Reena Jacobs's Blog, page 2

Update and Novel Review: Dark Skye by Kresley Cole

It’s been forever since I’ve reviewed a book and I’m totally out of practice. In fact, I’m out of practice with everything in the book world. I honestly don’t even know what’s hot these days. However, I have a feeling things are going to change.

First with the update. Long story short: Back in 2013, I fell into some troubled times.  I went out and got a job I absolutely hated, which drained. me to the point I no longer felt motivated to read or write. I honestly thought I’d never find the passion again. I wanted to want to read, but just could seem to pick up a book and get started. Writing… well, that was out of the question.

This year, I enrolled in an Advanced Creative Writing class to try to force some motivation back into me. So far, I’ve hated it.

On Tuesday, something changed. I went to the library to take a proctored Calculus test (one of the other classes I’m enrolled in). While I waited for the librarian to get me set up, I browsed Kresley Cole books and found the next unread book in the Immortals After Dark series. I figured I’d check it out and try to read it before it was due again. I even got in a few enjoyable pages before my exam started. By the way, I rocked that Calculus exam (100%). Right now, my B is so high, if we ended the course today, it’d round up to 90%. I might actually pull an A out of this course.

Now for my review, which was a turning point in my life. First the blurb:

Eternal Obsession

As a boy, Thronos, prince of Skye Hall, loved Lanthe, a mischievous Sorceri girl who made him question everything about his Vrekener clan. But when the two got caught in the middle of their families’ war, tragedy struck, leaving Thronos and Lanthe bitter enemies. Though centuries have passed, nothing can cool his seething need for the beautiful enchantress who scarred his body—and left an even deeper impression on his soul.

Endless Yearning

Lanthe, a once-formidable sorceress struggling to reclaim her gifts, searches for love and acceptance with all the wrong immortal suitors. But she’s never forgotten Thronos, the magnificent silver-eyed boy who protected her until she was ripped from the shelter of his arms. One harrowing night changed everything between them. Now he’s a notorious warlord with a blood vendetta against Lanthe, hunting her relentlessly.

Can the heat of desire burn brighter than vengeance?

With their families locked in conflict and battles raging all around them, will Thronos and Lanthe succumb to the brutal chaos that threatens everything they cherish? Or will the fragile bond they formed so long ago spark a passion strong enough to withstand even the darkest doubts?

Dark Skye drew me in right from the start. I had some downtime before my exam and a terrifying hiccup during the exam (exam closed before my time was up) that gave me time to read a bit of this book while I waited. For the first time in I don’t know when, I actually didn’t want to put a book down. In fact, I didn’t. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours.

Unfortunately, I didn’t expect to review this book and didn’t take any notes. Alas, I’ll just tell you the feelings I had about the characters and the story.

Lanthe, our heroine. She was actually a pitiful one. The motto for her life was, Murphy’s law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Interesting, despite the writing showing she was an utter klutz at everything she attempted, I really didn’t get that impression of her. I think she stumbled her way through life fairly well. Most of her Murphy’s law incidents happened prior to the start of this story line.

Thronos is our hero of the story. He’s a goodie goodie, all righteous and shit. Honestly, his righteousness made him pitiful. What I loved about him is his brokenness… not spiritual or mental brokenness, but physical. Despite his injuries, he pushed through and I have to admit, that was so sexy. I can’t help but root for the underdog or someone who pushes through their challenges.

Storyline. I read back through my review of MacRieve. One of the complaints I had is the story didn’t move forward. This story picked up where the characters escape from Torture Island. To be honest, it didn’t really move the overall plot along either. However, I’ve been out of the reading realm for so long, I didn’t mind at all.

What I did like is it gave a nice introduction to some dimensions. I don’t remember if that was big in Kresley Cole’s previous books. We really did some traveling this time around. One dimensions, which I know we’ll see more of (I’ve already read the next couple of books) is Pandemonia.

I have a feeling I’m being generous, since I’m new to reading again. I’ve been pretty harsh in the past with my ratings. This was such a pivotal book to me, that I’m giving it 5/5 stars.

 

The post Update and Novel Review: Dark Skye by Kresley Cole appeared first on Reena Jacobs.

Children Reading Books: Is Fiction or Non-Fiction Best? @SusanDayAuthor

Does it matter what children read or is it more important they just read?

Encouraging your child to read is very important. You probably don’t need me to tell you that.

When many people think of helping a child to read they think of stories, fiction books, and fairy tales. Let’s face it. These have been the staple of all children’s literature for many years. I spent a lot of my spare time at school devouring all manner of books in the library. And, I grew up to be a children’s author.

Does it matter what children read?

There are two answers to this question, which are both important and relevant.

No, it doesn’t matter what a child reads as long as she or he is reading. I don’t know any parent, teacher or education specialist who would argue with that. There are so many wonderful non-fiction books available. Who wouldn’t benefit from reading them?

The most important thing to remember here is that the child is engaging with written words, images, and facts, which they find interesting and inspiring. They are learning about subjects, which appeal to them.

These books are also full of subject-centric words. This means that the words used are specialized or apply to the specific topic of the book. This is a great way to expand your child’s vocabulary.

Does a child miss out on something if they don’t read fiction?

The immediate answer to this is ‘yes’ and for several reasons.

Fiction stories follow a pattern. They have a beginning, a middle and an end. There is a point of crisis, which is resolved at some point. This structure can be seen in children’s fairy tales from Red Riding Hood to the Harry Potter books. Being able to understand this process allow us to enjoy the stories more.

Also, the structure of fiction books helps children to tell their own stories. This not only means on paper but also in life as they grow up. Being able to retell an event in your life is an important skill because it adds value to your life and helps you connect with others.

When people listen to a story being told, their brainwaves actually match the pattern of the storyteller’s brainwaves. This creates a unique and special bond, which science is just discovering, but those of us who love storytelling and reading probably knew all along.

As well, fiction books also help introduce children to different words, further building their vocabulary. The more words a child knows, the greater their ability to read, write and communicate will be.

What about comics?

Comics are a great way to engage young readers, especially boys, in fictional stories. They follow the normal structure of stories but with a few differences. They have limited text, which appeals to struggling readers, they get to point quickly, and they are full of exciting, action-packed images.

Many teachers have used comics to introduce children to reading.

Can nonfiction lead to fiction?

Reading nonfiction can certainly lead to a love of fiction books. The skills realized in reading anything are transferable to any other type of text.

The most important thing to remember is not to push your child. When he or she is ready to move from one type of book to another, they’ll tell you. You might find them in the fiction book section at your local library or selecting a fantasy series from kindle.

Once a child develops a passion for reading, they are not going to stop. Like me, they will probably go from one book to another and be taken from one fascinating world to another.

It’s just a matter of patience and time.

About the author – Susan Day

Susan Day is a children’s author and writer. Her blog, Astro’s Adventures Book Club, is full of ideas and tips for grandparents, parents, and teachers to support them in helping children become better readers. As well, Susan has created a guide to help grandparents build a more meaningful relationship with their grandchildren through their love and passion for books.

Susan lives in country Australia with four dogs, three boss cats, three rescue guinea pigs, and an errant kangaroo. And, apart from blogging, writing and reading; she loves coffee, painting and learning to box.

Book Review: Grumpy Cat by Grumpy Cat @RealGrumpyCat

Title: Grumpy Cat: A Grumpy Book[image error]

Author: Grumpy Cat

Audience: Grades 3-12 (according to Scholastics)

Length: 96 Pages

Publisher: Grumpy Cat Limited

Copyright Date: 2013

Acquired: Purchased at school book fair

Buy Links: Amazon, Book Depository

Blurb: Internet sensation Grumpy Cat’s epic feline frown has inspired legions of devoted fans. Celebrating the grouch in everyone, the Grumpy Cat book teaches the fine art of grumpiness and includes enough bad attitude to cast a dark cloud over the whole world. Featuring brand new as well as classic photos, and including grump-inspiring activities and games, Grumpy Cat delivers unmatched, hilarious grumpiness that puts any bad mood in perspective.

Corban’s Review

Selection Process: I chose this book because it looked better than all the other ones and looked through the pages it looked better, so I chose Grumpy Cat. The pictures, the artwork, and the word, showed you the history of Grumpy Cat. I also liked that there are games that looked fun and hard.

Thoughts: I thought the book was pleasant. The reason I thought the book was pleasant was it fun to read and play the games. My favorite part of the book was Visualize Grumpiness. You’re suppose to close your eyes and imagine the event happening to you. For example:

A bluebird serenades you from a nearby brook, keeping time to the musical babble of the brook that flows through the forest…

…and it poops on you. When you look up, it poops again. In your eye.

Question for the Author: Why are you grumpy?

Rating: 5 out of 5

Reena’s Review

Selection Process: I never really got into the Grumpy Cat meme. To be honest, I was a bit bummed my son chose such a long book about Grumpy Cat to read. However, I settled into it. The things a mother does for her child…

Thoughts: This particular book has a wide range for reading levels: Grades 3-12. For my 4th grader, this book provided quite a learning opportunities. It included some challenging words: resemblance, biological, optimistic, simultaneously, sullen, demotivational, inspiration, appendectomy, to name a few. Not only were they challenging for him to say, some of the words my son had never heard before, which required an explanation. If you’re looking to help your child expand his/her vocabulary, this may present an opportunity.

The book also had idioms that weren’t not so familiar to my son. For example, ” a dog eats dog world.” Again, it provided opportunities to teach about idioms. Some of the activities were also lost on my son. He expected activities, which you’d find in typical activity books. Since this was more of a book on how to be grumpy and feeling your life with disappointments, some of the activities led to dead ends. That is, some of the activities weren’t true activities or than to expect “lemons.”

This book reminds me of the new disney movies, which are targeted at kids but have adult nuances in them that are above many children’s heads. For those who enjoy reading books with your kids, you might find plenty of jokes and entertainment in this book. In fact, the book reminds me of demotivational posters… but for kids.

If you like snarky and/or Grumpy Cat, this book might just be your thing. I definitely can see why the age range spans so greatly. Grumpy Cat being such a recognized meme, it’ll appeal to younger kids. Though I think the designation in terms of reading levels could have been better defined.

My son and I read this together in about 20 minutes.

Self-publish Like a Business Owner + Giveaway

Self-publish Like a Business Owner + Giveaway

In an earlier post, I mentioned merging my pseudonym with my real name. What that means for you is a heads up for a giveaway I’m hosting through Backbone America. What is this giveaway all about? A few free coaching sessions.

Why hire a coach for self-publishing?

Self-publishing is like any other business, in that it has a product to be sold. As such, you’ll face many of the same challenges as other business owners.

Developing a product

Your books are your product and writing is the development stage. There will be times when you struggle to write your next book, finish your book, refine your book (editing), and even come up with an idea. A business coach can help you work through the early stages of development and moving forward toward publication.

Marketing

If you uploaded your book to a distribution channel and not received the results you expected, lack of or poor marketing is likely the culprit. A business coach can help you strategize, so you’ll have a marketing plan that not only fits your style and personality, but also attracts the right type of readers.

Build confidence

Being a business owner is an uncertain road. It can be full of failures. If you’ve ever received a bad review, been rejected by an agent or publisher, or had your work shredded by a critique, you know exactly what I mean. When those around you have torn you down, a business coach builds you up. Your business coach is your cheerleader, that person who believes in your ability to accomplish greatness. The focus isn’t on what you can’t do. Rather, the focus is on how you can achieve the goals you’ve set out for yourself.

Those are just a few of the reasons. If you’re looking for additional reasons, I encourage you to visit the International Coach Federation, where I’m a member.

The Sweepstakes

Through the month of March 2017, Backbone America is hosting a sweepstakes. It includes over $1,000 in prizes.

Grand Prize

Three (3) winners will be selected for my REVEAL Next Steps package (Value $399). 

Find Clarity & Set Goals (2 sessions)

If you’re looking for clarity on one particular topic or ready to set a goal, REVEAL Next Steps is ideal. Some clients use this package for author branding, self-discovery, to get unstuck or brainstorm solutions.

WHITE LIST info@backboneamerica
If you win, you’re winner’s notification will come from this email
Terms & Conditions

A few key points from the Terms & Conditions:

No purchase necessary.
Giveaway runs from March 1, 2017 through March 31, 2017.
Open to residents of the United States, excluding Rhode Island, where the promotion is void.
Must be 18 or over to win.
Only one prize per person and per household will be awarded
Potential Winner must accept a prize by email within 48 hours of notification

For complete Terms & Conditions, click here.

Shoutout to the Following Supporters!

Mellissa Green, founder of A Blue Green Universe

Oliver and Richard at Striking 13

Catherine at Ethereal Pages

Andrea Jamison at Reviews in the City and IAIindependentPublishingblog.wordpress.com

Barb & Emily at Paging Through The Days Blog

Enter Here

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Cobras by Melissa Higgins @mg_higgins

Title: Cobras[image error]

Author: Melissa Higgins

Audience: K to 3rd grade

Length: 24 Pages

Publisher: Capstone Press

Copyright Date: 2014

Acquired: Library

Buy Links: Amazon, Book Depository

Blurb: Cobras strike prey with their venomous fangs. Read about these hooded hunters.

Corban’s Review

Selection Process: I chose this book because the cobra and the name of the book looked cool. I liked the shape, size, and color of the cobra.

Thoughts: It was epic, terrorizing. The pictures were terrorizing because one picture was of them eating an animal whole. However, it was funny at the same time. If you know about the bone structures, heart and things like that, it’s funny. Their mouth expands. It’s surprising. It was cool because it helps you learn more about cobras. It shows the cobras up close, not far away. I don’t know how they got that up close to take pictures of the cobra.

Question for the Author: When and how did you come up with the idea for this book?

Rating: 5 out of 5

Reena’s Review

Selection Process: Corban gave me a choice between two books. To be perfectly honest, I chose this book because of the length. The other book was much more lengthier (more pages, smaller type, etc.). I wanted a book we could sit down and read in one go. So Cobra by Melissa Higgins won out.

Thoughts: My son is in 4th grade and struggled with reading up until this year. This book presented absolutely no problems for him. In fact, I didn’t have to help him at all with any of the words in this book. This book is labeled as K-3, so I’d say it was spot on with the reading level.

The layout includes written attributes of about cobra on one side and a related picture of the cobra in action on the other. As we went through the book, Corban was extremely excited. At times, he had us pause, so he could elaborate on addition features of Cobras and snakes in general.

My son is a fan of animal facts, so the information in this book seemed very basic for him. I’m more of a novice when it comes to Cobras, so I did glean a bit of knowledge from it. I consider it a nice starter book for kids wanting an introduction to Cobras.

One thing that I thought was interesting is the photography. They weren’t glamorous. It didn’t seem to matter so much to Corban. However, the one (unsolicited) suggestion I have is in regards to the photography. A bit of photo editing could make the photographs look like they came from one collection or a single photographer, and also enhance the feel.

Overall, I enjoyed reading the book with my son. This ended up being about a 5-10 minute read.

Additional Features: This book includes a glossary, index, read more suggestions, and related internet sites for learning more.

Coming up with Ideas for Creative Writing

Coming up with Ideas for Creative Writing

Creative writing has a good number of genres from which most budding authors want to identify themselves with. Non-fiction, poetry, short stories or novels. Most writers especially budding ones have an easy time deciding which amongst the genres to fall within, the main challenge usually is the subject of their writing. This is where ideas of what to write about become elusive. Creative writing is like a beach and the ideas to write about are the sand on the beach. They are limitless. Every idea can have the plot, theme, characters, story and even the language tweaked and be a completely different idea.

You, as a novelist, may come up with ideas to suit the plot or theme of his or her story, a poet may be interested in word play to get ideas to write about. A writer’s niche can be a factor in getting ideas to write about. However, all writers rely on certain common things to derive ideas to creatively write about.

Research
Experience
Imagination

These are the main libraries of ideas for creative writing.

Research

All writing, regardless of genre, needs research. Research is vital to every writer when coming up with ideas for their creative writers. It can be the backbone of the writing or can be the support for the writing idea. Research does not necessarily mean pile of books in a library, although some research is usually like that. Research may vary from the pile of books, TV shows, DVD etc.

Books – They are a great source of ideas for writers. Books have information that is too valuable to almost every writer. Examples of creative writing ideas from books.


Magical creature with brutal strength. Many books have information on magical or cryptids ranging from dragons, griffins, werewolves etc. These book offer very detailed information to writers focusing on ideas to write about works of fiction. Harry Potter has various cryptids like the griffin and werewolves and a writer could borrow ideas from such a book while coming up with their own
Crime and investigative stories. These kinds of stories rely heavily on knowledge from books to make them as captivating as possible. For example, a book on forensic pathology would be very useful to an author when writing about homicide.


TV shows and DVDs – At this time and age technology has made it possible for easy access to TV shows and DVDS. The ease of access provides many creative writers with easy access to ideas. Some of the ideas from TV shows.


What would happen today to our country if the president was assassinated? Many TV shows have been produced around the possibility of the president’s assassination.
How drugs are illegally brought into the country and their effects. TV shows have for a long time been producing shows on various ways drug lords are always finding ways to get their products into the country and source markets from within the country.

Writers make use every material at their disposal for research. Watching movies at a cinema, talking to people, overhearing certain conversations, reading at the library or online. Research can never be exhausted due to the very many different experiences different people have gone through. This also makes ideas inexhaustible. One of the bestselling books ever written on massive research is the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown.

Experience

Many writers have sourced creative writing ideas from personal experience. These are things the writer has gone through or knows from studies or careers, hobbies, travels, things read, family life etc. Experience provides numerous ideas for very many writers. Examples of ideas from experience.

A doctor writing a book may write about the kind of illnesses encountered during the course of the career. Example of the doctors who worked with Ebola patients, this experience would make a good idea to write about.
A student may source ideas from what one has gone through in school, college or the university. The college life of a student from academics, social life, relations with lecturers and other students.
A sales person meets or talks to very many different people on daily basis. Each person usually has something different one can learn. Some of the people met may be polite, others rude, others indifferent. All provide ideas in a unique way.
A marine or any soldier for that matter, has vast experience and many ideas may come from the experience. During deployment tours the experience with the people of that country, the experience of wars, the different weather and even the day to day activities all give lots of ideas to write about. A good example is the Navy SEAL Chris Kyle who sourced ideas from his military experience to write his autobiography American Sniper.

Imagination

Imagination has endless possibilities. Anything can be imagined and can be written. Some of the best works in literature were conjured up from imagination. One of the most read books in the world Harry Potter by JK Rowling is a book based mainly on impeccable imagination. Imagination tops every other source of ideas for creative writing. Since imagination is limitless, ideas from imagination are thus limitless too, let’s mention a few.

Imagine today NASA proves that there is extra-terrestrial life, what next. Imagine if we contact them, how they would respond. What would they look like, how would they react, how intelligent are they as compared to us. Imagination makes all these possibilities become ideas to write about.
Imagine you became the president of the most powerful nation of the world, what would you do differently? What would your priorities be? What would you change for your nation? For any writer, this would offer a plethora of ideas on what to creatively write about.
Imagine technology got so advanced that robots became the norm and one day they overrun the human species and you are the only one capable of stopping them by uploading a virus on their main servers and are therefore hunting you down. How would you avoid being caught by them and thus save the human race?

Imagination, experience or research alone cannot be enough to get the best ideas. A writer has to combine more than one or all of them to get one of the best ideas. Great ideas have written some of the best works in creative writing. Curiosity is a writer’s best friend. If you are curious, ideas are easier to look for.

 

Coach & Consultant

Greetings readers, writers, and authors!

Please overlook the debris, as I reorganize my blog. Recently, I’ve decided to merge my two identities: My status as an amateur writer and business owner.

I would say I’ve done quite well keeping my identities separate until now. Only a select few in my life know that I’m both an erotic author and straight & narrow business professional. Well, that’s changed and I’m not out in the open.

Those of you here know me as writer, author, blogger, book reviewer. Now meet the vanilla business professional. Alright… not vanilla… maybe not even tame.

My day job, or rather, profession is in the area of business development. My forte is helping entrepreneurs in the early stages of their business. As long as I’m tooting my horn, I’ll say I’m awesome when it comes to putting together financial packages for funding. How awesome? I’m just under $1.15 million in capital infusion, that is helping owners inject money into their businesses.

Let’s see… what did I miss? Names… Renee Townsend. There. I’m out. You have it. Reena Jacobs (the writer) = Renee Townsend (business owner). The name of my business, you ask? Backbone America. Find me at backboneamerica.com.

If you’re looking to run self-publishing like a business, let’s talk. We’ll talk about the direction you want to take your self-publishing business and the challenges you’re facing.

Make an appointment through my online calendar.

Creative Writing Topics and Prompts

Creative Writing Topics and Prompts

If you’re anything like me, you probably have ups and downs when it comes to writing. The last time I wrote a blog post will show you a bit about my struggles. Today, I’m going to propose creative writing topics and prompts.

Why? Some days you want to write but you feel like you are surrounded by a wall of bricks. You may end up staring at a blank page with nothing but frustration on your mind. Sometimes, all you need is something to spark the writing process.

Despite conflicting opinions writer’s block happens to very many writers, including some of the very much accomplished writers. If all you need is a spark, check out some of the prompts below to get you started.

Given the chance to alter one event in history, which event would it be and how would you change it.
Write about your opinion of the perfect home. What would it or would not have?
You just woke up scared as hell, sweat dripping all over your body. Describe what you think your dream was about.
Imagine you are in charge of a president’s protection unit and the president is going to a very unstable region. Write your experience during the trip and events that happen there.
You have a chance to go anywhere in the world. Write about the place you would go.
Imagine you own one of the largest media houses in the country, what do you think you would change about it?
The investigative agency in your country have released a broadcast for a known dangerous terrorist, that terrorist is you 3 year boyfriend or girlfriend. Write a story about how you feel immediately and what happens next.
You did something wrong and got away with it. Write about it.
You have been brought up in a family that believes family is everything, then one day you find out your parents aren’t who they pretended to be. What happens next?
Write a poem about for the most romantic date you have ever attended.
You are a billionaire, you’re only child is almost hit by a car on the sidewalk but a homeless man saves your child and is hit by the car instead. What would you do to the man to show your gratitude?
Write a story from the perspective of twins separated from each other at the age of 12 just to meet 10 years later.
Her laugh broke the awkward silence…..
What’s your idea of the perfect vacation?
You have been told you have two weeks to live, what would you do?
You are going home just to find your house no longer there. The neighbours are the same but have never seen you or heard of you before.
Imagine reincarnation was real and you were given a chance to become any animal you would love to reincarnate as, write a story about your life as that animal.
You are given a chance to decide which one should come first, the egg or the chicken. Which is your pick and why?
Write a letter to the 16 year old you.
An intelligent extra-terrestrial species has been found, you’re chosen to explain to them about our whole world and be taught about their world. What is your experience like?

Share a writing prompt that’s help you get started.

Creative Writing for Kids

Creative Writing for Kids

I’ve been thinking about my son and how he’s struggled with writing. I, myself, didn’t get truly into writing until less than a decade ago. However, with him being in school and graded on his writing, it’s prompted me to investigate creating writing for kids.

Developing creative writing skills while very young has been proven to not only encourage children’s overall creativity but also improve their confidence and ability to express themselves. Cultivating these skills through guidance, support and encouragement can lead to a better academic and professional life. Guidance should not be harsh, but rather gentle. After all, we know how challenging writing can be.

Always allow room for the child to think outside the box and experiment with their ideas. Being the main audience of your kid’s stories, it is very supportive when you compliment them for impressive writing or creativity. Having genuine interest in your kid’s ideas encourages them to grow and expand their creativity.

Preparing your kid for creative writing

Getting your kid to love reading and writing is the first and most important step. This is easy, if as a parent, you create time to read and write with your kid on a regular basis. Creative writing for a kid requires the proper materials and a place with as little distraction as possible. The materials required may include:

Pens, pencils, erasers and maybe markers
A colorful notebook or journal
A dictionary
Drawing book for very young toddlers

Make creative writing for your kid fun

Kids are curious and have a knack for adventure. Incorporating these qualities into creative writing for kids makes them develop interest in flexing their creativity muscle. Everyone loves fun, especially kids.

Use art

For younger kids, art is a great way for them to express themselves. Asking a kid to draw something they like is a fun way for them to start getting creative. As time goes, the child is introduced to writing by providing captions to what they drew. After a while, giving the kid pictures to write a story about, becomes easier because they can relate to it.   This encourages the kid to keep learning and maintain the interest in creative writing.

Use fun prompts

Use of fun and simple prompts is a good way to actively involve your kid in creative writing. Prompts with thought invoking images are especially useful because visual cues stimulate imagination which in turn stimulates creativity. For example, a photo of a summer vacation followed by a simple prompt like “What did you enjoy most about the vacation?”

Make jokes

Adding jest to the stories you tell your kid(s) makes it enjoyable for them and hard to forget. For example, a father could tell kids “I had blue ill-fitting swimming shorts and dived into the pool, next thing I knew my swimming short was floating away from me!!”

Play word game or collaborative story games

Using word games with kids is quite beneficial for them, it helps build their vocabulary which is infinitely useful in creative writing. Try simple games like Letter Blocks and hangman for younger kids while for older kids Scrabble and Crossword Puzzle.

Vocabulary alone is not be enough in creative writing. That’s where collaborative story games become useful. You write a sentence and your kid writes the next sentence, then you again etc. With your help the kid learns when to use the vocabulary he or she has learned. It also teaches the kid proper sentence structures.

Assist your kid in looking for something to write about.

For many kids it challenging to start writing stories due to fear of a blank paper or fear of making mistakes and so on and so forth. When a child is stuck in writing, reprimanding the child could worsen their predicament. Inspiring your child by assisting with story ideas will go a long way in improving your child’s creative writing skills.

Use familiar situations to spark creativity

Everyday life activities offer the best spark for story ideas. They are things your kid relates with on a day to day basis. For example, an animal like the neighbors Labrador. Your child could write about what s/he thinks its eats, how it relates with other animals, say your cat. Why does it usually bark etc.

Use prompts

A blank page may freak out your child and prevent creativity from taking over. All they need is a little nudge to get them going. Nothing provides a nudge like a prompt. A prompt could be anything from a question to the opening line of their favorite book. For example, ask a question like “would you prefer being really tall or really short? Why?” A child would enjoy such a prompt.

Rewrite or mash up stories

Rewriting a story invokes creativity within a child. It may be difficult to come up with new characters in a story, rewriting a known story helps the child use the familiar characters to develop a different plot. A good example is rewriting a fairy tale.

Mixing of characters from different stories to create one story is also good way of sparking creativity in a child. For example, combining a fairy princess from one story with a mermaid from a different story would make invoke creative writing in your kid with your help.

Use Pictures

Nothing inspires creativity live visual cues, this cannot be stressed enough. Use pictures from the family album or even wordless books and ask your child to write captions or even stories to go with the pictures. As it is said, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Honing creative writing skills

Writing skills require constant practice to perfect. As writers, you know that. The best way for any parent to improve creative writing of their kid, is to encourage daily reading and writing.

Every writer is a reader and any reader can be a writer. Cultivating the reading habit within your child expands your child’s mind and thus increasing creativity.

Writing is not always a smooth sail, sometimes it gets difficult. Teach your child how to plan before writing, this makes it easier for your child to write when needed to write difficult things.

Sometimes your child may be reluctant to want to write, this is normal for everybody and taking some time off would be good for your child.

In creative writing practicing is crucial as it builds better grammar and creativity. If your kid practices they may end up loving creative writing.

What are some ways you’ve found to help increase creative writing in kids?

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