Like Prompt #510, this prompt is also inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda, besides being an amazing lyricist, he is the author of Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You which came from his Tweets. Jonny Sun said Lin should make the tweet comments into a book. Lin asked Jonny, “Why would I write a book when you can get this free?” Jonny, the person who became the illustrator for the book, answered, “Because people like to hold things.” Prompt: What do you like to hold or carry?
Next Avenue Online Journal
Next Avenue is a nonprofit journalism website. Next Avenue is extending an invitation to share your story (for those over the age of 50). We are seeking original essays with an insightful perspective on aging. Every day on Next Avenue, we tell the stories of what makes us different and where we share commonalities. It is our hope that readers will glimpse themselves in someone else’s story; find a nugget of information they need; or discover a fresh perspective on an issue relative to aging. We’re looking for insightful essays that illuminate a truth or teach us something new. As the pandemic persists, and life continues to swirl around all of us in unexpected ways, perspective has taken center stage. You may have discovered there has been more space for quiet, like the calm in the center of the storm. Perhaps the quiet is not always welcome, but it is…
What do you need to hear? Prompt #510
This prompt is inspired by an interview with Lin-Manuel Miranda, an American composer, lyricist, actor, singer, rapper, producer, and playwright. He composed music for Moana, and starred in Mary Poppins. He is possibly best known for creating and starring in the Broadway play, Hamilton. He is the author of Gmorning, Gnight!: Little Pep Talks for Me & You which came from his Tweets. Jonny Sun said to Lin, “You should make these tweet comments into a book.” Lin replied, “Why would I write a book when you can get this free?” Sun, the person who became the illustrator for the book, answered, “Because people like to hold things.” Lin’s tweets came from asking himself, “What do I need to hear right now?” Prompt: What do you need to hear right now?
Performance. Prompt #509
Write about: ~ A performance you were in, or a performance your fictional character was in. Or: ~ A live performance you will always remember.
Storytelling: Family Secrets
Today’s Guest Blogger, Kate Farrell, author of Story Power, with her unique experience as a storyteller, shares methods to unlock family secrets, There’s nothing louder than a family secret—it pesters and pokes until someone speaks up. Secrets have a way of hiding in plain sight. There are always the whispered rumors, missing pieces of a puzzle, stories that keep changing. But just as shared family folklore can develop strength and identity, keeping family secrets can destroy trust. Secrets that persist, unspoken and misunderstood, can erode the very foundation of a family. Family members who are perceptive, who sense hidden truths, may become fearful or internalize guilt and shame. At the very least, family secrets isolate—family members from one another and the entire family from their community. Some family secrets are more harmful to keep than others. Those that were traumatic, that violated some taboo, or were life-changing are vital to…
Today I trust. Prompt #508
I usually like to include a photo or an image with the writing prompts. It usually takes me longer to find an image than to create the prompt. Today’s writing prompt is multiple choice: What image would you use to go with this writing prompt? Or: What song lyrics would you use for this prompt? You can create your own song lyrics, or use a song you know to write about. I’m thinking of “You Raise Me Up,” by Josh Groban. Writing Prompt: Today I trust. Just Write!
Guest Blogger Nancy Julien Kopp and The Writing Fairies
Guest Blogger Nancy Julien Kopp writes about her struggles and success with Good Fairy/Bad Fairy. 2012 I’ve had a story swirling in the recesses of my mind for several weeks. One that I think would work for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book. Last night, I opened a blank page in Word and began to write the story. I wrote for well over an hour. The story seemed to be coming together nicely. I was aiming for 1200 words, and by the time I was ready to call it quits for the day, I had over 700 words and still a lot to be told. I didn’t take time to read over what I’d written, knew there would be time to do that in the morning. I got ready for bed, feeling satisfied that more than half the first draft was complete. I settled down in bed to watch the…
Happiest moments . . . Prompt #507
What were your happiest moments last week? or last month? or last year?’ You can also write on the opposite: Most annoying, frustrating, angry moments of last week, or last month, or last year.
I want to tell you about . . . Prompt #506
If you want someone to understand you, what would you tell them about your past? Imagine a room full of people, they are looking at a speaker behind a podium. They want to know more about the topic. In a way, they want to be entertained. They are talking about you. Who knows more about you than you? Who best to celebrate the essence of you, than you? Write about you . . . Provide enough information so the people in that room have a clear vision or impression of you and your life. Prompt: I want to tell you about . . .
Significant Events . . . Prompt #505
Make a List. Start with the year you were born and make a list of significant events that happened in your life, both personally and historically. If you are having trouble thinking of major events, here are a few: 1950-1975 Vietnam Conflict 1958 Explorer I, first American satellite is launched January 1959 Alaska becomes the 49th state August 1959 Hawaii becomes the 50th state January 1961 John F. Kennedy is inaugurated as the 35th president August 1963 Martin Luther King Jr., I Have a Dream” Speech Nov. 1963 President Kennedy is assassinated 1964 Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show April 1968 Martin Luther King is assassinated June 1963 Sen. Robert Kennedy is assassinated July 1969 Astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin walk on the moon 1973 Roe v. Wade, legalizes abortion 1973 Watergate cover-up. July 1974 Nixon resigns 1986 Space shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds after liftoff 1990 Iraqi…