What to Write When You Don't Know What to Write

• Did you connect to the character? If so, why? Be specific-both about the character and yourself (or people that you know.)

• Why are you drawn to the characters in the book? Are they like characters your read about in other books or that you have seen in movies? Is there something about the character that you like? Are they like you in some way, or would you like to be more like him/her? Why?

• What kind of atmosphere does the author of your book create? Is there fear? How is it created? Is there humor? Is it light-hearted? How does the author achieve this tone?

• What lessons do the characters learn? How can those lessons be applied to life in the “real” world?

• Why did the author write this book? What message was he/she sending?


An example: In The Hunger Games books, what was Suzanne Collins saying about OUR society? About the media? About our finding entertainment in watch "reality" portrayed on television and Internet? In that last book (or movie) what message was she sending about the idea of heroism? Did Katniss actually accomplish ANYTHING? Was she just a symbol? If so, why was that important? Were there actually ANY good guys to take over the government?