Any round object will work. You can use a round glass, the bottom of a candle, or a circular piece of paper. Just make sure the rounded edge is smooth. Take the round part of the object and place it flat on the paper where you want to draw your circle. Use the hand you don’t draw with to hold it in place so it doesn’t move when you’re tracing it. Take a pencil and follow along the round edge of the object until you’ve completed the circle. When you’re finished, take the object off the piece of paper and you’ll have a perfect circle! If there are any gaps in the circle after you move the round object, fill them in with the pencil.

Summary: Find something round that you can trace. Hold the round object on a piece of paper. Trace around the edge of the object.


A writing prompt can take any number of forms. It can be a specific scenario, such as a scene from everyday life or something a little bit fantastical.  For instance, the prompt could be something of this nature: "You open your closet door to find your clothes aren't there anymore. Instead, you see horse-drawn carriages and people walking in what appears to be London. What happens next?" It could be an old postcard, where you write about something related to the picture. It could be an intriguing quote (such as "Half the lies they tell about me aren't true," by Yogi Berra) or even a snippet of someone else's writing. Though a writing prompt is a good starting place, you don't have to follow the prompt exactly. Once you begin writing, let your ideas take you where you want to go. Also, if the writing prompt is suggested for a certain kind of genre, do not feel restricted to only that genre. Who knows, a science fiction prompt might spark an idea for a great romance plot. That is the whole point of writing prompts; to get you writing, but still allow you to develop your own ideas. Right now, you probably just want to generate ideas. Some of what you write at this stage will be awful, and that's okay; it's supposed to be. However, you should also be able to come up with some really great ideas if you just let your mind wander a little. Don't think too hard about what you should be writing, just write. Try to turn off that really analytical part of your brain that wants to edit as you go. Always remember that what you're writing doesn't need to be perfect, especially in a first draft. The spelling doesn't need to be free of typos, and each sentence doesn't need to fit perfectly with the next one.  If you expect your writing to be perfect before you ever put it on the page, you will never write anything. Instead, you'll be plagued by crippling writer's block. Writing takes revision, and the first draft isn't the time to be thinking about editing. Once you've spent time generating ideas and free writing, consider how you can develop the ideas you generated.  Maybe you just want to use a short passage and develop it into a larger story. Maybe you came up with several ideas that will work for a series of poems. Maybe you have a nearly complete story that just needs some revision. Circle ideas you like. If you really like a paragraph, but it doesn't fit in to what else is going on in your writing, keep it in a word document for later. You might just be able to use it somewhere else. Once you feel like you have a story or poem, take the time to revise, revise, revise. Look for typos and misspelled words. Think about how you put sentences together. Read it aloud; does it sound weird or out-of-place in some parts? You'll probably want to rewrite those parts.  Don't forget to have someone else read over your work. They can give you invaluable feedback and catch mistakes that you missed. The point of the writing prompt is to get you started, but to be a good writer you also need the drive to keep going and the patience to revise once you have a draft story or poem.

Summary: Use writing prompts as a starting place. Don’t feel like you need to follow the prompt exactly. Write whatever comes to mind. Remember that your writing doesn't need to be perfect in your first few drafts. Organize and develop your writing. Revise your writing.


Some people may react aggressively to certain situations or behave badly after a bad day. In such a situation, their hostility is being delivered to anyone in their path, and has nothing to do with you. When people act aggressive, often it has nothing to do with you. Maybe they're...   Having a bad day Having had to deal with a difficult person before Being reminded of a situation that upset them Not able to manage anger, fear, or other emotions well They might tease or insult everyone they meet. Some people are just antagonistic like that. Ask yourself:   How does this person interact with other people? Does this person act like this with everyone (or almost everyone)? What is the content of their speech, as opposed to the tone? Could they feel threatened by you in some way? If so, don't feel bad for being your awesome self. Think about how you can help this person feel better about themselves.  Give this person a compliment if possible, or ask them if they’d like to talk about anything. Keep in mind that the other person may have poor communication and emotional management skills. Some individuals do not learn how to communicate effectively or how to express and manage their emotions. This is important to remember because it helps you be patient and sympathize, much the same way you would with a young child who hasn’t yet learned to regulate and express their emotions.  Imagine that there's an inner child acting out, because the person hasn't learned how to deal with problems in a mature way. It's much easier to be patient and feel compassionate when you visualize a learning child at the helm of their behavior. Some people lack or have a different set of social skills and norms. Sometimes a person can come across awkward or maybe even a bit rude, when they do not mean to. Some individuals act a certain way and lack the awareness of how their behaviors are being received. It is not a cold or rude behavior directed at you.  For example, someone from a different culture that is a bit more reserved may come across as cold or aloof. People with certain disabilities, such as autism or intellectual disabilities, may not be aware of certain social cues or speech inflections. They may come across as insensitive or rude when they do not mean to be. Some people may not realize their “joking” behavior is not being well received by others. Constructive criticism is a suggestion intended to help you. It is not a critique or criticism of your self-worth or character.  For the person giving the criticism, it is easy to point out places in need of polishing. But sometimes we forget to mention how much someone is shining. Constructive criticism should have clear and specific ways in which to improve.  This is opposed to non-constructive criticism, which may just be a negative remark that offers no ways of improving.    Not constructive: “The article is sloppy and poorly referenced. The second topic is lacking in substance.” (This comment offers no methods for improving.)  Constructive: “The article you wrote needs to have a few more references and an expansion of the second topic. Other than that, this looks good.”  Definitely not constructive: “This is a terribly written article.” It can be hurtful to hear criticism that is not constructive. Think again about this person's skills in managing their emotions and interacting with others. When you hear criticism, especially when you don't hear constructive remarks within that criticism, ask the person what they mean. This shows them that you value their opinions and is a tactful way to improve their ability to give constructive criticism.  For example, if your boss says, "This is a terribly written article," you can follow up by asking, "I'd like to hear more details about what you don't like about the article. Let's work together to improve it."
Summary: Take someone’s emotions into account. Look at how the person treats others. Consider the person's insecurities. Consider the other person’s emotional management skills. Recognize the other person’s background. Identify whether criticism is constructive. Ask questions when you receive criticism.