By Melissa Stoller
November is a perfect month for cooking up delicious ideas. Here are a few prompts to help with inspiration:
1. Write a list of your favorite childhood dishes. Then note a memory for each of the dishes. Finally, write a story based on one memory.
2. Choose your most-loved holiday recipe. Write a title, first line, or story idea that includes the holiday, recipe ingredients, or the people surrounding you when you cooked that recipe.
3. Think about desserts you have enjoyed for birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. Jot down some ideas that reference your memories about those moments.
This month, cook up story ideas! Let me know in the comments if these exercises helped. Happy writing!
November is a perfect month for cooking up delicious ideas. Here are a few prompts to help with inspiration:
1. Write a list of your favorite childhood dishes. Then note a memory for each of the dishes. Finally, write a story based on one memory.
2. Choose your most-loved holiday recipe. Write a title, first line, or story idea that includes the holiday, recipe ingredients, or the people surrounding you when you cooked that recipe.
3. Think about desserts you have enjoyed for birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions. Jot down some ideas that reference your memories about those moments.
This month, cook up story ideas! Let me know in the comments if these exercises helped. Happy writing!
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MELISSA’S BIO:
Melissa Stoller writes to bring connection, joy, and a bit of magic to her readers. Her newest picture book, Hazel and Mabel, illustrated by Anita Bagdi, releases from Gnome Road Publishing in Fall 2025. Melissa is also the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island, and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush; Ready, Set, GOrilla!; Sadie’s Shabbat Stories; Planting Friendship: Peace, Salaam, Shalom; and Building Bridges: Peace, Salaam, Shalom (co-written). Melissa is a Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, a Book Meshuggenahs member, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Trustee, and a past school and Synagogue Trustee. She also interviews authors and offers resources on her blog. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and Central Park walks.
CONNECT WITH MELISSA:
https://www.MelissaStoller.com
https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
www.twitter.com/melissastoller
www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller
MELISSA’S BIO:
Melissa Stoller writes to bring connection, joy, and a bit of magic to her readers. Her newest picture book, Hazel and Mabel, illustrated by Anita Bagdi, releases from Gnome Road Publishing in Fall 2025. Melissa is also the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island, and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush; Ready, Set, GOrilla!; Sadie’s Shabbat Stories; Planting Friendship: Peace, Salaam, Shalom; and Building Bridges: Peace, Salaam, Shalom (co-written). Melissa is a Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, a Book Meshuggenahs member, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Trustee, and a past school and Synagogue Trustee. She also interviews authors and offers resources on her blog. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and Central Park walks.
CONNECT WITH MELISSA:
https://www.MelissaStoller.com
https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog
http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller
www.twitter.com/melissastoller
www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller
www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller
