Picture yourself standing in a doorway. What kind of light is in front of you? What kind of light is behind you? Set a timer for 15 minutes. And write.
Comparison is a threat to joy
“Comparison is a threat to joy. We tend to move through life comparing ourselves to others, and it’s anti-creative and pointless.” — Tony Goldwyn. actor
Apparition Lit
Apparition Lit is open for poetry and short story submissions four times a year. February 15-28 May 15-31 August 15-31 November 15-30 Submissions received outside of posted open dates will be deleted unread. 2019 Themes: Retribution (Submission period May 15-31, 2019) Euphoria (Submission period August 15-31, 2019) Apparition Lit also holds monthly flash fiction contests. These stories will follow selected themes and be published online. APPARITION LIT Apparition Lit is seeking original, unpublished speculative fiction that meets their quarterly theme. Speculative fiction is weird, almost unclassifiable. It’s fantasy, sci-fi, horror, and literary. They want it all. Send your strange, misshapen stories. Send stories with enough emotional heft to break a heart, with prose that’s as clear and delicious as broth. They are looking for proactive characters and beautiful language, all wrapped up in a complete story. Diversity is as important in fiction as it is in real life. They want a mosaic…
Animal Crackers. Prompt # 425
Today’s writing prompt: Animal Crackers. Set your timer for 15 minutes and write.
Most formal . . . or bizarre event . . . Prompt #424
Write about the most formal event you have attended. Or, write about the most loose, informal, or bizarre event you have attended. Just write!
Tap into your wellspring . . .
Today’s Guest Bloggers Georgia James and Deborah Parrish write about: Tap into Your Wellspring of Inspiration: Get Off Your Butt and Write Want to know how to get the writer’s juices flowing? It’s simple—get moving. And your mind, body and spirit will be all the happier for it. Heaven knows our imaginations can sometimes feel a bit stale if we don’t avail ourselves to new or different surroundings and experiences. We were reminded of this after reading a recent article in the Press Democrat, The Sonoma County Bucket List: Everything you need to do in Sonoma County before you die (or move away), This fertile material provided us with new fodder on where to write, especially when we want to feel inspired in our own backyard. One of our favorite things to do is to sit in a crowd of people we don’t know and make up stories about…
Guest Blogger Suzanne Murray and the power of commitment.
Today’s blog post is by Suzanne Murray. THE POWER OF COMMITMENT Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not lead you astray. – Rumi I’ve been thinking about the difference between trying and doing and how it applies to our creative lives. Consider how it feels to say “I’m going to try to write a book versus I am going to write book.” The word try brings with it a lot of resistance and a sense of effort, whereas I am going to do it carries the sense “I can do this.” Perhaps the most well-known line in the Star Wars movies is when Yoda says to Luke Skywalker “do or do not, there is no try.” Yoda is encouraging Luke to commit fully because he know that if Luke is uncertain that he can achieve the goal,…
Something special . . . Prompt #423
Do you have something special that belonged to someone who is no longer alive? Why is it meaningful to you? Or write about something that is meaningful and why.
Word Problems . . . Prompt #422
Remember math word problems? If x = a + c, then what does b equal? If Johnny and Tony want to end up at the same place and at the same time, why didn’t they just travel together? Prompt: Word problems
Guest Blogger Frances Lefkowitz
Today’s guest blogger, Frances Lefkowitz, writes about the importance of family stories and keeping memories alive. Telling stories ‘round the table, can increase well-being, reduce anxiety and depression, reinforce feelings of closeness among family members, and build resilience for navigating life’s normal ups and downs. Stories about something good coming from something bad are particularly therapeutic. When something bad happens, but you find a way to use it to your advantage, you redeem (and transform) the negative experience. The tales need to be structured, with a beginning, a middle, and — most crucial — an end, a conclusion that makes sense of the situation and gives it meaning. Tips for getting the storytelling started: 1. Share photos: Albums, yearbooks, holiday photos, loose photos in shoeboxes. 2. Start and continue traditions. Rituals contribute to stories. 3. Share stories during mealtimes. Frances Lefkowitz has spent over twenty years writing and publishing. The…