Texting has become a big part of life for almost all American kids. They send texts to their friends, to their enemies, to their teachers, and to to their parents. It's fast. It's easy. It's a basic form of communication. And, the act of texting itself has even become a main component of young adult books, but is it story material? In a word, YES!
Now I'm not talking about the art of texting, although there is probably a book on that topic already. I'm talking about the substance of texts and how they are perceived. For instance, one person can send a text that simply states, "Love u." However, depending on what has transpired between the sender and the receiver, that simple message can become extremely complicated. How? Well think about it. Was it sent as an apology, an after-thought, a word of encouragement, a declaration of love, or was it a sarcastic remark? Any one of these reasons can be built into a story. The apology could be the beginning of a flashback, or even the basis of a plot conflict. Maybe it was sent to the wrong person--Oh,oh! See how the plot can develop from a simple apology? What about the declaration of love? Perhaps, it came from a stalker or an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. You could develop it into a mystery, a love triangle, a romantic comedy, or a reality story. Before you know it, you have a whole book built around a single text. Inspiring, isn't it?
So, if you write for kids like I do, and the inspiration well is a little dry, you might try asking to read a few text messages sent by your kids. Just make sure you let them know it is for creative reasons alone, not to judge or comment. You might be surprised what you find that will get those creative juices flowing. If you don't have access to texts from young people, then try scrolling through twitter. Stories are brewing there every minute of the every day. Texting is definitely another avenue to spark the imagination of a writer.
Now I'm not talking about the art of texting, although there is probably a book on that topic already. I'm talking about the substance of texts and how they are perceived. For instance, one person can send a text that simply states, "Love u." However, depending on what has transpired between the sender and the receiver, that simple message can become extremely complicated. How? Well think about it. Was it sent as an apology, an after-thought, a word of encouragement, a declaration of love, or was it a sarcastic remark? Any one of these reasons can be built into a story. The apology could be the beginning of a flashback, or even the basis of a plot conflict. Maybe it was sent to the wrong person--Oh,oh! See how the plot can develop from a simple apology? What about the declaration of love? Perhaps, it came from a stalker or an ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. You could develop it into a mystery, a love triangle, a romantic comedy, or a reality story. Before you know it, you have a whole book built around a single text. Inspiring, isn't it?
So, if you write for kids like I do, and the inspiration well is a little dry, you might try asking to read a few text messages sent by your kids. Just make sure you let them know it is for creative reasons alone, not to judge or comment. You might be surprised what you find that will get those creative juices flowing. If you don't have access to texts from young people, then try scrolling through twitter. Stories are brewing there every minute of the every day. Texting is definitely another avenue to spark the imagination of a writer.
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