• “A Touch of Wax” is written as a dramatic monologue. The main character defends her actions by telling her side of the story. Make a list of simple situations when a main character needs to explain carefully or face unhappy consequences. Before you start writing, reread the story and study the way the author uses “invisible” comments and questions inside the monologue to keep the plot moving. How do readers know the questions even when they aren’t spoken? Choose one situation from your list and begin writing a story that includes responses to “invisible” questions as the plot unfolds.
• The short-short story “Agapito” builds its characters and plot on a repetition of words and phrases and a logical sequence of events. Reread the story and study its structure and language. Notice the way careful punctuation marks like commas and periods help prevent confusion. Make a list of possible characters and an obsession for each one with potential for trouble, then choose the most creative idea and start writing. Don’t be afraid to draft several versions until you discover a way to end the story.
• “The Naked Woman on Poplar Street” is a story about a search. This plot structure is very common in Greek mythology, in Shakespeare’s stories; in literature like The Lord of the Rings and in movies like Raiders of the Lost Ark. Write a story where you place your characters on a search for something that could change their fortune or improve their situation. Whether you chose the search to end well or to end badly is your decision as the writer. And don’t steal an idea you’ve already read in a book or seen on TV. Use your imagination to create something new.
• Take any of the stories in the book, and write new fiction from another character’s viewpoint. For example, what if Rodrigo tells the story of Lucy’s unexpected arrival at his brother’s wedding? What if Uncle Tavo tells the story of how he came to buy The Cucaracha and why he sells it to the boys? What if Coach tells his story about what he thinks of the Stumblers? What if the neighbor sees Nanita’s car in his front yard and comes outside?
• “Raymond’s Fireworks” and “My Twisted Tongue” present first person narrators sharing an experience. Each is fiction, but presented as if a story was true. Think about a story that has been told to you, a story that didn’t involve you at all. For example, something that happened to your dad or your mom when they were your age; a story your teacher told about one of his kids or something you witnessed at the park between others. Climb into the shoes of someone else, use the first person pronoun “I” and create a story.
• Write a poem using the title “There’s a Name for this Feeling.” Consider writing a narrative poem (a poem that tells a story) or write a “list” poem (a list of images or descriptive details sharing the same theme or idea). For example, can you describe one time when a hard lesson taught you something important? Or can you list ten different images that show one specific feeling?