Generating Ideas

My writing goal is generating ideas. I already have a few strategies but i need about 2 more. Any ideas?

Burning Up

He was supposedly dead. Dead as a doornail, some would say. Or so they thought. It turns out he was nearly napping. Not on command or purposely, but nevertheless he was not dead. However, he was unaware of this. Ralph Donaldson was in a coma, but everyone thought he was dead. Unfortunately, he had arranged for cremation after death, and this may be the one time he regrets having loyal family and friends, as for they intended to bring out his will.
He was lying peacefully in a satin interior mahogany coffin. It had intricately carved angels with pedals, truly quite remarkably designed. It was intended to bring him peace in the afterlife, however, it would bring him pain in the current life. It would be the spot of his death. He would be burned alive in his own coffin.
He awoke, and once he got his mind about him, he was shocked. He could barely hear what the people around him were saying but. All he heard was muffled voices. However, he did make out his wife’s sweet soft voice muttering something involving him being a great supporter. Then he heard her cry, much to his dismay. The cry, unlike her voice, was loud, violent, and unpleasant.
“I am not dead! I am here, in the coffin! Unlatch the door and open it up! I am alive!” As he yelled, as loud as he could, it began to become hot. A single drop of sweat trickled down his temple. It became hotter and hotter, like an inferno. Flames came through the wood and inside the coffin. It burned the pearl colored, satin lining. He pushed upward, trying to escape, but it was no use. There was no way he was getting out of this. His clothes were now on fire, which then spread to his flesh. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and as quick as a flash, it was over.

Soft Feathers Fall

I will fly away.
My heart will escape from the steel cages, the misguided thoughts, the unforgiving glares, the fake talking.
My ears wont hear the snide remarks, the snippy answers.
My eyes wont see the hostile backs, the quickly closed doors.
My mouth wont grace the angry masses with its words.
My mind wont comprehend the anxious glances, the tense tones.
I will fly away.
I will break free.
I will find a life free of this madness.

Remember Me With Joy and Happiness

I just stood there waiting. Waiting for a sign that everything was going to alright. Waiting for everything, waiting for anything. I tried to hold my tears back at wait I had just heard minutes before. The worst news anyone can think of. The news that you dread to hear. The words make you want to curl up in a ball and cry, the words that make the world seem like it is spinning right before your eyes, the words that you don't ever want to believe. "LET ME SEE HIM!" I screamed.
"No, you can't, its too late. " My mom said as she tried to hug me. I pushed her arms away
"NO NO NO NO NO! ITS NOT TOO LATE! HE WILL BE BACK! HE WILL!" I screamed back at her as I was bawling.
"Just calm down." My mom said in a soothing voice. "We are all still in shock from the horrid event." Mom began to shred tears again as they began to crawl down her cheeks. I stormed out of the room furious at myself.
"WHY HIM! WHAT COULD I HAVE DONE TO CHANGE WHAT HAPPENED! WHY HIM! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME! WHY HIM!" I yelled to the heavens
"Its okay, just calm down. I'm here with you, right here right now, but not for much longer." A soft voice said.
"Who said tha...." I said until I turned around and saw who it was. It was him. He was standing there right in front of me. "But, but your ... and how?" My voice stuttered.
"Well this is just my spirit, but hey I'm here, but not forever. And by the way, you couldn't have done anything to safe me. If you were there he would have just killed you too." He said. I started to cry as hard as I could making my face look like the Pacific Ocean.
"Don't remember with pain and sorrow. Remember me with joy and happiness. Don't think about the event that killed me, think of the events that we shared smiles together." He said an then he disappeared. He was gone, gone forever. He, who was my brother, was gone forever, but will never leave my heart.

Hi my writting goal is having more dialouge in my story. Can anybody help me out for different stratagies on how to do this?

thanks, rockelle

clinchers

i need some strategies for clinchers. so far i have asking a question and restating the thesis in different words. does anyone have anything else?

Leads

My writing goal is leads. I need some strategies. The only ones I know is to ask a question and start off in the middle of a scene so the reader can ask questions. Is there anymore?

One more strike...

I sit in the corner
cowering, hiding my face
from your hideous yells

"Stop!"
My scream was not heard
Through the sounds of broken glass
And shattered memories
Like a fight between a cat and a dog
I never knew if it would end

"Please, you`ll regret this!"
They knew how I felt
As if they were in my mind
Interrupting my thoughts
With their own regards

"Please! Stop!"
I didn`t know any better
It`s been going for only minutes
But it feels like a decade
The tragic words
The crash and clangs of glass
Now finally, the car door slamming

"Not again..."
Rushing up to the window
The crystal stained with chips and cracks
Showed it had been witness
to our last moments together
It had felt the pain of two hearts
Once together
Now apart

Lost

I struggle,
to understand the world,
and the ways of the people who inhabit it.
I can't even come to fathom,
the actions of the ones,
who are either,
to insecure for their own good,
or who just don't understand,
the meaning inside themselves.
They didn't all act that way,
the way they do now.
Infact,
many can't even come to the realization,
of their own actions preformed.
But they can't stop,
because once they have begun,
its a part of them,
that won't leave,
even to escape for a breath of fresh air.
I believe,
that only some will see clearly,
if the tables happen to turn,
or if they experience something,
even greater than their minds could imagine.
And for the others,
who know they won't and can't change,
are just lost.

Leads

Does any one have any good stratigies for generating a good lead? The only stratigies I have are asking a question and using specific sensory images.

Unknown

There is a certain cross road between emotional feeling and physical feeling. For some unknown reason we humans are cursed and blessed to experience physical emotions within our fictional hearts planted deep within us.

No words can describe what is sometimes felt. Packed snugly under the folds of your soul your unidentified self starts to tug on the strings, spread into the corners, push against the wall. It is alien for you to react in a way unrecognizable by your own brain, almost frightening that there are layers of you that you have yet to reach under.But it can also be exhilarating.

So why? Why are you forced to deal with the very real part of your boiling blood as it pumps its way through the veins of your unproven soul? I'll tell you the truth, I don't know.

Individual Writing Goals

Students who are trying to work on their individual writing goals should be utilizing the writing blog as a place to look for feedback as well as advice on their goals. This is a place to talk about different strategies you have found and used etc...be an active blog contributor!!!!

Grammar Tips

This week's grammar packet focuses on one strategy to help you VARY SENTENCE STRUCTURE. Varying sentence structure is important because it makes your sentences more interesting to read. It breaks up the monotony of the constant Noun/Verb/Object format. It can also help you add length to short sentences etc.

The specific strategy you are working with is utilizing opening adjectives and delayed adjectives. These create interest because in the case of the opening adjective, we are accustomed to reading a sentence that starts with a subject...by giving us an adjective first, we are pleasantly surprised.
Jon ran across the room. PLAIN
With hands raised in triumph, Jon ran across the room. STRONG.

Delayed adjectives add interest because we expect to have modifiers right before the words they modify....the red scooter, the broken chair.

By putting the adjective afterwards, you can freshen up the order of things and create interest.
example....the scooter, rusted and broken

If anyone has qestions, comments, examples of this strategy in action, feel free to post them here.

Injury

Your team steps out onto the court
While you sit their…grieved
The Doc said you weren’t healthy enough
To play the game you love
So while your team is on the court
You try and wipe your tears on the bench
Saying life isn’t fair
Saying you should be out there
Not here
And you may pray all you want
The Doc’s answer ain’t changing
You’ll still be on that bench tomorrow
And you’ll still have that useless leg
So all you can do is watch
And hope that maybe your prayers will work
That you maybe on that court tomorrow
Instead of sitting on the bench with sorrow

File Fiasco

You never know,
where it came from,
many possibilities

A forest in Colorado,
or just a branch in NY,
many possibilities

But think of,
the waste of a tree,
just for one unforgivable,
written late on Sunday night,
that won't be used again

Could end back in the same starting area,
after its been wasted,
but its still part of a quagmire

Just think of the work that had to be done,
to get that piece of paper in your printer,
but all you do is cause a quagmire

There is always a use for something,
paper shouldn't be discarded,

Do not cause a quagmire

Warn Me (PLEASE!)

Bang! Boom! "This is a tornado warning!"

I wish I heard all of that, but the truth is; I didn't . . .

Furniture is being thrown, sheds are tipping over and full trees are collapsing. Where am I? Again, I would like to say that I am safe in my basement with no chance of danger . . . but I am actually laying down in my room, music blasting in my ears, falling asleep. I am completely unaware that my town is about to get totally destroyed because the biggest storm in U.S. history is about to roll in; TODAY! RIGHT . . . NOW!

The Terrible Two

Crashing and thrashing around the corner like a typhoon, the mop-like thing came at me. Right on its tail came a hulking tyrannosaurs of a dog. The sound of nails sctratching for traction on the hard wood floor were a warning siren to my ears. I felt like I was stuck in glue as i tried to put my arms in front of my face. The mop's eyes seemed to be glinting with the cruel message, too late! I saw her legs compress then spring up into an accelerated leap. All thirty pounds of her came crashing down on me, causing binders and pencils and all sorts of important papers that I would have to turn in agian anyway, to crack and crumble like delicate fallen leaves between the fingers of child. Before I could shove the mop off and stop the stabbing pain of a pencil in one side and my Lang Arts binders attempting to close on my head, there was another hundred pounds on top of me. The two monsters were snapping and growling and I was the injured victim that got the brunt of it. With a shove and a grunt I unearthed myself from the snarling dogs and began to check if I was whole. The terrible two paid me no mind, they just kept playing and nipping while I ranted my anger and disapproval at being used as a fighting ground. This what I have to live with, my mother's tyrannosaurs Piggy, and my fiesty mop, Mayday. Together they were more feracious than two girls fighting over the last two-for-one shirt.

I miss..

I miss…

The old days;

The nights you two would come in my room and tuck me in at night

&

we would sing together.

I miss the day I took my first steps

&

my sisters were there to cheer me on,

I miss the day I jumped off the bus

&

saw my baby in Lauren’s arms.

I miss the day that we were actually friends

&

we would have fun togther.

I especially miss the day when you told us you loved us

&

we were the best thing that happened to you.

I miss those days,

&

I want them back.

Feedback and commentary

I love that so many people are leaving feedback for their peers. I have two concerns though:

1. People are repeating the exact same comments that have been made by previous commenters. Just like in Socratic Outer Circles...once a comment is made, it doesn't need to be repeated.
2. No one is leaving any critical thoughts, questions etc. Also there is no advice on how to make the piece better. We need to use the blog as a place to get good critical feedback to make our writing better. Don't worry, you will not hurt anyone's feelings as long as your intentions are to help them make their poem/story/essay/thought the best that it can be.

opposites attract

Sean R.

     opposites attract

I walk alone. Not literally, im not that kid who is completely to themselves, but im alone. Me friends arent like me, ignoring all the problems of the world, because their too caught up in their  perfect little world. I live a life of cold lonliness, home isnt fun, school isn't much better. Home is suupposed to be a safe place to be yourself, but i can't even be myself there. I'm trying to please my never-pleased parents, but..... they are never pleased!!! Sometimes i wonder, what the hell am i doing here, is the world better off without me? and sometimes i think it is. This doesn't stop me from waking up every morning with a new mentallity, every day is a fresh start, a new shot at the world. Maybe today will be better. Was it better? No, but maybe the next day will be.

My friends are who i like to hang out with, but their not the best friends anyone could ask for, to tell you the truth. They sometimes make fun of me for no reason, but maybe tommarrow they wont. My friends arent alot alike me, but i guess opposites attract.

Poreclain Faces

Everywhere I go

poreclain faces follow

so beutiful, yet so fragil

painted with delicate care

to hide the painstaking fragments

of their seemingly perfect lives

In the whipped whispered winds

the foundation of imperfections lie
leisurely expanding the cracks of shattered china

threatening these porcelain faces

to freely live

or dutifully die

What is Wrong With You?

What is wrong with you?
Everything you do repulses me.
The way you walk into the classroom with your "swagger"
Your identity is not convincing.
Why don't you just be yourself,
instead of this idiot person that you look like.

You are such a player,
walking around tearing apart girls hearts like they are nothing.
I'm happy I never fell for your stupid act,
but some of my friends weren't so lucky.

Can you please just look in the mirror,
and realize how hideous you look?
Then I might respect you.
But it won't be easy.

This is a poem i have yet to finish, i have the beginning and the end but i need a middle. Tell me what you think it needs so i can find the missing ingredient.

FIRST PART

When eyes reveal their color
the sun drips down my spine.
The road ahead lays black,
but still my sight is blind.

LAST PART

Tomorrow will never come,
for tomorrow is today.
Yet still I may find sight
when tomorrow comes my way.

I Miss You

Another day, another week
Another tear on another cheek
Another spring, and another fall too
But there will never be another you
♥♥

Shattered Glass

Laying there in shattered glass,
shedding tears that never pass.
Near my ears are whispered lies,
of frightful memories that refuse to die…
Skipping in the forest glow,
my heart so cold I wait for snow.
Gently I chant the song,
of where the order may belong.
“The angel will die so the demon shall live
and karma may continue to give”
The metal object violently shimmered in the glow of moonlight.
Slowly, slowly I continue toward the horrific dead of the night.