My kids and I like to sing the “12 Days of Christmas” throughout the month of December. This got me thinking: What if instead of getting lousy gifts like lords a-leaping or calling birds (colly birds if you’re English), you received useful gifts like books on writing or a check for a million dollars. While I can’t offer a million dollars, I do have something I can offer to help keep you writing during the time-crunched holiday season: a 12-day plan of simple writing exercises to help you keep your creative juices flowing. Without further ado:
The 12-Day Plan of Simple Writing Exercises
Day 1:
Write 10 potential book titles of books you’d like to write.
Day 2:
Create a character with personality traits of someone you love, but the physical characteristics of someone you don’t care for.
Day 3:
Write a setting based on the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen.
Day 4:
Write a letter to an agent telling her how wonderful you are.
Day 5:
Write a 20-line poem about a memorable moment in your life.
Day 6:
Select a book on your shelf and pick two chapters at random. Take the first line of one chapter and the last line of the other chapter and write a short story (no more than 1000 words) using those as bookends to your story.
Day 7:
Write a letter to yourself telling you what you need to improve in the coming 6 months.
Day 8:
Rewrite a fairy tale from the bad guy’s point of view.
Day 9:
Turn on your TV. Write down the first line that you hear and write a story based on it.
Day 10:
Go sit in a public place and eavesdrop on a conversation. Turn what you hear into a short love story (no matter how much you have to twist what they say).
Day 11:
Write the acknowledgments page that will be placed in your first (next?) published book, thanking all the people who have helped you along the way.
Day 12:
Gather everything you’ve written over the previous 11 days. Pick your favorite. Edit it, polish it and either try to get it published or post it on the Web to share with the world. Be proud of yourself and your work.
In keeping with the 12 Days of Christmas theme, WD is offering a special “12 Days of Christmas Sale,” with new specials being offered from December 1 through December 12. Books, collections, Moleskine Notebooks and more. Some last all 12 days and a few are one-day-only sales. Worth checking out.
Click here for the Writer’s Digest 12 Days of Christmas Sale.
Follow me on Twitter: @BrianKlems
Read my Dad blog: TheLifeOfDad.com
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Great 12 day plan. I like all 12 exercises & look forward to each one. Thanks for sharing.
Vicki
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Thank you so much for sharing. I look forward to each one. Perfect for bringing in the new year! Thanks a bunch!
Nice. I especially like: “Be proud of yourself and your work.”
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I love this idea. It’s easy to see how it can produce results. Thanks for the great motivation!
I like the idea of writing a fairytale from a bad guy’s point of view. Oh and then listening to a conversation and twisting the words into a love story, now that’s cool!
Thanks for the ideas – all of them!!
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oOo these sound so much fun, thank you
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