Review Detail

‘Super Strange Story Starters,’ created by illustrator Mark Penta and writer T.M. Murphy, brings more than 20 story starters to readers who are interested in engaging with their writing and exploring new avenues and ideas that will stand out. From stories about magic to others that will reveal what is in a hidden room, on to new and improved pie recipes, a tale of a grave robber, a teenage spy, a legendary lifeguard, a dying woman’s final words, and even the opportunity to draw the story starter illustration for a story about a mirror that doesn’t show anything, there is truly something for everyone.

Any avid writer, or even those who are looking to get into writing but need more ideas and prompts, will find something inside the pages of this book. The best part is that since they are just that—story starters—they can be tweaked to meet the needs of any writer. Certain words or phrases may stand out and make anticipatory writers feel as though they have stumbled across something great that is just what they needed to push through their writer’s block.

There are 22 extra blank pages to write on, but using extra paper to write more or draw additional illustrations is encouraged. The back matter of the book talks about how to create your own story starters, from gathering supplies such as notebooks, computers, pencils, pens, etc. to combining people, places, and things, and then developing characters by asking questions about how they dress, where they live, how they feel, what their dreams are, what they do for work, etc. Considering how to make characters stand out uniquely to learning how to collaborate with others, end stories with cliffhangers, and then edit the work so it’s ready to be put out into the world are all important aspects of the writing and publishing processes.