YAY! Y’all, I’m so excited for this article because…IT’S TIME TO GET OUR ARTSY ON!!! What am I talking about exactly? Well, another way I motivate myself to write is by creating excerpt jars. What is an excerpt jar and how do I use it? Well, I’ll show you!

Materials Needed:

• Mason Jar(s): A container of any sort will do and you can use multiple jars/containers based on how many stories you have. I have two jars right now, for my two main book series.

• Slips of paper/note cards/index cards: I use paplin’s basics’ white, acid free, 50 count note cards from A.C. Moore because they are the perfect size to fit in my jar and they are very durable.

• Pencil or erasable pen: You can use regular pen if you want but using a pencil or some other sort of erasable writing utensil will allow you to reuse your note cards and prevent you from having to buy new ones over and over again.

What to Do:

1. First, gather all your excerpt ideas together either from a list or straight from your head.
2. Then, write down on your note cards one excerpt idea. If the idea is too long, try writing down a simple phrase, piece of dialogue, or word that will help you remember what that scene should be about. Use both sides of the note card to double the amount of ideas in your jar.
3. Next, fold the pieces of paper and place them into the jar/container. DO NOT OVER-STUFF YOUR CONTAINER. The purpose of the jar is to allow you select an idea at random, which involves shaking the jar, then closing your eyes as you pick out ONE note card. Take it from me, an overstuffed jar doesn’t allow note cards to mix very well.
4. Finally, once you select a note card, follow the rules below and GET TO WRITING! I taped this sticky note to my jar as a reminder/enforcer. 😛

The reason why I love this method is simple: it’s fun to make and a clever way to make yourself write those scenes that have been circling around in your head like a swarm of buzzards for the past few months without feeling as through you are doing chores.

Here’s my jar. I’d love to see how yours turned out! 🙂