Story Starter Writing Experience

By New Artists Productions, Inc. | 06/12/2024

Tips and Tricks for Youth Writers

 

"What is a 'Story Starter?"

Story starters are a way to quickly get the story going. They serve as an aid to help the writing process. Story Starters open the writer's mind to possibilities for action and definition of an event. Imagination!

"Activity" - Overcoming Writer's Block

For youth to participate agreeably, the writing experience should not be treated as ‘homework’ or ‘make work.’ It should be a fun activity for a youth theater program or classroom assignment.

Modify the activity for all ages so that enjoyment and positive results can always be achieved. Story Starters are a great way to get kids comfortable and ready to participate.

Start the experience as a group and use a chalkboard/whiteboard to write down the ideas as an example. This can certainly ‘break the ice’ on the activity and also give comfort to the participants who might feel 'out of their element.'

Process: Have individual kids or a group of kids pick a story idea and develop it from start to finish. The ideas might be self-generated, something read about, or chosen from the list provided.

Experiences such as these offer a great way to get kids to think creatively about what a story involves in writing it for someone else to read or re-enact, and possibly for stage presentation in a youth theater program.

 Why Are Written Story Starters Helpful? Story Starters generate Imagination!:

  1. Serve as a type of writing prompt that gets kids writing and using their whole imagination. Whenever an idea is needed, sometimes a suggestion or a ‘push’ for thought is needed - a stimulus for an idea.
  2. Usually, the Story Starter chosen becomes the opening line of the story. However, depending on how the story is constructed, it might be the ending sentence of the opening paragraph. Sometimes a little lead-in work is needed to set the tone and the theme of the story.
  3. Stimulate thought in the writer, as well as in the audience (reader).
  4. Eliminate the most intimidating part of writing - 'the blank page.'  Starters give the writer a jumping-off point. Given the suggestion or ‘push’ the blank page mental block becomes an imaginary canvas for action, intrigue, and interest for the reader.
  5. Can inspire, but they can also stretch. Kids soon discover that they are not restricted to the confines of the starter. It can be used as a tool to open up a new world of thought and adventure.
  6. Stimulate creativity where it might never have been before. You may have a facts-oriented participant who would never dream of writing a fantasy story. Give them an idea and some discussion, a whole new world might open and a fantastic story might emerge.

Part of the Writing Experience:

  • The most difficult part about writing is getting the pencil to the paper with an idea. Sometimes the ideas don’t work out, but at least the thought process has begun and, hopefully, will continue.
  • Once the writing begins, the ‘author’ might find that they really enjoy imagining and creating.
  • Don’t restrict the kids to just one Story Starter choice. Let them review what is available and let them choose two-or three-Story Starters at a time. Or, by reading the list and thinking about it, a new starter might come to mind.
  • Story Starters needn’t just be words read from a sheet of paper or off a blackboard. Think about objects which are just as exciting to work with for kids learning to write.

Creation of a story starter through observation:

Explore the treasures at the beach, the forest, or the local park. Examine what is being offered in those environments. There are so many situations which can stimulate thoughts and ideas for a story. Imagination is the key to creative storytelling and writing. Create 'Story Starters' through observation and imagination.

Beach Activities:

  • Beach Combing:
    • Pick up a shell or rock on the beach – think about where it came from and the development of its shape as the ocean sculpted it.
    • Tide pools filled with secrets of the occupants.
      • How far did the sea urchins travel to get to the rocks? Starfish?
      • What were their adventures in making the journey?
    • Strong waves on the rocks create mythical ideas of underwater creatures
    • Finding a piece of beach glass
    • View the clouds and/or sunset for images that might tell a story
  • Beach Cleanup Experiences:
    • What did the ocean wash ashore? – opens up worlds of ideas as objects from faraway lands.
      • Unusual lumber from a ship caught in a storm
      • A picture laying in an open area on the beach; alone
      • Seaweed resting on the rocks between waves
      • Glass floats from a fishing trawler – where did it come from and what adventures did it have in crossing the ocean?
      • An old tire just lying on the open sand
      • A shredded piece of plastic string
    • Analyze a pile of driftwood or a termite eaten log

Forest Sighting Ideas:

  • Pinecones on the ground
  • Downed tree
  • Empty burrow in the ground along the trail
  • The sound of a bird in the trees
  • A rushing stream or river – what might have travelled along its path?

Backyard and Local Park Tips:

  • Ducks swimming on the lake
  • Birds chirping in the trees
  • A chipmunk scurrying with a nut in his mouth
  • Families picnicking on the grass
  • Kids playing ball near the lake

Opportunities for stories are endless; we just have to look for them and IMAGINE! They can be varied lengths. The idea is to get kids thinking with their imaginations and letting their world of creation begin.

What is Involved in This Writing Experience?

Discover some ideas as to approach and completion of a story diagram.

  1. The ground rules for the participants should include:
    • Paper and Pencil – not computers – a review of the handout: “Let’s Get Started”
    • Open discussion – conversations between participants as ideas are tossed around
    • Acting – movement about the room for emphasis of an idea
    • Permission to change topics without concern
  1. Participants choose the story starter topic and think about what follows in a sequence.
  2. Is the written story being told clear to the audience observer?
    • What happens in the scene?
    • Actions defined for characters
    • Storyline?
  1. STYLE - Can the story be adapted to another foundation?
    • Spoken?
    • Action on a stage?
    • Comedy – Drama – One Person Show – Reader’s Theater?
    • The texture of the story is so important to getting the theme across – definition of the mood of the story.
  1. What action is required to tell the story?
    • Do the characters move when acting and/or interacting?
    • Define the POV (point-of-view)? It is very important in directing action and believability
    • Character movement in the scene or how they interact?
      • Setting
      • Staging
      • Proximity of characters to each other
      • Between scenes
      • Change in dialog
      • Positioning of characters
    • Stage movement – variety for interaction, but not too much or too many variations
    • Characters drive the story forward – be cognitive of this
    • Stick to one idea – making it the clear end goal
    • Dialog helps with the Quality of acting and expression

A great document to read before starting the story layout is: "Starting from Scratch" a document which outlines an approach to thought gathering while reviewing a story starter.

25 Story Starters for Kids

  1. I was walking along a deserted beach when I saw something shiny wash up on the shore.
  2. I have always taken care of my pet, but that day he/she took care of me. It all started when…
  3. My brother says rainbows don’t go anywhere, but I set out to prove him wrong.
  4. It was the hottest day of the summer. I heard the sound of an ice cream truck, but its tune was strange and unfamiliar.
  5. Bang! Boom! Crash! What was the professor doing in his lab?
  6. I opened the box of eggs to make myself an omelet, but one egg didn’t look at all like the others.
  7. Some people are scared of spiders, bats, or the dark. Me?  I’m scared of gummi bears.
  8. The people in the city were on their way to work when the ground shook and the air was pierced with a loud “Cock-a-doodle-doo!”
  9. I was walking home from school when I heard a soft neighing coming from the woods. I decided to investigate.
  10. As a pirate, I fear no man! But I shook in my boots the day the tentacle emerged from the sea.
  11. I opened my eyes after a night of deep sleep. Something was different.  My room was upside down!
  12. I like to watch movies at the theater, but I want the images to stay in the screen! I’ll never forget the day when movies changed for me.
  13. Some cars are powered by gas, others by batteries. My car is powered by salsa.
  14. As a world class adventurer, I plunged into the forests of Okabunga in search of its famous treasure.
  15. One day my oatmeal was so sticky, it glued my mouth closed!
  16. My cat curled up in my lap. “I wish you would buy me salmon,” he purred.
  17. When my cousin and I were cleaning my grandpa’s attic, we discovered a dusty, thick book in the corner. When we wiped the dust away, we noticed its pages were trimmed with gold.
  18. It was the night of my first performance, and I was so nervous! I opened my bag and cried out, “What are you doing here?”
  19. If you are afraid of heights, you don’t want this job. I have to be totally fearless.
  20. I went to sink to brush my teeth. When I looked in the mirror, I screamed, “What did you do to my hair?”
  21. You expect your breakfast cereal to give you energy. You never expect it will make you fly.  That’s what happened to me…
  22. I was in charge of taking care of the class pet for the summer: Buddy the Chameleon. Was it just me, or was Buddy getting bigger every day?
  23. Dinosaurs are extinct. That’s what they tell me.  But I know what I saw that day.
  24. My brother laughter so hard milk came out of his nose. “What’s so funny?” I asked.  But he kept laughing and pointing in my direction.
  25. Today is the day of the bake-off, and my secret recipe is sure to surprise the judges.
Posted in Story/Script Creation

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