5 Spring Writing Warm-Ups  

Warm-ups are a great way to shift your mind into writing mode and loosen up those creative muscles. Here are 5 short writing warm-up exercises on the theme of spring. Happy writing!

Warm-up 1:

Set a timer for 1 minute and write, as quickly as you can, a list of words that come to mind when you think of SPRING. Go …

Warm-up 2:

Fill in the blanks below as quickly as you can. Don’t overthink these – let the words flow!

  • Splash and …………….
  • Puddles plop and …………..
  • Rainboots stomp in the …………..
  • Spring flowers wave and ……………
  • Worms wriggle and ……………..

Warm-up 3:

Answer these questions as quickly as possible. You can always come back to some later if they spark an idea for you. For now, stay focused on warming up those writing muscles.

  • Why did the snowshoe hare hesitate?
  • Why did the tulip look sad?
  • What made the bee buzz very loudly?
  • Why is the school child/student skipping and singing?
  • Who will the robin see this morning?

Warm-up 4:

We may try to edit out adjectives in our final drafts, but in our warm-ups we get to play with them as much as we like! Let’s do an acrostic adjective challenge. Try to find 5 adjectives that start with the same letters as, and are connected to, SPRING. For example, “splash, puddles, rain …”. Now you try!

  • S: splash, ….
  • P: puddles, …
  • R: rain, ….
  • I: …
  • N: …
  • G: …

Warm-up 5: 

The ground is warming up and the sun is shining now. Spring is most definitely in the air. Let’s play with metaphor and simile for our final warm-up. Complete the phrases below, either as lines of poetry or sentences in a narrative. 

  • The smell of rain in spring is like …
  • Seeing the first crocus burst through the ground is like …
  • Blossom trees, a …
  • Chickadees scurry and shuffle like…
  • The sun’s warmth is as …….  as ……

I hope you enjoyed these warm-ups and are now ready to write. I can’t wait to see what you create xo

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3 Spring Poetry Prompts for KidLit Writers 

Are you ready to write some spring-themed poems? Here are 3 prompts connected to all things spring along with some “ways to play” ideas! I crafted them with KidLit writers in mind, but feel free to adapt them to your own needs whether you’re a teacher, a poet who writes for adults rather than children, or simply looking for some creative inspiration.

Prompt 1: Write a poem from the point of view (POV) of a spring flower, pushing up through the ground for the very first time. 

Ways to Play:

  • Create a rhyme scheme and/or rhythm pattern for yourself before you write the poem. For example: AA, BB, CC … or ABA, CDC, EFE …
  • Think about what poetic structure or shape might echo a spring flower pushing up. Could you create a visual poem that looks like a flower?
  • Could you repeat certain words or lines to build up the sense of excitement or anticipation the flower might feel reaching for the light?

Prompt 2: Write a poem about splashing in spring puddles.

Ways to Play:

  • Could you bring alliteration into this poem, playing with the “s” sound maybe?
  • Brainstorm or mind map words that evoke the sounds of splashing puddles. They might be examples of onomatopoeia (like “splash” or “plop”) or they might capture the sounds in another way. 
  • How about some assonance instead of alliteration – or maybe both? Which vowel sounds express the actions you’re describing in your poem?

Prompt 3: Write a poem about a bee who can’t find any nectar in spring.  

Ways to Play:

  • Think about how the bee feels, and then try to capture that feeling in both the words and structure of your poem. 
  • Play with line length to further capture the bee’s feelings. For example, could you use lots of short lines to echo the bee frantically buzzing about or maybe long run-on lines (enjambement) to show the distance the bee is travelling?
  • If you’re writing a narrative poem, can you mix up the pacing? Could the middle of the poem, for example, seem slower than the ending? How might you create this effect so the reader/listener stays enthralled?

I hope you enjoyed these poetry prompts and they sparked some new creative ideas for you! Happy writing xo

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3 Great Podcasts for KidLit Writers

I love listening to craft-focused podcasts, and find them a fantastic way to learn and feel connected to a wider KidLit writing community. I’m so grateful to the talented writers and illustrators who create and/or feature in each episode – thank you, Podcasters! 

Below are 3 of my current favourite podcasts. I hope you find the recommendations useful, and if you know of any others you think KidLit-focused writers would enjoy, please leave the title in the comments below. 

Happy listening!

SCBWI Podcast

Target listener/about: 

Anyone interested in learning more about books for children and hearing conversations with both authors and illustrators. From the podcast About section: “The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conversations with publishing pros, and award-winning and bestselling writers and illustrators who inform and inspire the ins and outs of the children’s book industry…” 

What I love about SCBWI Podcasts:

In each episode, host Theo Baker shares an in-depth interview with a well-known KidLit creator (writer, illustrator, or translator). I love Theo’s interview style, and how at ease he seems to make his guests. The questions and subsequent discussions are always so illuminating and inspiring. At the end of each episode, I feel like I’ve learned so much about craft, mindset, community, and feel motivated to keep pushing forward with my own work. 

Where to find more info:
https://www.scbwi.org/podcasts

3 Point Perspective: The Illustration Podcast

Target listener/about: 

Although this is called “the illustration podcast,” I think so much of what is discussed on this podcast relates to writers and other creatives. There’s a KidLit focus, for sure, and many mindset and business takeaways. From the podcast About section: Illustrators Will Terry, Lee White, and Jake Parker talk about illustration, how to do it, how to make a living at it, and how to make an impact in the world with your art. 

What I love about 3 Point Perspective:

The hosts! Will, Lee, and Jake all have very different styles yet gel so well together. I love how honest and open they all are about the publishing industry and their own creative journeys. They share such actionable tips and advice each episode as well as interviewing some amazing illustrators. I’ve applied many of their mindset tips to my own fiction and poetry writing practice, and the way I conceive of the work I do. For illustrators, they also answer listeners’ questions and give very specific feedback on submitted art work. 

Where to find more info:
https://www.svslearn.com/3pointperspective

Writers with Wrinkles

Target listener/about: 

Aspiring fiction authors, and although it’s not a specifically KidLit-focused podcast, it does contain lots of children’s book references. From the podcast About section: Authors Beth McCullen and Lisa Schmid iron out the wrinkles in writing, publishing, and everything in between … one podcast at a time. Writers with Wrinkles is the go-to podcast for aspiring authors, and those in the trenches, who want to successfully publish a novel … or ten! 

What I love about Writers with Wrinkles:

I love the combination of interviews and tips/advice from the two hosts, Beth and Lisa. Their episodes really get to the heart of what it means to be a writer and how to overcome the inevitable challenges along the way. There’s a lot of great mindset as well as focused craft advice. The hosts are very open about their own struggles, successes, and publishing journey, which I find incredibly reassuring. After listening to this podcast, I always feel uplifted, motivated, and determined to embrace both my “failures” and successes. 

Where to find more info:
https://www.writerswithwrinkles.net/

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