Writing Road Trip

Guess Whatâs in My Glove Compartment?
Letâs play a litÂtle game. Iâll tell you some things about the inside of my car, and you tell me what you can disÂcern about me from those details.

Seeing the Signs
Fast food signs taught my twin nephews to read when they were only two.

Anti-Tailgating Measures
A few years ago, a counÂtry highÂway I regÂuÂlarÂly driÂve in the sumÂmer became part of a pilot proÂgram to stop tailÂgatÂing. Large white dots were paintÂed on the road, and new signs instruct driÂvers to keep a minÂiÂmum of two dots between them and the car theyâre folÂlowÂing. Rear-end colÂliÂsions are a danÂger on this roadÂway, and the program

(E)motion Sickness
Most of my many school visÂits have been amazÂing, posÂiÂtive advenÂtures (see my post titled âTravÂelÂing Like a Rock Starâ). A few of my visÂits have feaÂtured minor bumps in the road. And one school visÂitâââthank goodÂness, one only!âââmight be betÂter described as a major trafÂfic inciÂdent. It hapÂpened when I was still a ânewÂbieâ to school visÂits. I was

Focus Your Trip
When stuÂdents set out to revise, a whole lot of difÂferÂent things will all try to grab their attenÂtion at once. EncourÂage them to focus their attenÂtion on a few key things each time.

To Each Maker, Their Model
as often as I tell stuÂdents that I preÂfer to wait until I can see the entire shape of a piece before I title it, there are always those who ask meâââbeg me, realÂlyâââfor perÂmisÂsion to write their title first.

Writing around Roadblocks
Iâve tried to creÂate a stimÂuÂlatÂing atmosÂphere in my home office. Works of art by the illusÂtraÂtors of my picÂture books adorn the walls. I have a RainÂbow MakÂer in the winÂdow. There are bloomÂing plants and inspirÂing sayÂings and a basÂket of toys to play with. There are birds chirpÂing outÂside the winÂdow (even an occaÂsionÂal owl when

Driving Miss Daisy
When I was a kid, one of my neighÂborÂhood gangâs favorite sumÂmer games was to âplay chaufÂfeur.â Weâd jump on our bikes and gathÂer for shoptalk at chaufÂfeur headÂquarÂters (a.k.a. the midÂdle of our quiÂet side street). Then weâd race off in difÂferÂent direcÂtions to pick up memÂbers of the enviÂably wealthy and pamÂpered (yet of course

Traveling Back Through Time
One of my favorite pieces of writÂing advice comes from author Faith SulÂliÂvan. I share it here for you to pass along to your stuÂdents. When you are writÂing about a storyâs setÂting, donât leave the readÂer feelÂing like a disÂtant observer.

Drive-by
When I visÂitÂed Los AngeÂles not long after the 1992 riots, a home-town writer told me a stoÂry that made me feel what it was like to live there in those uncerÂtain times. His driÂve home passed a large police staÂtion. He was always on alert as he drove by; everyÂone thought there could be more trouÂble at any time,

Fitting in with the Locals
The way we talk can be a dead giveÂaway that weâre from elseÂwhereâââGoogle the phrase âpop vs. soda,â and youâll ďŹnd colÂor-codÂed maps that divide the counÂtry like elecÂtion night results.

Driving After Dark
As an eleÂmenÂtary school kid, my most vivid recurÂrent dream feaÂtured a road trip. In it, Iâm in the driverâs seat, although itâs the car thatâs in conÂtrol. My two-years-younger brothÂer and our two best neighÂborÂhood friends are also along for the ride. We are on a straight stretch of the two-lane highÂway that leads out of

Driverâs Ed
Itâs amazÂing that I passed my driverâs test on the ďŹrst try, since I can see now that I was a pretÂty bad driÂver. But I was an excelÂlent test-takÂer, and the State of MinÂnesoÂta sent me home with a score of 96 out of 100. Mere weeks latÂer I backed the famÂiÂly van into the mailÂbox. Itâs not that my parents

On the Lam
EncourÂage stuÂdents to driÂve their imagÂiÂnaÂtions like speedÂing getÂaway cars. Before you know it, their stoÂries will be packed with the susÂpense and tenÂsion that conÂflicts provides.

What a Pictureâs Worth
When I was a kid, a visÂit from my Texas grandÂparÂents guarÂanÂteed horiÂÂÂzon-expandÂing expeÂriÂences. For one thing, we were exposed to food choicÂes not comÂmon to our litÂtle house in Minnesotaâs north woods. Iâm not talkÂing about chiliâââmy TexÂan father cooked that all the time. Iâm talkÂing about GrandÂma drinkÂing hot Dr. PepÂper instead of cofÂfee. And