Prompt One Make a list of things that surprised or astonished you or made you feel uncomfortable. Something from a long time ago or recently. Just a list for now. Prompt Two Using your list, make a list of emotions you felt either during what you experienced or emotions you felt today or are feeling right now. For example: Fear, anger, surprise, annoyance, joy, angst, acceptance Prompt Three A metaphor compares two unlike things to show a relationship without using “like” or “as.” Metaphors imply that one thing is another. Examples of metaphors: Chaos is a friend of mine. —Bob Dylan You ain’t nothin’ but a hound dog, cryin’ all the time. —Elvis Presley Darling, I’m a nightmare dressed like a daydream. —Taylor Swift My heart, a church where no one prays. Lonely pews and smudged stained glass. The Forever Workshop Writing Prompt: Choose an emotion from your list. Write what happened that caused…
Maisie Dobbs
Maisie Dobbs series of books one through eleven, reviewed by Marlene Cullen Winter 2025 I needed escapism reading . . . where a heroine cracks the case, the murder gets solved, the valuables are restored, and at the end, I smile with satisfaction after absorbing excellent writing. And so, I re-read the first eleven books in the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Even though they were published between 2014 and 2016, some scenes could be describing today’s political events. I wonder how Jacqueline had the prescience to do that. Her books contain inspirational messages: “Birds of a Feather,” page 220 “Tell me, Dr. Dene, if you were to name one thing that made the difference between those who get well quickly and those who don’t, what would it be?” “If I were to name one thing, it would be acceptance. Some people don’t accept what has happened. They are…
First Draft
“The first draft is just you telling yourself the story.” Attributed to Terry Pratchett #amwriting #justwrite #iamawriter
Customer Service
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Customer Service By Su Shafer Mr. Wright came hobbling in today Leaning heavily on a cane He needed to pay his bill. His good knee has gone out His bad knee has been watching from the sidelines Still wondering about the replacement Promised a few years ago. But he had to have bi-pass surgery On a heart which has been hobbling along too. He had come straight from the dentist But was smiling anyway The droopy smile of a weary man “Getting old is so hard,” he said, Stroking the sparse fuzz on his head. “Is it really worth it?” “It is today,” I said smiling back. In the way someone Who is really glad to see you smiles. He nodded, his mouth drooping a little less. Su Shafer is a creative crafter, fabricating bits of writing…
Fast Drafting
Zarien Hsu Gee offers “fast drafting” as a creative process: Fast drafting is a way to break through creative paralysis, to see what might be possible with an idea or writing project. When you commit to writing fast without judgment, you bypass the inner critic that can slow your progress to a crawl or even prevent you from moving forward at all. The beauty of fast drafting lies in its imperfection. By calling it a “fast draft,” you free yourself from the expectation of perfectionism. You accept fast drafting as a necessary creative process in order to move forward with your work, and your expectations for its literary genius is low. Your goal is just to get it all down. The fast draft also serves as confidence booster. It reminds you that you can write this story, this novel, this memoir. When you write fast enough to outrun judgment, your…
Stories Help Us Understand
Excerpt from “Readers Are Fascinated by Truth in Fiction—and It Matters,” by Penny Haw “It doesn’t matter who we are, we all want stories. They help us make sense of our experiences and a complicated world. Because we’re inquisitive, social animals, stories help us understand and connect with one another. When we recognize and relate to characters and events in stories—particularly those we believe to be true—it strengthens our social bonds and confirms we belong. There’s a kinship that inspires, informs and comforts us and, though we might not always be conscious of it or understand why, we’re all searching for truths in the world. Stories also evoke emotions and help us understand what it might be like to be different. We want to see the truth in those stories to help us understand people who are different and have different experiences of life.” — Posted on Jane Friedman’s Blog,…
Our brains like order . . . Prompt #852
“Our brains like order,” explains Kristi Phillips, a Minnesota-based psychologist “having less stimuli around us helps promote relaxation.” She points out the popularity of home-decluttering Reels and TikToks, as well as TV series such as Get Organized With the Home Edit and Hot Mess House. “But while we enjoy the afterglow of a cleaned-out junk drawer, we still procrastinate when it comes to tackling more complex areas of clutter in our lives. When we’re trying to declutter our own spaces, we have an emotional attachment to those items,” she says. “Whether there are memories linked to those objects or simply the guilt of getting rid of something you spent money on, the task of mentally weighing each item can be overwhelming, with a video, you see the fast-forward of how quick it is … so it gives us that hope and positivity of, Oh, I can do that too.” — “Why Watching Decluttering Videos…
Can’t explain . . . Prompt #851
Write about something you can’t explain. Something that makes no sense that’s happening to you now, or happened in the past. #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
A quirk . . . Prompt #850
Write about a quirk you have. It could be something you do, or participate in, or watch. There may not be a logical explanation for this, except that it brings you joy or satisfaction. #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Stories offer Solace and Hope
Photo by Marlene Cullen “In times of unrest, struggle, and uncertainty, people reach for the comfort of story. When the world around us may feel bleak or overwhelming, stories offer us not just an escape from our troubles and worries, but a version of life that remind us of what’s most important, what we value and what is worth striving and fighting for, and the kind of world we could create if we do.” — Tiffany Yates Martin, “How to Write Amid Chaos,” Writers Digest July/August 2025 #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter