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Collected Poems: Teen Writers' Camp @ Lewis & Clark Library

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Creative writing zine featuring poems created during Teen Writers' Camp 2015. Includes creative writing exercises and prompts to inspire your own creations!

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Page 1: Collected Poems: Teen Writers' Camp @ Lewis & Clark Library

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Page 2: Collected Poems: Teen Writers' Camp @ Lewis & Clark Library

Foreword

The Teen Writers’ Group at Lewis & Clark Library has long been a venue for creative young minds to come together and share their projects. Laughter – uncontrollable at times – is ever present as teens share silly stories and engage with like minds. For me, it’s always a thrill to see the growth our library teens exhibit as both writers and human beings. Our teen writers are talented, inventive, and compassionate.

Writers draw on personal experiences for inspiration. To that end, we’ve shaped two unique summer experiences as part of Lewis & Clark Library’s commitment to the Teen Writer’s Group. One, a partnership with the Helena Family YMCA, takes Library programming outside the building for a unique summer camp experience at Camp Child. There, writers enjoy writing exercises, free time, and all the campiness a young person could want. We’ve been fortunate to hold this camp for three years running and have instituted the Sacred Order of Laquisha (an inside joke, of course) to honor returning campers.

This year, Lewis & Clark Library offered a day camp experience for teens unable to commit to the sleep away experience. Three hours a day for four days, fifteen teens wrote, wrote, and wrote. We mixed up creative exercises, prompts, and games with time to work on independent projects.

The writing collected here is the product of that hard work. I’m so proud of the effort, time, and self each writer put into her work. I hope you enjoy!

- Heather, Teen Services Librarian

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We Are From....

I am from the cardboard boat racing, water balloon ammo, taking place at sunset

I am from tears, shed at the place my oak once stood, now a hazy parking lot

I am from skinny jeans and tight tank tops. Hugs relieve stress. I am from Alaska: freezing days, meet and greets with bears,

and majestic snow capped mountainsI am from a family of hot and cold, warm when blended togetherI am from neither smart nor dumb; I am somewhere in betweenI am from the strings of a guitar and the sounds that come out of itI am from a place where books are my best friendsI am from Helena, Montana, the forgotten CapitalI am from my favorite books, where the characters I know

and love are always waiting for meI am from conversations extending far beyond dinnerI am from a place where hard work and perseverance pays offI am from a mansion of memoriesI am from the planet Earth, third planet from the Sun, one of eight planets in

my home Solar System, in the Milky Way, one of millions of galaxies, in only one Universe of many.

- Campers, Teen Writer’s Camp 2015

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Page 4: Collected Poems: Teen Writers' Camp @ Lewis & Clark Library

Create your own poem. Follow these simple steps:

Brainstorm!

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Start putting your brainstormed ideas into lines that begin with “I am from….”

Some of your lines might not make sense, but the repitition is worth it! Start your poem here:

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I am from a small city…

I am from a small city where not much ever happens. I am from early morning hikes and bike rides with my dad. I am from crashing into freshly fallen snow on my plastic sled, my sister

landing on top of me. I am from long days and late rehearsals at an amazing theatre where I was

raised with Broadway on my mind. I am from a trip to NYC with my theatre, a trip I am always thinking about. I am from hot summers and cold jumps in the lake. I am from the support of my friends and family. I am from quick changes backstage and warming up and eating in costume. I am from my favorite books, where the characters I know and love are

always waiting for me. I am from a small city, where nothing seems to happen and yet

everything does. - Elsie

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I am from bellowing rooms…

I am from bellowing rooms of laughter defining who I am I am from the squealing noises resulted from fangirling over men

with glassesI am from that one birthday I forgot and I haven’t forgiven myself yetI am from the warmth of my best friend who can’t hear but has heard

more than I have in my lifetimeI am from those dark doubts deep in my mind that can only be

defeated by loving wordsI am from the ridiculous fear of ladybugs and public restroomsI am from a world so beautiful yet so cruel that sometimes I

question whether I belongI am from the hope of actually meeting the one person who gets meI am from the obsessions of butlers, glasses, and Matthew Gray GublerI am from the familiar taste of sweet tea on a hot dayI am from the cardboard boat racing and water balloon ammo

taking place at sunsetI am from the memes that have taught me many jokes over the years

- Amber

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I am from....

I am from cutting: human skin shouldn’t be sliced on purposeI am from a reader of multiple storiesI am from skinny jeans and tight tank tops: hugs relieve stressI am from manga: It’s not just a comicI am from anime: It’s not just TVI am from art: I live on blank pagesI am from Christianity: I know who HE isI am from writing: It’s all in your headI am from my phone: my laptop brokeI am from dark rooms: safety firstI am from fanfiction: “release your inner fan”I am from music: It’s not just sounds and wordsI am from Washington: I love so much there

- Hannah

I am from Helena, Montana

I am from Helena, Montana, where I first learned to walk. I am from the smell of cooking fish on a campfire. I am from the love of my parents, and the trust of my friendsI am from the purr of my cat on the bedI am from the first baseball pitch of the dayI am from the strings of a guitar, and the music that comes out of it

- Jackie

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I am from the place of Peakers....

I am from the place of PeakersI am from where the Doctor dancesI am from where knowledge growsI am from a short line of fangirlsI am from the place of ShadowhuntersI am from the place of many fandomsI am from shipping and writing fanfictionI am from HogwartsI am from where the books are my best friendsI am from where quotes are lifeI am from the place where the stone walls are high I am from the treasure stateI am from the place of exotic piesI am from the place of kindnessI am from the place of workI am from the place of classicsI am from the place of loyaltyI am from where family is firstI am from the place where I can be me!

- Brenna

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I am from Extreme heat …

I am from Extreme heat and deserts I am from rethinking my life and all mistakesI am from missed dads, deployments, and divorcesI’m from weeklong car trips packed with fun timesI’m from my big sister’s Friday night with chili and calzonesI’m from sickly sweet fresh baked cookies from our communal officeI am from every summer by the oceanI am from Alaska, from freezing days, meet and greets with bears and majestic snow capped mountainsI am from movie nights on Fridays, with popcorn, pizza, and familyI am from running cross country to drown out the worldI am from great friends who know all my secrets and what I am thinkingI am from KB13I am from my mom’s beef stew and buttered bread I am from being misunderstood and ignoredI am from fake cheese puffs and Annie’s pastaI am from Hummus and ketchup bagel sandwichesI am from all over America, by plane and carI am from hours and days spent buried in the world of Percy JacksonI am from joy and laughter from watching PewDiePieI am from my books, where my best friends replay their

perilous adventures to distract me from my cruel world- Bella

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I am from Helena....

I am from HelenaI am from MontanaI am from the USAI am from North AmericaI am from this World I am a dance who loves to danceI am someone who never stops dreamingI am a GermanI am a talker who doesn’t know when to stopI am a Paris lover so should youI am a drawer who knows what to drawI am a llama owner so should youI am not smart nor dumb I am somewhere in between

- Anya

I am from Florida....

I am from Florida, Tallahassee to be exactI am from a family of German, French, British, Irish, and Scottish ancestryI am from friends with a star trek fangirl I am from a lover of coffees, and anything I am from as wild as fired yet cool as a lakeI am from a person of dreams that can never be achievedI am from a place no one has ever been I am from a family of hot and cold, warm when blended togetherI am from that girl

- Ellie

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I am from the forest....

I am from the forest, the endless dreamy world full of Oaken giantsI am from the ocean, where waves beat against the very sand on which

my father played before me, when it was clean and untouchedI am from horses, borne upon sweaty backs, trying to catch the windI am from songs, gentle bluegrass lullabies I could never play just rightI am from people like the arrows that fly from my bow, straight and true,

never quite on targetI am from ridicule, the mocking voices of children still echoing in my head,

nearly a decade after they were spoken. They still burn like fire. I am from a dreamy one I still hide in from time to time, when the real world

is too much to bear. I am from loss, every tear shed a scar upon my face, a line in the

story of me. I am from tears, shed at the place my oak once stood, now a hazy

parking lot. I am from many things, but above all I am from me, imperfect as I am, and I

wouldn’t trade my maker’s marks for all the perfection in the world. - Sarah

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I am from the chirping birds....

I am from the chirping birds at homeI am from an hour’s drive south of MissoulaI am from the hay of my grandfather’s fieldI am from the swing set in the backyardI am from StevensvilleI am from homeI am from the cheese stains on the table in the craft room I am from the musical notes flowing in my sister’s room I am from the house that has a totem pole next doorI am from my father’s and brother’s screaming at the TVI am from the hallway where my room was next door to my father’s and mother’s I am from that little old school a few blocks awayI am from the house that has a chain of gold under the porchI am from StevensvilleI am from homeI am from the color of baby yellowI am from the fur of my dead dogI am from the memories that I still holdI am from the goats down at the bus stopI am from the pond a few yards backI am from the plum tree in the front yardI am from the balance of the universeI am from my brother wearing a dressI am from StevensvilleI am from homeI am from the sounds of piano piece being played from Harry PotterI am from carefree joys long lostI am from the very pits of paranoiaI am from a mansion of memories I am from a mind of growing up fasterI am from anime, manga, and fanfictionsI am a girl who knows not many insult but many more fightsI am from StevensvilleI am from home

- Jordie

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I am from Grandstreet....

I am from Grandstreet Theatre, just a block off BroadwayI am from obsession over Broadway from afarI am from early morning hikes with “dear old dad”I am from bike rides on wood chipsI am from bookshelves slowly filling with books that I’ll never have

time to readI am from Big Dipper after every opening nightI am from a theatre family that will be crazy right along with meI am from fangirling during class because someone said

“okay,” real,” or “always”I am from sibling fights over which Broadway show is best

(Phantom of the Opera)I am from singing through life with all of my friendsI am from zombie-ing through school because of late night rehearsalsI am from Pinteresting and Netflixing all night longI am from raft trips down the Snake RiverI am from bluegrass festivals every summerI am from stolen hangers and lost shoesI am from many fictional worlds, watching from the sidelinesI am from too many inside jokesI am from Helena, Montana - the forgotten capital

- Tara

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I am from the place where huckleberries bloom....

I am from the place where huckleberries bloom and will make great anythingI am from a place where hard work and perseverance pays offI am from the dying grass and the 3 months of summer heatI am from where cows roam freely, munching at the groundI am from a big family, full of laughter and cheerI am from milk and powdered chocolate because syrup doesn’t go in the

microwaveI am from small creeks and big rocks perfect for jumping offI am from small local shopsI am from the capital cityI am from bluebirds and deer, frightened at the slightest movementI am from an art town, where masterpieces always line the streetsI am from the coldest winters, where everyone needs a coat

- Sierra

I am from a city....

I am from a city, not too big, not too smallI am from smoke from a hot grill clouding the sidewalkI am from neighbors like familyI am from conversations stretching far beyond dinnerI am from long walks in the scorching sun, and freezing snowI am from bright lights and thunderous applauseI am from dusty roads and rushing creeksI am from pungent chlorine and sharp lane linesI am from delightful presents on Christmas EveI am from vibrant gardens covering most of the yardI am from melted chocolate like a sweet shell over silky ice cream

- Emma

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I am from the Milky Way Galaxy....

I am from the Milky Way Galaxy, only one of millions encompassed in this one known universe

I am from planet Earth, the third planet from the sun in my home Solar System.

I am from a race of those that often make mistakes- the human race.I am from a world of diversity, a world where there are multitudes of ways to

help each other (or break each other)I am from a line of survivors, from a line of ancestors that lived through all

the trials that this planet has to offer.I am from the succession of blood to kin, the heir to the throne of humanityI am from the family that is singular- parents to children, not parent to

parents/children to children.I am from the tradition of protecting those that need it.I am from the traditions of my family.I am from words made permanent by ink and paper.I am from a place of questions.I am from questions- Answered.I am from the planet earth, third planet from the Sun, one of eight planets in

my home Solar System, in the Milky Way, one of millions of galaxies, in only one Universe of many.

- Maddelyn

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How to Write a How to Poem

This exercise was inspired by “How to Capture a Moment,” a collection of poems by Writers Corps in San Francisco. Their prompt: “You are an expert in your own experience. Think about something you’re passionate about. Now, try and describe that experience to someone else.” Try it yourself!____________________________________________________________

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How to do Laundry

GatherWalk from room to roomFind lost articles of clothing,Missing shirts to matching outfits,Lone socks looking to be adopted,And ignore the mountains of other people’s underwear that you refuse to wash.

WashShove the clothes you have gathered into the machine,Brush off any advice about how much a load should be,The people that made those rules did not consider that you have to get all of this done and that you only have one quarter.Just shove it in well enough and you’ll be fine!

Dry After the washer has stopped sputtering and goes silent,Take the sopping clothes and drop them into the dryer.Put it on the highest setting you can go,And just beg for change if it doesn’t dry after two cycles(You’ll need to.)

FoldShove your semi-dry clothes into a basket so it is overflowing,Attempt to take it home and not drop all your socksYou will fail, but it’s worth the effort

DistributeTake the basket you have brought home and put it in your room.You have now done your laundry the best way- the easy way.

- Maddelyn

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How to Act

Feel The love of music building youteaching new thingswith every lyric sung

LearnMore than you ever thought you couldThrough linesAnd songsand feelings

LiveFor every rehearsalEvery opening nightEvery strikeFor they all bring you closer to your thespian family

KnowEvery Broadway show in existenceLearn the lyricsKnow the choreographyLive the long conversations with thespian friends

And finallyLoveEvery time the light shines for the first timeEvery curtain callEvery standing ovationEvery rehearsal with the people you loveEvery time the lights go black for the last timeLove theatre

- Tara

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How to Ride a Horse

Breathe in.Touch the moment, as time stand still, suspended like the highest seat of

the Ferris wheel, hanging above the crowd. Feel him. Powerful muscles tight, his heartbeat like a drum, rhythmic and strong,

pulsing and throbbingTake off. See the world flash by in a blaze of color and sound. Feel the chains of your body slip away, lost in the pounding beat of hooves

against soft summer earthRace the windDon’t mind the speed. Run wildly, nothing can catch you now. Never stop. Even the wind must yield, when two beings become one. One human. One horse. Two creatures. One heartbeat.

- Sarah

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How to be a Thespian

Stand in the center of the stage and breathe. Calm your nerves.

The air you are breathing is filled with the scent of sweat from your cast, paint from the set finished the day before, anxiety, and general elation. Elation that you and your cast share.

You’ve made it. You have endured long days, late rehearsals, sleepless nights, and lots of stress to get where you are now.

It’s opening night. The best night of the run. You have to believe that you will perform an amazing show.

You head downstairs and enter the dressing room. You put on the costume you have waited so long to see, slip into your character shoes, and carefully apply all of your stage make up.

And then you just sit. Sit in front of the mirror, stare at yourself, and give a little pep talk.

A pep talk only to you. “You are going to do great,” you tell yourself. “Just work it!”

Then you get into character. Become your character.

Slip inside your character’s head for a while, and let their emotions flow into you, mingling with your own. Let their traits pour out of them, and let them become your traits.

And then you hear it.

The announcement you’ve been waiting to hear for so long. “Ladies and gentlemen, places for the top of the show.”

- Elsie22

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How to be an Artist

Art breathes with beauty. Art lives with light. If you draw from what you’ve seen and Paint for your lovesYou will do just right. Art is dancing on paper. Art is a projection of your thoughts, feelings and actions. Art is something that needs inspirationArt can be for personal or public presentationIt is a love of many thingsArt is just an expression of your personality. Art isn’t always true to this world, But it is never a lie. Art is just what is found in your mind. It doesn’t have to be real, It doesn’t have to be fake. It can be whatever you think.

- Megan

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How to Perform

Although the first thing that may pop into a person’s head when they imagine performing is an actor or actress on a brightly lit stage, there is much more to the picture. Performing requires an individual to put themselves in a different reality. Every character in a story has a life. Who knows, maybe Pinocchio is dyslexic. Perhaps Dorothy draws people in a beat up sketchbook in her free time. Maybe Wonderland is made entirely out of paper. Maybe the lost boys’ hideout is made out of mud. In truth, there are no limits to the imagination, so there cannot be any to theatre.

In order to be able to put one’s self in another reality, a person has to be capable of separating from their own. One must question, “would the audience truly be here in this new world?” The answer is, (in most cases), no. So as soon as an actor or actress sets foot on a stage, it is best to forget about the audience’s presence. The ability to merely feel their energy is enough, and that feeling alone will allow a person to perform.

After this, only technical preparation is required. Like the solid memorization of lines, choreography, blocking, and music. This way, one is capable of performing all, blindly.

- Emma

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How to Walk in the Woods

Silence please, it is preferableAs then you hear the magicCoursing through the soul of The Woods

Damp and coolThe mystery and majestyof broad oaks, pines, and maplesEnvelops you like a grandmother’s hug

A motley mix of green and browncall “come explore me” it says“create your own world”It tempts

Every footstep is a new worldEvery characteristic is a sign of lifeBird’s nests, shed antlers, tree saplingsMother nature reveals her power of life

The forest My playgroundInspirationHome away from home

- Bella

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How to Relax

Kick off those shoes, take a seatLet me tell you how to relax

You see, for some relaxing is just sitting For others it’s being active, such as running, swimming, playing soccer, basketball, etc

You stress could disappear in minutesif you could just relaxNow if being active isn’t your dealWell then, it isn’t the only option

If you like to read, then kick back, find a good book, and just read

You may be an artist full of ideas, Grab a brush, pen, pencil, crayon, and create some art

Now if any of those still don’t sound like you there is always cooking up something deliciousGrab the ingredients, your cookbook, and whatever else you need. Cook away!

Now that you have heard all this go relax, in whatever way possibleIt’s your time so chill out, relax.

- Sierra

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How to Write

When I am writing, I usually daydream to get new ideasI always supply myself with plenty of paper and a pencil and start writing a rough draft about my story if I’m writing fiction.

When I write, I have a feeling that I can do anything, be anything, and be anywhere I want to be, because it’s my story.

I love to write because it’s fun and gives me something to do. Sometimes when it’s raining, I write about mysteries and hidden, magical artifacts.

All of my experiences with writing are fun, and I am sometimes so absorbed in what I’m writing I forget where I am.

Most of the things I write have magic in them because I think that gets people’s attention and inspires them to do new things that they might not have done before.

- Jackie

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How to be Human

Smilebrightly and obliviously, not caring what the world thinks of your innocent, positive attitude

Laughto your heart’s contenteven if it is a wheezy, snorty laughDon’t worry if you laugh at the most ridiculous thingsAs long as you’re laughing it doesn’t matter

Cryfor your fallen loved ones or broken toy, it shows how much you care andhow much you didn’t want to let go

Be curiousof everything around youExplore as if you were a young puppyIgnore the phrase “curiosity killed the cat” because it isn’t true

Feel the love and compassion of others and share your feelings, because if youabandon them or stuff them away insidea chest then you will never get them back

- Amber

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How to Watch Anime

Anime: It’s not just TVIt’s TV for the brain

Anime: It’s told it’s for the smart peopleIt’s a puzzle you can spend hours and hours working on, and you still won’t have all the pieces

Anime: Most say it’s just animated artAnime has its own school that people go to just to study it

Anime: Most call it “Social life destroyer”It builds your social life; you meet tons of new people who understand you

Anime: It has those charactersThose characters you love, characters you hate, characters you ship, and characters you just care about

Anime: Takes you to another world. It’s like a portal to another dimension

This is anime.

- Hannah

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How to Fangirl

Pictures words books relaxation oh my. Lose yourself within a wondrous book. Find yourself lost within the internet.

Find yourself wandering the streets for a bookstore or a library. Restless night shipping edit making reading and looking at pictures.

Go into hibernation for a weekend. Take that makeup off get and comfortable and READ, sitting on the edge of your seat.

Intense action romance and betrayal but watch your heart it will be broken. It’s okay to cry we all do.

Don’t hide, your geeky beauty come on don’t be afraid: be a fangirl.

- Brenna

How to Draw

You know the feeling you get when you let out your emotions. When you draw you can let your emotions out. You don’t have to be good at drawing to draw. Daring trees, mountains, and things that you are passionate about is so nice, because you can empty your mind. When you empty your mind there’s nothing you can’t do. Nothing to worry about. If you like to draw, then you are creative. More creative than the boy in kindergarten that called your art ugly or the jocks and cheerleader in high school. Just keep drawing.

- Anya

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How To Be a Writer

By Neil Gaiman, in response to this question: “I have been trying to write for a while now. I have all these amazing ideas, but it's really hard getting my thoughts onto paper. Thus, my ideas never really come to fruition. Do you have any advice?”

Write the ideas down. If they are going to be stories, try and tell the stories you would like to read. Finish the things you start to write. Do it a lot and you will be a writer. The only way to do it is to do it.

I’m just kidding. There are much easier ways of doing it. For example: On the top of a distant mountain there grows a tree with silver leaves. Once every year, at dawn on April 30th, this tree blossoms, with five flowers, and over the next hour each blossom becomes a berry, first a green berry, then black, then golden.

At the moment the five berries become golden, five white crows, who have been waiting on the mountain, and which you will have mistaken for snow, will swoop down on the tree, greedily stripping it of all its berries, and will fly off, laughing.

You must catch, with your bare hands, the smallest of the crows, and you must force it to give up the berry (the crows do not swallow the berries. They carry them far across the ocean, to an enchanter’s garden, to drop, one by one, into the mouth of his daughter, who will wake from her enchanted sleep only when a thousand such berries have been fed to her). When you have obtained the golden berry, you must place it under your tongue, and return directly to your home.

For the next week, you must speak to no-one, not even your loved ones or a highway patrol officer stopping you for speeding. Say nothing. Do not sleep. Let the berry sit beneath your tongue.

At midnight on the seventh day you must go to the highest place in your town (it is common to climb on roofs for this step) and, with the berry safely beneath your tongue, recite the whole of Fox in Socks. Do not let the berry slip from your tongue. Do not miss out any of the poem, or skip any of the bits of the Muddle Puddle Tweetle Poodle Beetle Noodle Bottle Paddle Battle.

Then, and only then, can you swallow the berry. You must return home as quickly as you can, for you have only half an hour at most before you fall into a deep sleep.When you wake in the morning, you will be able to get your thoughts and ideas down onto the paper, and you will be a writer.

(This piece of writing was taken from http://neil-gaiman.tumblr.com and is the sole property of Mr. Gaiman. It’s used here to be 100% inspirational).

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Writing PromptsAsk yourself the following. Answer creatively. Use these questions as a starting point for other endeavors!

A little boy can’t sleep because the monster under his bed and the monster in his closet won’t stop arguing.

What broke the grandfather clock?

Write a story that makes you happy until the last line, which makes it horrifying.

A riddle, a key, and a door that just won’t open.

A spider falls in love with a man that has arachnophobia (a fear of spiders).

Make a conversation between the trees outside.

How do you make a pizza?

Create a conversation between crayons in a box.

What if Neville Longbottom was the hero instead of Harry?

Why is the clock ticking backwards?

There’s a door at the end of the hall that is always locked. Why?

You are a survivor of a Holocaust camp. A former Nazi asks for your forgiveness.

Roommate wanted: No fairies, elves, goblins, trolls, or nymphs. Wizards allowed, no spells in the apartment.

You wake up one day to see you’re in your favorite movie/show/series/anime. What do you go and do first?

You fall into radioactive waste and gain a superpower. Would you be a hero or a villain? Describe your superpower.

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How would you teach a dragon to breath fire?

How would you set up a disco party in five minutes?

What would you do if you walked in on a ghost eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

If there was a war between rainbow and dark unicorns who would win and why?

Write a short story about your favorite desserts come to life.

What if there was an interplanetary foreign exchange program?

What if there was a way to keep track of how close you are to dying?

What if the clouds were made of cotton candy?

You turn into a bird. How do you choose to live your life?

What does the color red mean to you?

You wake up in a room that does not in any way register as a familiar place. What do you do?

One day you’re told that all fictional stories are based off of true stories. What do you do?

There is a button you have to press everyday to make sure the world doesn’t end. What happens if you find out it’s now broken? What would you do to fix it?

Write whatever words first come to your mind. They can be completely random. Do this for a minute. Then use all of the words you have written in a story.

Answer this: How much wood would a wood chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood. Show your answer!

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Start Writing! ____________________________________________________________

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