Top Five Things to do when snowed in, from a writer’s perspective

They say us Brits are never ready for the snow, and when it comes have no clue what to do except drive into ditches and call snow days at our schools and most places of work (even if just for the excuse). I must agree the snow (that doesn’t want to leave) is becoming a bit of a chore, but perhaps being snowed in again wouldn’t be so bad if armed with armed with this top-five list. It’s a perfect opportunity to break out the creative child within and get down to some serious writing fun.

 

1. Story Games

I’ve only just read about Rory’s Story Cubes, a story game involving six dice with images to generate ideas to be used in a story. You cast the die, and whorl away with a story to fit. It’s much like online story generators, but these cubes in a variety of themes, including Actions and Voyages, turn a writing tool into a well packaged afternoon game. I’ve even seen a picture of the cubes used to represent Ned Stark's storyline from A Game of Thrones. Simple, honest, geeky fun. 

2. Poetry

Yes, I can feel your eyebrows turning from here, but poetry can be fun. I read Stephen Fry’s book, The Ode Less Travelled last year, and he reminded me how before distractions of the internet and television that poetry and writing exercises were key entertainment. There are a variety of closed-form poems, acrostics, rictameters, or perhaps you could play with a serious sonnet or laugh with a limerick. Think of it like doing a cross-word with a chance to create something unique. Here’s an example of my own patterned poem.

The

Man of

Snow

A

Carrot for a nose,

Two lumps

Of coal

A

Silly hat

To keep him warm

Whilst we all eat within our

Homes, until upon a sunny spell,

That melts away the fluffy white,

We venture out, and gasp upon

The melt; a carrot that was once

a nose, two lumps of coal that

once were eyes.

3. Seek

This sounds both odd and obvious at the same time, but venture out (as far as your snow boots can carry you) and seek inspiration. Notice how different everything looks, and feels. Does it remind you of any far gone place? A ski resort? A Disney film? Take pictures. Build a snowman, or do what I did and help push a car up the hill, doing you community service for the day, then write about it. Embrace this different sort of day, and see if it gets the synapses firing!

4. Read/Watch

Dig out your DVD collection, put on that new series you got for Christmas, break out a book, or even read a script. I know that time old phrase, along the lines of you must read, read, read if you want to write, write, write gets rather annoying (and therefore probably true), but today you have time. Enjoy.

5. Write

You heard me. Write that project you’ve been putting off.  I used my snow day to write a ton of pages for my thesis screenplay, and now would use any extra time to write a scene for my new play, unless of course I were to be distracted by any of the above.

A simple list, but hopefully will inspire any creative stuck in the snow to get their story juices flowing.