Writing Notes

Funky Timelines

Hello! For our class this time, we mostly played with funky timelines. For what you're about to read, we had to write the story backwards, and we had to start the four last sentences with "Before that". It was difficult. Enjoy!

This – this dreary, devastating hallway – was the last straw.

Before that, there had been only fuzzy, blank, gray space, with the curtains draped disturbingly over the dusty windows.

Before that, the long journey to the hall had been dark, dank, and dull.

Before that, the house had been in ruins, its wooded bedrooms torn down by the Emperor's soldiers.

But before all that, all had been well.

Here we had two restrictions. It had to be the same story, and one other thing. Our teacher had a small spin wheel with words on each space, and whichever one the arrow landed on, we had to use at the beginning of our sentence. So the first word of each sentence was picked for us. I'm actually pretty impressed with what I came up with. Enjoy!

After Kayla's eyes roamed the city from the sky, her heart jumped in her throat. He had arrived.

Meanwhile, miles away, a villainous, beak-nosed, ill-tempered man searched the sky for the dragon.

Finally. After years of searching for the princess, she was there, right above him.

During the years the haughty man had been examining the country for her, Kayla had been training, readying herself for battle.

Meanwhile, her mother had been gathering magical weapons from throughout the kingdom, hoping they would help her daughter when she faced her greatest enemy.

Before that, Kayla had been a handmaiden – serving the Queen, and hoping, hoping, hoping, for an adoption contract that would save her from the very monster she was now fighting.

These are 25 random sentences. The only limits were that they had to be at least six words, and they couldn't be connected to each other.

1) Her dessert was only half baked, but it was delicious going down.

2) The man was tall and stately, and gave the distinct impression of a ship Captain.

3) Kelly knew she had made a mistake – but how to fix it?

4) The duck swam cheerfully, blissfully unaware of the danger approaching.

5) Boxes and boxes filled the entry-hall, effectively convincing Caleb that they would never be unpacked.

6) The red, shiny clock ticked on, mindless of its responsibilities.

7) Their mission was simple: Track, Take, and Transfer.

8) The boy knew too much – he needed to be disposed of.

9) Jenna was crying on the floor louder than the sirens on the fire-trucks she so loved.

10) Kip was disappointed that the rain would stall the game, but his sadness didn't stay for long.

11) Juice ran down their faces, covering them in what looked like sticky golden sauce.

12) Friends didn't do this to one another.

13) "No, Michael, murder is not allowed in this family."

14) The letters were lined up neatly, clearly the work of a perfectionist.

15) New to the school, the girl wandered the hallways confusedly.

16) The seat was dirty and had mud all over, but it was her only ticket out of the horrid place, so she took it.

17) Nutella was the essence of life.

18) Vines covered the tree in whole, wrapping their way to the tips of the leaves at the top.

19) The beak was pointed and sharp.

20) When attempting to kill a Zombies, be sure to have an extra life on hand.

21) She was grateful for doors, as they allowed her at least a little privacy.

22) Breathing heavily, his heart pounded and sweat beaded his forehead, though he was in no danger.

23) The world was flat, wasn't it?

24) The worm burrowed deep into the ground, praying for a miracle.

25) The glue stuck like... like glue?

Feel fee to use any of these for writing story prompts!