Finding the Zing

So today for PiBoIdMo – I was inspired by this post Plot Twists that Zing.  You just have to head over to it and have a read of that post and look at the books it talks about.  I just loved it!

I am looking for story ideas that have a clever twist, an xfactor that makes you want to read from the title alone.  It’s about pushing the limits, nothing is too crazy or out of the way.

It’s going to be fun.  What will I put into my magic zing list? What is my recipe for zing, gleaned from the Picture Book Den, fabulous blog. Plot Twists that Zing?

1. Think of a favourite animal, in my case from Far North Queensland where I used to live, or  maybe go with one of the animals I know well like guinea pigs or Minor Birds (make sure it is something other people don’t write about though).
2. Combine it with something kids love, pirates, fairies, wizards, magic, or dragons.
3. Give them an unusual problem that doesn’t come immediately to mind, maybe drawn from a reality show, house sharing, cooking, music talent show.
4. Remove something essential from a fairy tale and put something else in it to make it zing.
5. Check no-one else has done this, and then adopt the process again, until I have generated several ideas, then pick one to work with.

I hope you find your zing today too.  I am going to apply this same rule to my chapter book.  Already I am excited about the writing day.