Madelyn Rosenberg

It’s spring. And, okay, maybe that’s not the first thing on everybody’s mind these days, but it’s here. It’s happening. I’ve loved seeing photos of flowers blooming and of that fresh, yellow-green color of new growth. Today’s writing prompt is simple and broad.

Write about spring.

You can try a poem, rhyming or not. You can write a prose paragraph.

You can sit outside and listen and just make a list of sounds that you hear. You can make a list of the colors that you see.

Share if you’d like. I’m glad to be your audience!

If you’re interested in more prompts, go here: WRITE.

Madelyn 

Had some fears over the past few days (or weeks)? Let’s write about them. If you’ve had something cancelled that is making you hugely disappointed? Let’s write about that, too.

Let’s start with a phrase you’ve heard recently, and that will be your first line of a poem or prose paragraph. Something like:

I’m sorry. An abundance of caution. Cancelled. Social distancing.

Line two and three: tell us what today was supposed to be like.

Line four and five: tell us what today IS like.

Line six: Repeat line one.

Line seven: End it how you want to end it. You can be positive or you can be negative — just get some thoughts and feelings on paper.

More writing prompts are here. 

If you want to share something I’d love to see it.

Madelyn

For parents who are out there looking for things for their kiddos to do while they’re out of school: Here’s a link to 11 of my summer writing prompts. You may have to switch the season and the circumstances, but you can still look at the world around you and write about it — and if you’re self-quarantining, remember writing can make the world a little larger. My plan is to go into these and try to adjust them as the days go on. I’ll keep adding some more recent writing prompts below:

Meet Your Character: A writing and drawing prompt.

COVID-19: Let’s write about now.

Writing out your fears: a poetry prompt.

And while we’re at it, Here’s a learn-to-draw exercise from Victoria Tentler-Krylov. Victoria’s post is in Instagram, so kiddos, ask an adult in your life before accessing;

View this post on Instagram

Dear Cyclops fans! Here is a video on how to draw and color Cyclops and Eugene. Give a try! We’d love to see your drawings! #illustration #watercolor #photoshop #kidlitart #picturebooks

A post shared by Victoria Krylov Illustration (@victoria.krylov.illustration) on Mar 17, 2020 at 6:54am PDT

And a Cyclops bookmark tutorial == my first craft video, with a little help from my feline coworker.

View this post on Instagram

Quick craft: make a bookmark to go with #cyclopsofcentralpark. Trying to do it in under a minute. My cat made it… interesting. #catsofinstagram #bookmarks, #crafts, #kidlit @penguinkids #momlife #teachers #diy

A post shared by Madelyn Rosenberg (@madelynrosenbergwrites) on Mar 26, 2020 at 9:38am PDT

The prompt I’ve been asking kids to do lately is centered around Cyclops of Central Park, my book that came out in February. In the book, Cyclops is afraid of pretty much everything, including restaurants that don’t serve spaghetti. But Eugene, a sheep, is just the opposite. I’d love for kids to tell me what Cyclops and Eugene would be doing in their town. What would scare Cyclops at first? What would he come to love? What would Eugene try to convince Cyclops to do? How would you make Cyclops feel better bout the world? And what would he and Eugene EAT?

I love seeing pictures of Cyclops and Eugene out of the cave! I’m trying to get them to all 50 states, but even if you tell me about a state they’ve already seen, I’ll write back!

Be well — and wash your hands!

XO

Madelyn

Pics by Tony Carmack (California)  Barry Bowden (Marietta, Ga) and Tamar Stein (Singapore orchid garden)