Storystorm 2021 Day 13: Joana Pastro Makes Lists

So glad to hear other people who felt as shut down as I did at the beginning of this pandemic! (I also have three young kids.) Touring memories is a great vehicle for brainstorming. Will definitely try this.

Ah, a good reminder to make connections (something that’s been difficult to do, in general, the last 9 months!).

*List.
*Pick.
*Simmer.
*Research.
*Journey.
Got it. Thanks, Joana!

Thank you Joanna! Lists are the best! I love the idea of tapping into your memory bank for ideas! Your books sound wonderful – congratulations!

I have four grown up Not damsels in distress and am requesting your book pronto from the library. Thanks for the post. I liked your line at the beginning about not allowing the wander and wonder.

Great suggestion, much prefer your memory list to my To Do and Grocery ones! Any tricks to handling happy kid memories involving near death?

list maker here too, thanks for the encouragement

Your list definitely spurred memories from my childhood. Thank you for the tip!

Great post! I got 4 ideas today! Thanks!

I love making lists. Thank you for sharing your insights!

These are great ways to tap into our inner resources, Joana. Thank you!

Thanks for the reminder to list!

Thanks for this post!

Hi Joana,
This is perfect for me because I’m a perpetual list-maker of gigantic proportions. Congratulations on your recently published and you soon-to-be-published book. May the years ahead include much publishing success.

That piece of advice about writing what you know put me off writing for years, as I don’t have the confidence to believe I have anything unique to say. But I’m going to try your tasks and see what happens. Wish me luck!

Terrific post, thank you! I needed to read this today. I LOVE lists as well:) Happy 2021!

Thank you for this wonderful post! Making my lists. Later I’ll check them twice!

Thanks, Joana. It looks like most of us responding to your post are avid list makers too. So this is the perfect post to add more lists to our idea books. I’ve also used lists to brainstorm character names and traits or plot points for works-in-progress. Congratulations on LILLYBELLE and BISA’S CARNIVAL!

I, too, am a list maker. Nice to meet you! 🙂
Thanks for this. I remember a very specific animal I liked to play with as a child. I am having fun thinking about what kind of story I could tell using that animal!
Thanks and congrats on your book success!

Lists. I live by lists. Daily, weekly, monthly. Lists of ongoing projects, “wanna
write projects”, projects in the drawer, over there, over here…thank you- need to think deeper about MY own list.

Joana, thanks for offering another way to find/mine for ideas. I make lists – to do, shopping, xmas gift ideas, etc. But I’ve never made one to tease out ideas. I’m excites to try! Thanks again.

Thanks for the post. As noted the pandemic has disrupted so much, I miss going to the library to read books, generate ideas and to write. But now I have to pick up the books and find another space. Here’s to adaptation.

Enjoyed your post. As soon as I read “food” and idea popped into my memory. Time to close my eyes and think about it. Thank you.

Thanks for the ideas! Hopefully yours will be flowing all year for 2021.

I’m glad I’m not the only one who sees the value in making lists! Thanks, Joana!

Thank you for sharing, Joana!

Exploration of childhood is a good way to generate ideas. Haven’t used this idea starter for awhile. Thank you. I love to make lists.

Thanks for sharing

To be honest, my first thought was that my childhood wasn’t exciting enough to produce ideas for stories. But when I started to dig, a few quirky memories popped up after all. Thank you.

I love this idea, thank you so much. Lists and memories….something great is about to happen (at least I hope it will 🙂 )

Thanks, Joana looking forward to reading your books! Love lists!

I’m a big fan of lists, and of Moira! Love the meme

Wow, just look at this list of comments! Not only do I love lists, I also love stories that turn fairy tales on their ear. 🙂 Good luck on everything!

Thank you for these helps! I am a list person so ideas generated this way comes naturally! 😊

This is right up my alley. I’m a chronic list maker! Your book sounds adorable. I can’t wait to read it

JOANA: Like you, I think a lot of us have also gotten caught up–SWALLOWED UP!!!–by the pandemic, allowing fear and uncertainty to invade our minds, hearts, and homes. But I have found–just like you did!–that StoryStorm has ONCE AGAIN COME TO THE RESCUE!!! Every year it really helps me tap into my imagination and to come alive to the ENDLESS possibilities of stories–EVERYWHERE. I TRULY APPRECIATE the exercise you included to help get those creative juices flowing, TOO!!! I CAN’T WAIT to give it a try!!! THANK YOU for the inspiration!!!

From list making to memory shaking — your idea tips are great. Congrats on your wonderful books, too!

Thank you!

It’s all about the lists. Gonna go make one now–thanks!

I try to do list, but I am never consistent. I keep thinking I will remember, but I never do. Lol. I am going to do better. This is my dream.

Thank you.

I love this exercise. I, too, am a fan of lists. Thanks for the prompt. Looking forward to seeing what I’ll come up with. (Also excited about clomping down Memory Lane.)

Making lists, and then research them is brilliant. Let’s do it!!!
Joana I’m guessing Bisa’s Carnaval is about dance, songs and parade. Best wishes on your book!

I feel very similar about this year. It has been so stressful and dark, that I’ve wrote down a fraction of the ideas that I normally do. So excited to be doing Storystorm again and getting back into the groove of finiding ideas.

Nice to have a list to work on that’s not a to-do list! Appreciate the advice (and any GIF of Moira Rose).

This post was incredible! I also added to my list: Catholic family rituals and experiences I have shared with my own children…..Lots to recollect and dream about….Thank you, Joana!

Lists are my JAM! I make SO many lists all the time and they are so helpful! Especially for brainstorming! Love all your ideas for new lists to make! Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!
Rebecca Gardyn Levington

Thank you.

Yes, the pandemic sapped my creativity! But your idea for creating a list of my personal experiences has already sparked ideas. Thanks!

I enjoyed your post, Joana — I love lists! Congrats on your upcoming book.

Ohhhh! Lists are my love language. Thanks for a new way to use them and congratulations!

Lists! of course! lightbulb!

Thank you for the reminder that stories come from our experiences.

From a fellow previous architect to a fellow future brainstorming list maker and aspiring children’s writer and illustrator, THANKS>

I love lists, so this post really resonated. I also appreciated the advice of looking through the lens of our childhood and culture.

Making lists are fun, but crossing something off a list…especially of the ‘to-do’ variety is such a good feeling!

I love lists. I can do that! Thanks!

Joana, thanks for this tip. I look forward to making lists.

I also love lists! Thanks for the advice and congratulations on your book!

Thank you for sharing your great advice, most inspiring.

Good list to get us started! Thanks!

Thank you for a great post – making lists are totally doable as is closing my eyes and thinking ! 🙂

Thank you for this idea generating technique!

I’ve been looking forward to reading Bisa’s Carnaval ever since I heard about the sale!

Thank you for the inspiration,.

Joana, I like the idea of lists. Gonna take that to heart and see where my train of thought takes me.

I’m a lister too! Nothing more satisfying than to cross things off!

I love lists too – I have not applied them to writing too much yet – I will now! Thank you!

Thanks for your post, Joana! I love making lists, too, and I appreciate your suggestion to use those lists as idea generators. Thanks, and congratulations on your upcoming book! 🙂

Thanks for the great ideas!

Thank you for sharing your process. Lucy made me laugh! Hmmm maybe that could be the name of a book!

Lists yes! And what a fun list you’ve created for us to start with as we mine those childhood memories — thanks, Joana.

Fellow List Girl here. Love it!

Love the idea of generating lists and then meditating on the connection to see where it goes on the story journey.

Lists – check! thanks 🙂

I love lists too! They make my mind happy to get all the ideas down!

Good reminder to take the time to let the mind wander.

I love lists!

Wonderful activity! I’m looking forward to delving into this more! Also looking forward to reading your books! Thank you!

My lists have lists. This is right up my alley! Thanks for the inspiration!

Now I can turn list-making into idea-generating! Lol!