An Exercise in Memories

In a previous post, I discussed my ever growing bookshelf.What I didn’t talk about was some of my favorites. You know, the books you read over and over again, even knowing the ending. These are the ones you never part with, even if you outgrow them.

As I progress with my writing, I am discovering that these books can be used for other things.

Mainly as a way to learn different writing skills. Though others have done things like this.

This image came from dustyprettythings.wordpress.com.

This one is from strawberryearth.com. The author has an entire post dedicated to how to turn old books into something useful.

I prefer to learn from my favorites and here is a writing exercise that has recently come to me:

Take the first line from your favorite book and use it to begin a story.

Here are a few of mine.

“It was an October wedding.” Incubus Dreams, Laurell K. Hamilton

“The difference from a person and an angel is easy.” Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn

“Once upon a time, sixty years ago, a little girl lived in the Big Woods of Wisconsin, in a little gray house made of logs.” Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

“If anybody cares to read a simple tale told simply …” Lorna Doone by R.D. Blackmore

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin

Books have been a part of my life since I was a child. I’ve always thought that the mark of a “favorite” book is that it would be read over and over. I can honestly say that I’ve read each of these books many times. Even now I can go to my bookshelf, pick up one of these and be lost in minutes. The story, though known, still brings me pleasure in the reading.

This is an interesting way to work up some creativity, especially if the words aren’t flowing well.

How do you jumpstart your writing?