Welcome to Day 10 of Hooked on Writing, your free online writing course. This online workbook will help you create a writing habit in 31 days.

Fairytales

A writer’s most useful source for plotting comes from fairy tales, The Bible, myths, legends, and the works of Shakespeare.

Aim:

To show how you can use classics for plotlines.

How:

Write a synopsis or a blurb (in present tense) for a modern-day murder mystery using the story of Cinderella.

Example:

Washington, U.S.A.

Cinderella is an orphan who lives with her step-mother and step-sisters. She has been abused and belittled for years.

But is she really a victim? Why does she sneak off in the middle of the night? And who is the man who phones and hangs up whenever her stepmother, a U S Congresswoman, answers the phone?

A series of brutal murders is holding the capitol in its grip. The targets have all been prominent political figures. The modus operandi of the killer is similar to that of the unknown man who killed Cindy’s father when she was 8-years-old.

Everyone becomes a suspect – Cindy’s stepmother, her stepsisters, and Cindy themself.

A handsome FBI agent, Prince, has been assigned to protect and ‘watch’ the family. Cinderella’s sisters both want him, but he only has eyes for the enigmatic Cindy.

How will Cindy win her Prince and escape this loveless life?

And when will the killings stop?

Result:

You can and should use classics to create story ideas.

At Night

Use your writing journal here. Write ‘At Night’ at the top of a clean page. Free write or expand on the exercise you’ve completed. (If you want to buy the downloadable workbook, which includes space for these exercises, you can get it in our store.)

‘I’m not a very good writer, but I’m an excellent rewriter’ – James Michener