Why not be on the lookout for others who like to write? There is nothing that so stimulates good writing as an informal little club of a few people interested in expressing themselves on paper. Run it as you will, but be sure that it is entertaining and helpful. One club we know meets once a week around a table in a quiet room. An older and rather experienced person has been chosen leader, and all manuscripts are handed to him. He reads the week-old ones only. These he has had a chance to read, and to each he attaches his own helpful opinion and suggestions. Each meeting centers in one need of the group, and members are asked to report findings on topics assigned. The manuscripts that need help, or no help, but illustrate the point being discussed are read anonymously and discussed in a cool, rational way. Personalities do not enter in, and a feeling of good fellowship is the result. Sometimes the author himself is called on for an opinion and the rule is not to let the rest know that he is the one responsible for the work of art. It makes the members good actors and critics. This is called the Conrad Club after its originator. The members are in no way limited as to style, form, or topic in writing, and the quality and quantity of the work are amazing.

If you are very versatile and like all types of writing, a newspaper is a good medium for your expression. Try your hand at reporting, essays, ads, advice to the lovelorn, editorials, and other departments you see in the daily press. You can take your own snapshots and put them in for illustrations or draw your own cartoons and illustrations. Start making a small newspaper by ruling off a four-page sheet of letter paper into the usual columns. You might decide to make this first edition for someone you know who is ill and would enjoy it. Try your wit and humor. Make your first edition the type people beg for. Use any of the papers you have around the house for your models and you will have no end of fun playing Dear Editor. You can write it in small, clear handwriting, or in manuscript lettering if you know how, or type it off on a typewriter. It doesn't matter as long as it is easily read. "Interview" folks for your paper and be sure the Personals are not too personal or you are liable to find yourself out of business after the first issue. Boost your home town by fine and rousing editorials for loyalty. Explain things to see about town, praise its good points, and suggest improvements. Check your final attempts with the real thing and see what a splendid piece of work you have accomplished. You'll find that as far as writing is concerned, this is one of the most joyous and satisfying things you can do.

What shall it be? What is the program on that mind stage of yours now? Turn the dial to Station P-A-P-E-R right away and see for yourself. Let your pen be your television apparatus, and ink the plot before your very eyes. Let the darkest of all fluids be the most enlightening! There's fun in writing.

Some Interesting Things To Do

1. Cut pictures of real people from magazines. Mount them on cardboards, number them, and then place on the back the name and a short account of position, character, skills, etc. Hang them in a conspicuous place in your classroom. Let the class jot down (1) who it is; (2) his occupation; (3) his age; (4) his nationality; (5) his physical appearance; (6) a personal opinion of his character.

2. Hunt through newspapers and magazines such as Time or Newsweek for an item that interests you. What were the people concerned in the item like? What were their motives? feelings?

3. Play "Who am I?" In this game, the type of person is described and the class guesses who it is.

4. Try some of the activities suggested in this chapter.

5. Repeat some interesting conversations you have heard recently.

6. Try the phonograph trick suggested on page 486.

7. Describe in words some sound you like or dislike.

8. Go out after some tall stories. Bring them to class for the entertainment of all.

9. Make up a tall, tall story such as How I Flew from Pole to Pole, My Adventure in the Wilds of Chicago, or the like.

10. Plan a program centered in an adventure, a ghost, an insect, or one of the suggested themes. Choose the five best stories of the class for final presentation.

11. Play the game suggested on page 487. You'll find the cards easy to make.

12. Embarrassing moments are always amusing. What were some of yours? Write up one suitable for the school paper.

13. Career Books are useful and lots of fun to make because they are so personal. Make yourself one with a colorful cover on it.

14. Jot down poetically some reaction to an experience you have had. Hand it quietly to the teacher to read anonymously. Don't worry too much about what others think. Poetry is a personal adventure. No one else has to like it.

15. Start a class Writing Club for those interested. Run it as suggested in this chapter.

16. List ten stories that you've read or movies that you've seen. After each list the time, place, and theme. Also explain what you think of it.

17. Choose one story or movie you liked especially and write what you think should be another chapter or another act. Invent new incidents and, of course, a different ending.

18. Cut out a dramatic newspaper article. Substitute your friends for those mentioned, or introduce yourself as one of the characters. If you turned this article into a story, how would the end differ from the facts given in the newspaper? Why?

19. Keep a scrapbook of amusing tales you have read or heard.

20. Issue at least one class newspaper. You should know the fun that is associated with going to press.

21. Read Dorothea Brande's Wake Up and Live. Jot down several experiences you never had but would like to and could have in your vicinity, for instance, a. Go to a certain building and ride on the elevator to the top.

b. Visit a certain church.

c. Browse about a store.

d. Visit an airport and see how it is run.

Ask yourself, of course, if it is timely, ethical, or sensible for you to do these things.

Helpful References

Brande, D., Becoming a Writer. Cross, E. A., A Book of t/ie Short Story. Dixon, P., Radio Sketches and How to Write Them. Mearns, H., Creative Youth. Miller, H., Creative Writing of Verse. O'Brien, E. J., The Short Story Case Book. O'Brien, E. J., The Twenty-Five Finest Short Stories.

Robinson and Hull, Creative Writing. Scarborough, D., Selected Short Stories of Today.

Schwartz, E. L., So You Want to Write/ Widdemer, M., Do You Want to Write? Wilhelm, D. G., Writing for Profit. Wunsch and Smith, Studies in Creative Writing.

phonograph records guaranteed to produce results in creative writing

1. Berceuse, J arnefelt.

2. Natoma Dagger Dance, Victor Herbert.

3. From an Indian Lodge, To a Water Lily, To a Wild Rose, At the Brook, Nautilus, Edward MacDowell.

4. In the Hall of the Mountain King, Edvard Grieg.

5. Ingria"s Lament, Edvard Grieg.

6. The Swan, Saint-Saens.

7. Largo, George Handel.

8. Song of the Volga Boatmen, Russian Folk Song.

9. To Spring, Edvard Grieg.

10. Ave Maria, Franz Schubert.

11. Pomp and Circumstance, Edward Elgar.