Insider Ink Splat:
MARCH 2022
What’s Up At SYI this Month?
INK SPLAT
DARSHANA KHIANI
For the March issue of Inksplat, we had a great time talking with Darshana Khiani, whose most recent book is How to Wear a Sari.
Here’s a peek:
With so few books with a South Asian cultural backdrop out there, Darshana wanted to write fun, lighthearted books about the everyday experiences kids encounter through that lens. She shares with us how she finds just the right amount of humor for her stories: “I know my joke has landed when I see a reader laugh, giggle, or smirk. I rely on feedback from my critique group and other early readers to make sure the joke is landing. When I write a funny scene, I visualize what the art might be and make sure the words are complementary. Or I might have the text set up the joke and let the punchline be in the art.”
WRITING CHALLENGE
WRITE A “HOW TO” STORY
from DARSHANA KHIANI
Today we are going to write a “how to …” story. These stories are kind of like a story with steps. First, you do this, then you do that, etc. It makes for an easy plot. Let’s get started.
Step 1: Think of something you are good at, or something you have tried many times but still can’t get quite right. Ideas include riding a bike, baking cookies, building a robot, or washing your dog.
Step 2: Break down the task into 3 to 5 steps.
Step 3: Brainstorm what can go wrong at each of those steps and then exaggerate it. The more you exaggerate the step the more likely it is to be funny.
What’s funnier?
Maya poured a teaspoon of sugar into the dough.
or
Maya poured a cup of sugar into the dough.
Now, what if the illustrations show that she accidentally mistook the salt for sugar?
You now have the middle section done, but to make it a story you need a beginning and an ending. You will want to ponder the following questions.
- Why does your character want to do the task?
- Will the character succeed or fail?
- What does the character learn over the course of the story?
Submit your response HERE and you might be published on our website!
Get Ready for the Contest!
The Inklings Book Contest is here! Try out our free prep course to get your story or poem ready to submit.
INKLINGS CONNECT
Summer Camps
Join us for a writing camp this summer. We can't wait to see what you create!
Keep your creativity flowing with our upcoming community events:
Advice from an Inkling:
Q: Where do you get your ideas?
A: I observe everything around me to find inspiration for new ideas. When I see or read about a small moment in life, a story forms in my mind, and I am motivated to put those ideas into words.
-Allison Xu,
Inklings Book 2021
We want to read your work!
Don’t forget to submit your writing challenge, and you might be published on our blog!
P.S. We’re here for you! You can always email with ideas or questions: info@younginklings.org.
