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Monday, January 16, 2012

Trains and Writing

To say Small Child is obsessed with trains is an understatement.




The other day when we were playing with one of his tracks on the floor, he got bored and tore up part of the track. Instead of getting mad, I created a new game. I called it, "Oh no! Ice!" inspired by The Polar Express. When the trains went off the track, they slid into an ice field and there was much chaos until the trains made their way back to the track. After a couple of rounds of that, to make it even more interesting, the trains ran into a field of dinosaurs who kept jumping in front of them and landing on the cars. Much fun was had by all.

As we were playing I got to thinking how our game applies to writing as well. Characters doing the same things over and over again gets boring. Going in circles for hours will make a reader close a book fast, but throw in an ice field or a herd of dinosaurs, and they just may keep reading.

8 comments:

Falcata Times said...

Hey Krysteybelle,
Yep, I know what you mean. I've started a puppet show for my nephew where he gets his Mum to boot up the PC, puts me on Messenger and we have some fun.

Apple Pendragon (the Book Wyrm) sends book via Dragon Mail (I send it in the post a few days earlier and when my Sister opens it theres another envelope with a big Dragon Stamp on it) and Apple and J go through the book together looking at the various pages. Apple then asks some questions for J to answer on where is such and such etc. and a fun time is had by all.

He keeps telling people that he has his own TV show and they look surprised. It is surprisingly simple and I think more people should do this sort of thing. When I get a proper format figured I might make online transmissions and then put them onto DVD and go round and sit there doing the various tasks with him.

Falcata Times said...

Forgot to add. I really ned to find a cool Gargoyle puppet. (He's going to answer the door for Apple to his secret lair. LOL)

Krystalyn Drown said...

That sounds like a really fun idea. We video chat with the grandparents. Maybe we can come up with something like that.

Angela Addams said...

Love that big Thomas train! My kids are Thomas fanatics! We have one that they can sit on and ride around...it makes A LOT of noise but they love it!

Anonymous said...

Lol, my son was uber obsessed with Thomas until he hit 4, been superheros ever since, and shouldn't EVERY book have a superhero of one kind or another? ;)
BTW Smallchild is adorable! :)

Unknown said...

Ha, maybe that is what my fairy tail needs! BRING ON THE ICE FIELDS AND DINOS! :)

Dianne K. Salerni said...

Your son would get along great with my nephew Joe. He's also train obsessed!

Hey, I blew up a train when I was stuck on VOLTAGE and that was the best unplanned thing I ever did in a story. Sent it in an entirely new direction.

Maybe I need to blow something up in my current WIP ...

Natalie Westgate said...

Very true, changing things up is always good in writing. I'd also like to play the ice game with trains though lol!

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