“What is it that sets you on fire? What gets your creative juices going?”

I asked this question to a group of young writers at an elementary school last fall. Answers were all over the place, as you’d expect. Some said that watching an exciting video was inspiring. Others said reading a good book made them want to write, too. Still others mentioned vacations, friends, pets, and even an interesting lesson at school “pumped them up.”

I’m guessing that some of these very same things are invigorating for you, too.

Right now, the eclipse is on my mind. Due to television and the internet, many writers could write a decent non-fiction piece by tomorrow night.

What about a fictional story about what might happen to a family during the time leading up to and including the eclipse? How about a child who gets lost, cars traveling on freeways, people waiting in line at a bank or grocery store?

Will you be traveling on an airplane during the eclipse? Perhaps having a surgical procedure done? Climbing a mountain? Getting married?

Actually, the possibilities are endless, aren’t they?

With a good old-fashioned shot of creativity, you could have a best seller.

In fact, a new and different “take” on any event can spark the interest of an avid reader.

To be successful, make it exciting. Write it in a fresh new way. See it from a different perspective. Give it a unique twist.

Let the eclipse shed a little light on your creative writing skills.