My Cat Died and I Wrote a Novel: Writing Workout

                This is a writing exercise I learned while at a Young Writer’s Workshop taught by Jane St. Anthony, author of The Summer Sherman Loved Me, back when I was in middle school. This exercise is for beginners but if your writing is lacking believable emotion, give it a try.

Step 1:

                Think of a childhood memory where one vivid emotion is present. It could be the Christmas you got an amazing bike and could never have imagined being happier. It could be the day your dog died and you experienced grief for the first time. Write down a literal description of the event, how it happened, how you felt, how you reacted.

Step 2:

                Pick one of these stock photos I included below (I apologize in advance for any corniness; I was trying to avoid copy infringement.) Write a story based on one of those photos featuring the emotion from your memory. Project your feelings onto a character in the story; make the emotion as close to your memory as possible.