| An IDEA simmers in the mind until the realization hits, something has to be done with it. Time to gather and organize the thoughts. Writing, like planning a party or choosing a vacation destination, is more productive when the rules of the 5-W's are followed. Consider them a generic form of an outline. Each of the 5-W's are steps to take to reach the FINISH line. |  |
 | IDEA: They come from everywhere. The spark to ignite the creativity. |
 | WHAT: Create a point form list of what the story is going to be about. |
 | WHEN: A timeline helps to keep the story on track and flowing. Include era, season and year(s). |
 | WHO: The characters. List them all. Human, animals, extra terrestrial. Describe them. Are they young, old. Special traits and quirks. |
 | WHERE: The setting. This could be more than one location. Describe with as much detail as possible. |
 | WHY: The details of why the story happened. Include emotions and events. |
 | FINISH: Congratulations, it's done! Now for a little bit of R & R before meeting the next challenge - publishing. |
As you write, refer back, and make changes to the 5-W's if necessary. It’s OK to start with preliminary thoughts only to find they vary or stray completely from the original. That's part and parcel of what writing is about.
Most of the basic tools needed to reach the Finish line are found in the 5-W’s. Their guidance are known to have encouraged and directed a number of project towards a debut with the world.
Most of the basic tools needed to reach the Finish line are found in the 5-W’s. Their guidance are known to have encouraged and directed a number of project towards a debut with the world.
Do you use the 5-W's when you write?
Ann Edall-Robson
Author, Photographer, Lover of Life
"Capturing moments others may never get to experience."
Author, Photographer, Lover of Life
"Capturing moments others may never get to experience."
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