afraid we will have to take you to the king and queen.” “Oh my!” Julio thought.
As they got escorted into a horse carriage, Sam fretted: “What could happen?” “Pfft. Everything will be okay, “Julio thought. But as the people of the town gathered around the gate of the king and queen’s castle, a whole crowd emerged. People were whispering about what might happen, which made Julio and Sam a bit queasy. As the person who found them knocked on the gate doors, the doors opened and a voice boomed, “WHO COMES INTO MY CASTLE?!”
…
When they were finally ready to leave, the king went to his room and came back with a sack of clothes for them and some equipment such as a small net, a fishing rod, and a bow with arrows. “Wow! That’s a lot!” Julio thought. After a moment, the king left and came back again with something in his hand. This time it was a map! “This is a map where we think the bandits put our treasure, and you will have to go through these locations to retrieve it.”
Sam and Julio heard a loud squawk and whirled around. They suddenly noticed something on the queen’s shoulder. “Oh!” she said, gazing at where they were looking. “This is a magical parrot that will accompany you on your trip. He will give wise advice, and talk to you. Magical isn’t it?”
Sam’s jaw fell open. “An animal who can talk?” He whispered. “Now we will wish you farewell, and good luck on your perilous journey! Remember, our wizard will get home when you come back, and we are deeply grateful for your help!”
Julio and Sam were escorted out of the castle with a few hugs and waves as well as wishes of good luck. They almost forgot the parrot, but he was not the kind to be left behind. He squawked loudly and then landed on Sam’s shoulder. “Did you really think you could leave without me?! Hold your horses!” Julio felt butterflies in his stomach because he thought this journey might be dangerous. Yet a part of him was excited about the adventure with his son and the magical parrot.
“Alright,” said Julio. “Let’s look at the map.” Sam and Julio studied it intently. The parrot peered over their shoulders. It had a compass rose which tells where north, east, south, and west is. The map crinkled in their hands. It was fresh paper with black ink over it and with a big red X at the end of the map. At the top of the paper, it showed that there were Six Destinations. It said “Each of the spots will have animals guarding it. You have to defeat them to try to get to your next spot.” Julio knew they would need to go through each destination point to get to the treasure. Each spot was expected to have a different climate.
“Interesting and mind-boggling”, said the parrot, the first time it looked up from the map. Julio and Sam decided it was time for proper introduction.
Excerpt from “The Magic Umbrella” by Nayan G.
The truth was, the diamond had been sapping the umbrella’s power for the past few months, and it would only be able to grant people wishes for a few more days if it was not removed immediately. Many people thought that the umbrella was losing its power, for it was taking much longer than normal for the umbrella to grant their wishes. Liam went back home, devastated from his failed attempt. That night, a wizened old man with close-cut white hair came to examine the umbrella. Coincidentally, it was the man who Liam was hiding behind. He looked very carefully at the umbrella, and he was thinking it looked very much like the umbrella he had dropped in Austin, Texas a few months ago. When he got home, he checked the weather reports, and figured out that there was a tornado the day after he left. He was confused how the umbrella got all the way to Berkeley, until he came to the realization that the tornado must have blown the umbrella there.
WriteNOW students create amazing stories from their imaginations! Students are also inspired by real life, and excited to share nonfiction pieces. Our writing in WriteNOW Workshop may be about anything students are learning, exploring, or imagining!
Paris is called the City of Love. But it should also be called the City of Engineering. The Eiffel Tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel, is an incredible work of art and feat of engineering. Eiffel also designed part of the Statue of Liberty and many bridges ins France. The Eiffel Tower was made for the World Fair coming to Paris. Eiffel had permission to keep it up for only 20 years, but when the time was coming, he tried to figure out a way to keep his tower. He realized that it was the perfect radio tower, and France allowed the tower to stay. It has been painted many colors such as red, yellow, and black. Lights were also installed. Nowadays it is a dark musty yellow. At night it looks like a tower of lights.
-Elizabeth G.