Everyone has monsters. Most people try to keep their monsters in the dark — under the bed or in the shadows. That's because most people don't want to see their monsters.
As a writer, you need to use your monsters in your writing. You can't go hiding them in the dark.
So I want you to write about a monster — something that scares you, something that sends a chill up your spine. I can't tell you what your monster is. That's something only you know.
Since it's hard to face your monsters directly, write a scene in which the monster is just out of sight. But you know it's there. Write about that makes you feel.
The Wild Girls is a novel by Pat Murphy. In the book, Joan and her friend Fox start writing stories together. When they win a writing contest, they're recruited for a summer writing class taught by Verla Volante. This site is for folks who want to try some of Verla's writing techniques — and for anyone who wants to know more about Verla, The Wild Girls, and author Pat Murphy. (That's me, by the way.)
Everyone has monsters. Most people try to keep their monsters in the dark — under the bed or in the shadows. That's because most people don't want to see their monsters.
