Stretch Break 12: Muscles in the Mind

Did you know how important it is to exercise your brain? I've been playing Brain Age and Big Brain Academy for the past year now. I started out as an oldie - in my 60s. But once I played more and understood the nature of each test it was a lot easier and I am now in my twenties (which is, like the body, the best shape to be in according to this game.) They promote a good means to building muscle in the brain.

Such practices include:
- Memorize
- Visualize
- Analyze

Try it sometime. Or just play some games to jog the brain a little.

Workout 12: Create a Mind Poem

Exercise:
Create a poem, but don't write it down. Memorize it.

Purpose:
Before the written word existed, we had the spoken word. This oral tradition made it possible to pass down stories to the next generation. Later, when the written language came to be, people wrote these stories down, and often the stories were a little "watered down" or artifacts had been changed (reminiscent to the game "Telephone.") Because of this, story is one of the oldest art forms that represent the uniqueness of the human race.

Help Desk:
Keep it short and simple. That's all the help you can get. How are your memorization skills?

Pen Jousting 1 CHAMPION!

Congratulations to Deane Madsen for winning the pen joust!

Stay tuned for more tournaments!

Stretch Break 11: Writing What You Know

Remember that quirky neighbor you grew up with? Or that health food-obsessed woman you work with? Just look around you and you'll realize just how many different personalities there are out there from which you can draw your inspiration. Lord knows I have a lot of them to draw from... one of them is me!

Workout 11: Interview your Character

Exercise:
Imagine your character and ask him/her several different questions. Write down how he/she responds to these questions.

Purpose:
To get to know everything about your character.

Help Desk:
Some sample questions would be:
- What is your favorite childhood memory?
- Have you ever been in love?
- Would you prefer peanut butter and jelly or bologna?
- Do you have any siblings?
- Where is your favorite place to holiday?

Stretch Break 10: Write from the Soul

One thing I realized when I was doing this workout was that I had ten minutes left. With this much time I thought to lengthen the scene, but ended up making the scene worse. I thought, "sad endings won't sell in Hollywood." Hence, I wasn't writing from my soul. I was just trying to write to please others. But I've since learned:
1. Don't worry about explaining why to the audience, or if the ending is happy or sad.
2. Deepen the mystery and be cautious what you reveal. The audience will catch up.

And, if you finish the scene before the clock is up, either:
1. Introduce a new character or a new element
2. Go back and edit out what's not necessary
3. Stop where you are and start a new scene

Workout 10: Freewriting

Exercise:
Sit for 30 minutes and just write about whatever comes to your mind.

Purpose:
Just write from you muse, write from your soul. Who cares if this is published or produced. You're writing for you, right?

Help Desk:
Write what you know and who you know.