Using Imagination to Create Stories, Part 3 – Mules & Dragon Lights

One of the things that I’m doing as a result of COVID-19 social distancing is taking time to improve my photography. Here’s a shot of two mules. It’s okay. I was six feet away from them, and I used a Zoom lens. This could be the impetus for a non-fiction book about mules, maybe HOW MULES PARENT or a fictional story about a mule who longs to get out where the grass is greener but discovers that greener does not always mean sweeter. I also thought I’d share a photo I took at the Dragon Lights Festival in 2018

Using Imagination to Create Stories, Part 2 – Coaches & Swirly Bird

Sometimes I am inspired by people’s actions. For example, I recently saw an SUV where someone soaped on the message, “Thank You Coaches.” My imagination fired up. Immediately, I thought it was one of a number of high school graduates who decided to honor their coaches but were limited by social distancing imposed by COVID-19. I liked that idea. I liked the way that he or she is giving back. I imagined an entire slew of cars thanking their coaches for a job well done. I began to wonder just what the coaches had done to inspire kids to take such a positive action. It really could be the inspiring idea for a non-fiction book about a particular coach, a fiction idea about a coach who inspires the team but falls prey to COVID-19, or any other number of ideas.

Sometimes, I am inspired by nature.

One day I was lying down on a chaise lounge and I noticed the clouds morphing into different shapes. I decided to take pictures of the clouds as they drifted. Read more

May 27, 2020/by Alan Jordan

Imagination Challenge, Virtual presentations

Using Imagination to Create Stories – Part 1 – Jellyfish & Bears

When someone finds out I’m an author, they often ask me where I get my ideas. Sometimes, I am inspired by other people’s art. For example, I took this photo when I went to a festival of lights. I still haven’t made a story out of it, but I will one day. Would you like to use this picture to help you write a story? Click on the picture to see it blown up. (Want to know more? Check out https://www.ktvn.com/story/38263424/chinese-lantern-festival-dragon-lights-comes-to-reno-this-summer.)

One of the sources for ideas for me is observing the world around me. I recently snapped a photo of the back of a van. Read more

May 27, 2020/by Alan Jordan

Virtual presentations

Author Visits

Your students are lucky. You’re helping them improve their connections to books and technology.

There are so many interesting things that we can do in an author visit. For example, we can show how to create a writer’s mock-up of a book or a writer’s storyboard, complete with color-coding. The writer’s storyboard/mock-up can be contrasted with an illustrator’s mockup, character sketches, etc.

Author and illustrator visits do much more than offering a fun break from classroom routines. They:

Motivate students to write;
Help children understand the motivations of people by analyzing and fostering character development;
Stimulate creativity and
Give children different ways to enjoy school.
Virtual visits show children how to use technology, a valuable skill.