1. The Sly Description - Writing descriptive paragraphs can be very dull. Who wants to describe their desk or a pot of flowers? This writing activity will add a little challenge and it makes a fun game for the class as well. The teacher will describe a strange creature and the students will draw it. "This strange creature has a big, black body and a nose like a great sack. It has two antennae like big hands. It has a long dangly chin." The students reveal their pictures of weird aliens and monsters. Finally the teacher reveals a photograph of a moose. Now challenge the students to fool you with a description of their own.

2. Common Picture - The teacher selects an ambiguous picture where some action or background is evident. Try to avoid pictures that are static or easily explainable. An example of an ambiguous picture might be a woman coming across an unconscious man in the desert. Everybody writes about the picture, creating a story around it. Students are not allowed to discuss or share their stories until everyone is done. Sharing stories will quickly show how everyone interprets the image differently. Some may see the discoverer as a good Samaritan who helps the fallen man. Others may see the woman as an attacker of the unconscious fellow.

3. Syllable Situation - Challenge your students to write a paragraph using only words of one syllable and another of three syllable words. Have the students read them aloud. The one syllable stories will all sound like kiddie books. The three syllable word paragraph will be stilted and difficult to read (and write!). Comparing these two pieces allows students to see that word choice is all important for the feel of a story.

4. Circus of the Senses - Good writing captivates all of our senses. This exercise will help students see that their writing must appeal to more than their eyes. The teacher writes a short paragraph or story with very little description. "A man walked down the street. He saw a dog…." The students rewrite this story by adding sense details. What does it sound like? Smell like? Feel like? Taste is more difficult, so a food item should be involved. Visual description can also be enhanced.

5. Story-boarding - Story-boarding is a common devise used in film-making. Plots are drawn out like comic strips so the entire tale can be examined, added to or improved. Teachers can give their students a sheet with 6 or 12 comic strip squares. Have students draw out their story first. Before writing the story, have them present it to the class as a short demonstration. Allow the other students to comment in a constructive way or ask questions.

6. The All-Class Switch - Each student writes their name at the top of piece of paper. The student begins writing on their page. Every two minutes the paper switches with the person behind them until the entire class has written on each paper. On the last turn the pages goes back to the students with their names on the paper. Allow them to finish the story. The teacher may want to adjust this game based on number of students and writing time available.

7. Two Characters - Have two partners draw a sketch of a character of their own. They can include words around the sketch to describe their personalities. The partners discuss each sketch and then write a story together in which both characters are equally important.

8. Weird Words - This activity works for genre stories. The teacher places portions of words on slips of paper in a bucket. Students draw three slips to make imaginary words. For example CRE-POX-IT becomes "Crepoxit". A science fiction definition might be "Crepoxit - The outer shell of a Martian" or for Fantasy: "Crepoxit - the Dwarvish word equivalent of "darn it!" Have each student come up with 5-10 pseudo-words and definitions and use them in a story.

9. Fantasy Map - Have students create a map filled with enchanting names. They do not have to know anything about these places at first. Once they have created a wide world on paper, have them select a spot and pen a tale about it with all its imaginary peoples and creatures. Names are very important in this exercise so have them use as inventive names as possible. The White Cave will not be as evocative as The Kragbak Caverns.

10. Genre Switch - Make sure your students are familiar with each genre. Place slips of paper in a hat with the words Science Fiction, Fantasy, Mystery, Horror, Western and Romance on them. Six partners draw one slip each. They must now write in that mode. Run this like a classroom switch with each partner writing for five minutes. The end result is a wacky all-genre blow-out---the captain of the starship lands on the planet of the unicorns, where someone has stolen the king's horn or the culprit turns out to be a ghost living in a creepy castle, but the sheriff faces him in a quick draw contest before running off and marrying his sweetheart.