A Fangirl's Weekly Writing Assignment - SOL Day 18

You got fandom in my writing piece!

Well YOU got writing in my fandom!


I don't dabble in fan fiction (though I do sometimes "ship" my favorite characters in my head), but I do write frequently about fan-related topics. This blog is often the host of a fandom related celebration (like Star Wars References in KidLit), silly post, or diatribe about representation in some form.

Each week, I also write a Star Wars themed post called "Star Wars Thursday" for a friend's site - the Fandom Post. I'm coming up on four full years of writing these posts. While I have missed a few weeks along the way, I've managed to post almost every week on topics ranging from silly to serious.

(for more information on how Star Wars Thursday began - check here)

Step One: Find Inspiration

Artoo has been the subject of several
posts over the years!

Some weeks this is extremely simple. Holidays, changing seasons, new movie news, and life events all make excellent jumping off points for a post. When Harrison Ford had his (thankfully not serious) plane crash, I dedicated a post to him and his Star Wars persona. When we come to the end of a school year, I often write a post filled with life advice for students moving on to their next adventure.

(My Star Wars Commencement Address - based on the Jedi Code)

Lego Leia had a fabulous time in Ireland!

Some weeks it can be harder. I keep alert to what is around me. I carry my Lego Leia with me everywhere. Sometimes I can write about what I've done that week, but from her perspective. Once I wrote about Lego Leia helping with an Eagle project in my Troop. Another time, I shared conference experiences from her point of view. Those have ended up being some of my favorite posts.


(Eagle Project Work Day)














Step Two: Locate Related Links, Products, and Photos
This is often a lot of fun - and sometimes costly. I love to find hand crafted items that fit my weekly theme, and Etsy is a treasure trove of fannish joy. I'll admit to occasionally purchasing one of the things I find along the way. I also scour YouTube for related videos and DeviantArt for fan art of characters and mashups. I've sometimes been able to toss in some interview questions with the creators of these items, thanks to the easy access that Twitter can give me.


Step Three: Write it Up!
When I write up my post, I often have to go back to some reference sources to check on the exact wording of quotes or spellings. Thank goodness for Wookieepedia (yes, that's a thing) and Club Jade's style guide.


Step Four: Finding a Header Image
I have no desire to step into the minefield that comes along with borrowing other people's images (even with citations). Sometimes, I'll use official photos from the Star Wars site. Other times, I'll use an image that goes along with one of the products I'm showcasing that week, since I'm already writing about and linking to it. Whenever possible, though, I make my own image for the header of my piece. Lego Leia and iPhone digital photo editing come to the rescue.


See? Fandoms can be a huge source of writing inspiration! Don't toss your hands up in despair when your students are opining about their favorite movies, television shows, or video games. See if you can tap into that passion and let them write it out!

Come join the writing community at Two Writing Teachers. March is the official DAILY Slice of Life challenge. Someone is there Slicing (writing personal memoirs and reflections) every Tuesday. Let's Write!