Inspired from “Character Profile” by Patrick Scalisi in the November issue of The Writer magazine. Interview your main character or supporting characters. If you have a fictional character, you can work with that. If you are writing about something that really happened, you can use those people as your characters. If neither of those work, use a photo . . . develop a picture into flesh and blood characters. For your fictional character: Interview him or her as a journalist would. . . but not at the age they are in your story. If they are older . . . interview the younger version of your character. If they are young. . . imagine what they might be like as an older person. For your real-life person: Same thing. . . have an imaginary interview of him or her. . . you can pick the age. . . younger if…
Month: October 2013
Dream it through with Andre Dubus III
“Dream, dream, dream it through. Write more with your body and less with your head. Don’t think a story through, don’t think it out. The danger in thinking it through is that most of us are not smart enough to do it that way. We have to go one moment at a time.” – Andre Dubus III, in the November 2013 issue of The Writer magazine.
I don’t remember – Prompt #5
This is the place to write freely, using the suggested prompts. Write on the prompt for 12-15 minutes. Today’s Prompt: I don’t remember . . .
Writing is a journey . . . quote by Sue Grafton
“Writing isn’t about the destination — writing is the journey that transforms the soul and gives meaning to all else.” — Sue Grafton
Develop Character . . . Prompt #4
I’ve been thinking about characters lately. If you are going to participate in NaNoWriMo, how about doing some freewrites now, set the stage for the “real” writing in November. And if you aren’t part of NaNoWriMo . . . today’s prompt will work for you, also. If you have a fictional character you work with, put your character in a setting he or she wouldn’t normally be in. For example, put your conservative character in an improv situation where he/she has to rap. Have your wild character volunteer to help with bingo in an assisted facility. Today’s prompt: See what your character does in unusual situations.
Natalie Goldberg says . . .
“First thoughts have tremendous energy. It is the way the mind first flashes on something.” Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones Nat’s quote perfectly describes what a free write can do . . . opens us up to ideas and thoughts that lie within us. Try it. Go to the prompts category here and choose a prompt, then write . . . freely. Just Write!
Gorgeous Writing by Melanie Thorne
I love gorgeous writing. Melanie Thorne‘s novel, Hand Me Down is rich with gorgeous writing. People magazine calls it “Compelling.” From San Jose Mercury News: “Hand Me Down, which recalls the gritty power of Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina, is fiction with the ring of truth.” Here’s a sample of what we’re talking about: “As I watch the night sketch ghostly shapes in the darkness, a draft sweeps through the room, into my cramped chest, and plants a seed of ice deep inside.” “She’s warm and she holds me longer than Mom had in the rain, and I stand there frozen, squeezing my eyes tight against her shoulder. She smells like clean stream water and a hint of lavender and I inhale that freshness in the first deep breath I’ve taken in weeks.” If you ever have a chance to hear Melanie speak, or take a class from her…
The trouble started when . . . Prompt #3
Like the Tina Turner song, we’ve been taking it nice and easy with the writing prompts. Let’s speed it up . . Today’s writing prompt: The trouble started when . . . Write for 15 minutes . . . longer if you get on a roll. No worries about how long you write. Just write! Writing Prompt: The trouble started when . . .
Jump In – Prompt #2
I have had this blog idea for a long time. I’m very excited to see it finally happening. I’ll write a few words and suggest a writing prompt. This is the place to jump in and test the waters. Photo by the versatile Kent Sorensen. Today’s Prompt: Jump in