Picture Book University: Week 2

Week 2 Day 1: a lesson on pearl formation

On the ocean floor there sits an oyster minding its own business, until…

a little piece of grit sneaks its way inside the oyster and starts to irritate it. The oyster begins to wrap pearly goodness around the grit and eventually forms a perfect beautiful pearl. Divers go down, open up the oyster, and pull the pearl out.

This is a perfectly good way to get pearls, but there are some problems. It’s random, unpredictable, dangerous. You don’t know where the pearl is or if there is one at all.

Assignment 2:1

Brainstorm everything you’re afraid of, and every time you or a child in your life has been afraid. Try to get at least 20 examples.

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Week 2 Day 2: a better way

Because of the difficulty in harvesting natural pearls, oyster farmers have developed a more sure method of cultivating pearls.

Now our oyster sits in a commercial bed. The oyster farmer opens it up, sticks in a little bead. The oyster, irritated, wraps it’s pearly goodness and soon there’s a perfect beautiful pearl. The oyster farmer, who knows where the pearl is, and how long it will take for it to grow, can harvest it when it’s ready.

Assignment 2:2

Brainstorm everything that makes you sad, and every time you or a child in your life has been sad. Try to get at least 20 examples.

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Week 2 Day 3: a lesson on idea formation

Inside your head there sits your brain minding its own business, until…

a seed sneaks inside and starts to irritate it. The subconscious finds the seed interesting. It begins to wrap story goodness around the seed and before long it has a story developing.

But the subconscious can’t do all the work on its own. So it starts kicking at the conscious mind, saying “Hey, I’ve got something here. You need to look at it. I need some help.” The conscious mind finally wakes up, notices the developing idea, and says “How exciting–inspiration, the muse, serendipity, channeling.” And it works on the idea and develops the perfect story. This is a perfectly good way to come up with story ideas. Many story ideas develop this way. But like the natural pearls, it’s not a predictable or controllable means of creation. So what you can do?

Assignment 2:3

Brainstorm everything that makes you happy, and every time you or a child in your life has been happy. Try to get at least 20 examples.

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Week 2 Day 4: a faster way

You can culture your ideas in the same way that oyster farmers culture pearls…

This time, instead of waiting for a seed to accidentally lodge in your brain, you open up your brain and deposit the seed yourself. Then you start wrapping wrapping wrapping ideas around it until you have the perfect story. This is a much more efficient, and much more effective way of coming up with stories fast and easily.

Assignment 2:4

Brainstorm everything that makes you angry, and every time you or a child in your life has been angry. Try to get at least 20 examples.

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Week 2 Day 5: what seed?

So, what are these seeds? They can be anything that is part of the story. They can be something someone says, something someone does. The seed can be a character, a first line, a last line, a thing, a title, a conflict, a setting. You’ve been brainstorming seeds all week.

We will discuss later how to come up with lots of seeds. We will also discuss what to do with those seeds when you have them.

Assignment 2:5

Brainstorm every time you or a child in your life has been surprised, disppointed, proud, or any other emotion we haven’t covered this week. Try to get at least 20 examples.

Next week: Holiday Vacation! But you do have assignments:

1. Make memories

2. Talk to your loved ones about their, and your childhood

3. Write down any memories, present or past

Class will resume after the new year.