I love this flow of questions and how you break down the reasons for them in the section below that. I'm trying it out for a chapter in my memoir that was very significant -- getting my elderly mom and dad to Union Station in Los Angeles to board a train to New Mexico. It was the day they left their home of almost 60 years in Southern California for the final time, to move to Santa Fe to be near to me. Quite a thing to do in your early 90s... I can still see the courage it took for them to make that move. The questions helped to bring out the vividness of that moment.
Oh my, what a moment! I can feel the weight of it even with what you've written here. I imagine that the memory prompt (#15) and flashing forward (#19) might highlight the significance of the moment. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Carolyn! There’s certainly overlap in the categories (e.g. sensory description can also be interiority), but I do find it helpful to break down the elements!
Hey! This has lifted my spirits with its warmth and generosity. It is wonderful in its creative format: got me out of my head where I have been plotzing and kvetchjng. Thank you SO much. I just love it.
Oh, wow, I just finished teaching a CW short story class and wish I'd had your scene magic exercise for the students! This is great -- I'll save it for next year, or for myself. Thanks for sharing, Kelcey!
Ah, thanks! When I do it in classes, I share only one question at a time. Sometimes I write it on the board or have it appear on a powerpoint, but often I just say it verbally and give them a minute or so to write. Then I say the next question, and so on. Afterward when people share I’m often blown away by how smooth and rich of a scene they’ve written!
Hi Kelcey. I just discovered you on Notes - after commenting on another note about how wonky the notes feature is. Finding you there was the wonderful type of wonky. I could have used your tips as I wrote my last essay - which took FOREVER to pull out of me. Your 20 steps are the perfect "have you thought about this???" Thank you! Love your graphic style, too. So pleasing to engage with. Have a lovely day. :)
Hi Sheila! Thanks so much for this. I agree that Notes is (are?) wonky, and I'm glad for these occasional synergies! These steps emerged out of my own struggles and my students' struggles, and I'm glad I finally remembered it on Day 9 of a 14 day writing challenge! 😂
I’m grateful for you sharing! I signed up for the same writing challenge and haven’t done one day. I look at it like: at least I signed up! Maybe next year. 😄
I've tucked it away but at this stage am not so much likely to write a scene as cause one. Yes, I like the post very much and particularly the pictures and staccato of this and that moving forward quickly.
Update, everybody: I changed the post title! My original one was long and kept getting cut off!
I love this flow of questions and how you break down the reasons for them in the section below that. I'm trying it out for a chapter in my memoir that was very significant -- getting my elderly mom and dad to Union Station in Los Angeles to board a train to New Mexico. It was the day they left their home of almost 60 years in Southern California for the final time, to move to Santa Fe to be near to me. Quite a thing to do in your early 90s... I can still see the courage it took for them to make that move. The questions helped to bring out the vividness of that moment.
Oh my, what a moment! I can feel the weight of it even with what you've written here. I imagine that the memory prompt (#15) and flashing forward (#19) might highlight the significance of the moment. Thanks for sharing!
Great resource! And love the way you write this with pictures; so pretty 🤩
Thanks so much, Amy!
Oooh! I want to try this with my fifth graders in the fall. Thank you for sharing this creative writing exercise.
Yes! It works for all ages!
The color coding is a gamechanger! Thanks for this exercise Kelcey!
Thanks so much, Carolyn! There’s certainly overlap in the categories (e.g. sensory description can also be interiority), but I do find it helpful to break down the elements!
Hey! This has lifted my spirits with its warmth and generosity. It is wonderful in its creative format: got me out of my head where I have been plotzing and kvetchjng. Thank you SO much. I just love it.
Haha, plotzing and kvetchjng! We’ve all been there! Thanks so much for your comments! Really appreciated.
Oh, wow, I just finished teaching a CW short story class and wish I'd had your scene magic exercise for the students! This is great -- I'll save it for next year, or for myself. Thanks for sharing, Kelcey!
Ah, thanks! When I do it in classes, I share only one question at a time. Sometimes I write it on the board or have it appear on a powerpoint, but often I just say it verbally and give them a minute or so to write. Then I say the next question, and so on. Afterward when people share I’m often blown away by how smooth and rich of a scene they’ve written!
Thanks for this gem!
Let me know if you have any luck with it!
Thank you!
I love, love, love this! I'm going to try it today as I wrestle with my newest chapter(s).
Yay, thank you! I’d love to hear how it goes!
I’ll keep you posted!
Great!
Hi Kelcey. I just discovered you on Notes - after commenting on another note about how wonky the notes feature is. Finding you there was the wonderful type of wonky. I could have used your tips as I wrote my last essay - which took FOREVER to pull out of me. Your 20 steps are the perfect "have you thought about this???" Thank you! Love your graphic style, too. So pleasing to engage with. Have a lovely day. :)
Hi Sheila! Thanks so much for this. I agree that Notes is (are?) wonky, and I'm glad for these occasional synergies! These steps emerged out of my own struggles and my students' struggles, and I'm glad I finally remembered it on Day 9 of a 14 day writing challenge! 😂
I’m grateful for you sharing! I signed up for the same writing challenge and haven’t done one day. I look at it like: at least I signed up! Maybe next year. 😄
Ha! Well, the first step is signing up!
Oh, this is just what I need to get unstuck. Thanks, Kelcey!
Great to hear! Good luck, Maureen!
Magic, indeed, Kelcey:)
Thanks, Anne! I’ve used this basically ALL of my classes 😊
I've tucked it away but at this stage am not so much likely to write a scene as cause one. Yes, I like the post very much and particularly the pictures and staccato of this and that moving forward quickly.
Causing scenes again, are you?! 😂 Thanks, Jay!
Oh this post is a "Keeper" Kelcey! No really, this is great!
This is awesome!
Thanks so much! (and for restacking too!)