Review a Trashy Book

#33 Review a Trashy Novel

Following on from the holiday theme, buy or borrow a holiday book, a romance or something that you would not normally read.

Write a review to be included in a glossy womens magazine.


Word count under 500 words.

There is two weeks to write this, in order for you to gather ideas or experiences...

Beach Daze

#32 Review a Beachside Cafe or eatery

Following on from the holiday theme last week, check out a beachside cafe or eatery. - even if its in your own city. Write a review to be included in a glossy monthly travel magazine. Outline facilities, food choices, atmosphere. Rate the value for money, comfort and service.


Include photos of the table settings or view.

Review to be included in a travel magazine found in airports. Word count under 500 words. There is two weeks to write this, in order for you to gather ideas or experiences...

Get a Room!

#31 Review a Hotel

Splash out and stay overnight in a hotel - even if its in your own city. Write a review to be included in a glossy monthly travel magazine. Outline facilities, room layout, inclusions and food choices - including the room service. Rate the value for money, comfort and service.


Include photos of at least the bed and bathroom.

Review to be included in a travel magazine found in airports. Word count under 500 words

There will be two weeks of 'research' allotted to this prompt. have fun!!

Sporting Match

#31 Review a Sporting Match

Get yourself and your family to a sporting match - even if its your local suburban team playing on weekend afternoon.

Include photos of the action - or of the crowd and mention facilities, atmosphere and value.

Review to be included in a the local newspaper - the suburban one if your match is a local one - or your citys one if a higher or recognized team. Word count under 500 words

Theatre

#29 Review a piece of theatre

Go to a a live piece of theatre - be it your childs play or something more serious. Get out of your comfort zone and go to something you might never usually see. Support a local theatre group or go and see a huge production - be creative!

Write a review on the show as if you were submitting it to your regional/city daily newspaper for the Saturdays Arts Edition. Feel free to comment on the acting, direction style or set design.

Review to be up to 500 words, not forgetting to mention how long the production will be running, prices and location.

Stand Up Comedian

#28 Review a Stand up Comedians show

Go to a either a live show - or borrow a DVD/ video of a stand up comedian - be creative! Especially in these dower economic times, audiences are looking to escape their lives and find something to laugh about.

Write a review on the show as if you were submitting it to your regional/city daily newspaper for the Saturdays Arts Edition.

Review to be up to 500 words and include language warnings, production run time, cost and location.

Alternative Style Restaurant

#27 Review an Alternative Style Restaurant

Your role is to review a restaurant which serves an alternative style of food - be it vegetarian, vegan, raw foods - something that is out of the normal style of foods which you may be accustomed.

Imagine you are submitting your piece to a large citys newspaper in the lifestyle magazine section.

Include a photo of one of the dishes you try, describe the menu and the range in cost for items, your reaction to the foods and remember to give it a rating.

Other things you might like to include would be ease of parking or public transport, location and dress code. Word count to be under 500 words.

Include their web address and contact details.

Roll up! Roll up! Its a Fun Fair or Show!

#26 Review a Fun Fair

Rural fairs and agricultural shows are declining to the point that most do not run any longer. Sadly this is due to our transient society, where the sense of community is not as strong as it once was and that people are now able to travel and see unusual sights, visit permenenat fun parks and are less interested now in the largest pumpkin or the heaviest cow.

If you are able to visit one of these dying pieces of history, go with a camera and fresh eyes. Note the smells and different tastes avaialable, the rides and the showside alley, the ring events and the grand parade. If you are unable to visit one - perhaps you can recall one in the recent past?

Your task is to promote the show in the local newspaper in the week coming up to it. Include a photo and under 300 words.

This prompt will be up for two weeks, instead of the usual week in order for you to do some research or visiting.

Toddlers Toys

#25 Review a Toddlers Toy

As our children grow, so does everything else about them. Their developmental needs and interests change dramatically and its important to shop for toys which have an appropriate level of entertainment and educational function. Especially if you have had little contact with children, when faced with the growing needs of your own children it is easy to become swamped with all of the choices available in the toy aisle. Many gift buyers utilize the internet to research toys and take keen notice of the reviews about the toys.

Your task this week is to write a review for a toy aimed at babys and toddlers. Your article aught to be around the 250 word mark and appropriate for inclusion on an internet based parents magazine. Include a photo of the toy of your choice, availability and links to where it may be purchased. Other things you may like to keep in mind whilst writing your review :

Is the toy easy to keep clean?

Is the toy versatile? Can it be altered in anyway as the child grows, by adding parts or removing parts or by buying extension packs or add-ons (how much would extra bits cost)

Is the toy unisex, or very obviously orientated towards one sex?

Is the toy easy to store away?

Are batteries included and what size? Do they last long?


For more of an idea on review writing for toys - check out this.

Taking a break

Review This - Taking a Break

This writing prompt was set up to give myself - and any others who wandered past - an opportunity to write about different experiences as practice for reviewing sites, magazines and newspapers.

I had 'put it out there' that I would be be able to publish some of my articles this year and have been really blessed to find not one but two weekly columns to write for.

I will start putting prompts up again for this site when the dust settles...

in the mean time - check out where I am writing - please pop by and make some comments

Type A Mom

Write Anything

Clean it up!

#24 Review a cleaning product

With the emphasis on environmental issues with most cleaning products, your editor has asked you to review was one which is 'Earth Friendly' .

Choose a spray and wipe type of product - one which you might use on benchtops, the stove or table.

You may choose to include a photo or graphic to demonstrate its effectiveness. Note scent, chemical content, availability and cost.

You write for a national womens weekly and have a hints and tips column as well as a new products page. Keep your review under 250 words.

A Preschoolers Book

#23 Review a Childs Book

You are writing for a monthly parenting magazine targeting parents of preschool and early years school aged children. Stories are children’s window to the world and an important tool for parents to utilize to reinforce lessons, rules or morals ( but not ‘preachy or teachy’).

Your role this week is to review a book specifically for a child 4 – 6 yrs old.

Here are some features to look for when choosing child -friendly books and points your review may focus on:

Books with a real story. A good story for preschool children should have a fast moving plot and an up-beat ending. They get bored quickly if over repetitious, uninteresting – or outwardly ‘preachy or teachy’.

Simple themes. Picture books and stories with few words are good at first. Rhythm and rhyme are especially appealing. The should be writing clear and straightforward as many children this age are decoding the shapes on the page and “pre-reading”

Test Ride it - If you don’t have a child to read to – I am sure a neighbour or family member would adore your volunteering for reading time this week.

GREAT BOOKS FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN - (some personal favorites)

The Stray Dog by Marc Simont
A touching book about a family that finds a scruffy, stray dog in the park. A wonderful example of the way an illustrator can enhance a story through pictures.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A very hungry caterpillar eats his way through various food items and the pages of the book itself. Twelve million copies of this book have been sold and children still seem to love it.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad, No Good Day by Judity Viorst
This book is the remedy for children of all ages who have horrible, no good, rotten days.

If You Give a Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
A funny book of zany cause and effect. This is a surefire winner with children, who will want to hear it read over and over.

Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox
A simple story seeking the whereabouts of the Green Sheep. Rhyme and rhythm illustrated delightfully. A book that has stood the test of time..

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin
A story about cows who want to improve their working conditions. The author has included a few big words for children to learn, but children seem to love the story anyway.

Olivia by Ian Falconer
Olivia is a high - energy pig who combs her ears and hates to take a nap. Another laugh-out-loud book with wonderful illustrations.

Julius the Baby of the World by Kevin Henkes
A great book for children with a new baby in the house. Henkes captures all the emotions of a big sister whose parents pay too much attention to the new arrival.

Social Gathering

#21 Be the Gossip Colomnist you have dreamed about.

Its time now to imagine you are a famous Hollywood Society reporter. With party season in full swing over Christmas and New Years , attend a function, take a cheesy social pages photo and report on who was there, perhaps what they wore and what happening in the style that only Hollywood knows. Have fun with this, being as liberal as you can take it. Most trashy gossip columns are under 150 words.

Check this real life trashy colomnist for inspiration.