Writing Prompt: If you could make yourself small, what would you do?
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Tag: Just write. Writing freely. The Write Spot Blog
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Movies! . . . Prompt #779
Movies!
What movie made you laugh more than any other?
Your all-time favorite movie. Why?
Write about a movie that deeply touched you.
Write about a movie you saw as a teenager.
What movie do you remember seeing as a child?
What makes these movies memorable?
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From The Roots
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page.
From The Roots
By Su Shafer
I need to let go of the uncertainty
That I am anything else but a dragon.
Just a little dragon
A little wood dragon
Hatched from a little crystal egg
As green as the nest of moss it was laid in
Carefully built in the cool leaf mould
Gathered in the crook of Granny Maple’s
Gnarled old roots.
There is a fire in my heart
But wood dragons are careful
Creatures of the trees
Where fire is seldom welcome.
Shy as a brown creeper,
Hiding in plain sight,
Few people see me
And the ones who do
Can hardly believe it.
Su Shafer is a creative crafter, fabricating bits of writing in poetry and short stories, and other bits into characters that appear in paintings or sit on various bookshelves and coffee tables. She lives in a cottage on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, where the tea kettle is always whistling and the biscuits freshly baked. One never knows who might stop by to share a rainy afternoon. And all are welcome.
#justwrite #iamawriter #iamwriting
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More First Lines From Books . . . Prompt #771
“A Tale of Two Cities” by Charles Dickens
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness . . .”
“The Glass Castle” by Jeanette Walls
“I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through a dumpster.”
“Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus
“Back in 1961, when women wore shirtwaist dresses and joined garden clubs and drove legions of children around in seatbeltless cars without giving it a second thought; back before anyone knew there’d even be a sixties movement, much less one that its participants would spend the next sixty years chronicling; back when the big wars were over and the secret wars had just begun and people were starting to think fresh and believe everything was possible, the thirty-year-old mother of Madeleine Zott rose before dawn every morning and felt certain of just one thing: her life was over.”
More: First Lines From Books . . . Prompt #571
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Neuroplasticity & Character Development . . . Prompt #743
Neuroplasticity
We have well-worn neural pathways that help us get through routine activities without having to think about the details of each one.
For example: Driving to a destination and arriving without having remembered every detail on the route.
When that neural pathway gets interrupted, there is an opportunity for:
Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to form new connections and neural pathways.
That change of habit can enrich perspectives:
The way we look at our world, the way we meet challenges, and problem solve.
Prompt #1
Set the scene.
Choose a fairytale character, a fictional character you create, or someone from your life (this could be you):
Finish the sentences:
A character wants ___________________________
To get it, character needs to ____________________
But (obstacles) ______________________________
What if: Neural pathway gets interrupted. An opportunity for neuroplasticity? _________
Prompt #2
Choose one path to follow
Path One: Fractured Fairytales: Start with a well-known fairytale and mix it up.
Give the character another obstacle, or add on to existing obstacle.
Embellish the details, be as unrealistic and as crazy as you want.
Path Two: The main character is the person you just wrote about or someone from your life, (could be you).Path Three: Main character is a fictional character created by you.
Whatever path you choose, use these questions to develop character and situation:
What does the character want?
What are the obstacles?
If you choose to write about person from the first prompt, use “add-ons” to flesh out the story.
Add-ons: For every sentence you wrote in Prompt #1, add three more sentences.
For example:
Original sentence; Little Red Riding Hood wants to deliver tasty morsels to Grandmother.
Add-ons: She carries the muffins in a basket. She made the muffins that morning. She’s worried about Grandma’s health.
Prompt #3
What does the character need to do to get what they want?
How does character solve problem? Able to form new connections and new neural pathways?
This could be a brainstorming session where any and all solutions are possibilities.
You can be creative in how character solves problems. Anything goes!
Or, you can be realistic, overcome obstacles in a reasonable way.
More on character development
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State fairs, county fairs, bazaars . . . Prompt #740
Photo by Denisse Leon
Writing Prompt: State fairs, county fairs, bazaars
Where you . . .
Tried your luck at winning prizes.
Threw a dart to win a stuffed animal, tossed a ring to win a goldfish.
Went on a dizzy, scary, gravity-defying ride.
Ate fair food: Fried food, caramel covered apples, cotton candy, funnel cakes, soft-serve cones.
Were entertained: Music, hypnotist, magicians, stilt-walkers.
Inhaled a variety of smells: Barnyard animals, food.
Gazed at exhibits: 4-H crafts, fine art, photography, sculptures.
Prompt: State fairs, county fairs, bazaars . . . an overabundance of sensory riches.
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Has your comfort zone changed? Prompt #730
Has your comfort zone changed?
Are you more, or less, tolerant than you used to be?
Are you more, or less, comfortable in crowds?
What did you used to do that you don’t do now?
What do you do now that you didn’t used to do?
#justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
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Writing That First Thing
“Remember that when you’re writing that first thing, you’re in an incredibly precious time. When you’re writing that book or that early story, write for yourself first and foremost. There’s going to come a time when that won’t be the case anymore, when there are going to be all these people who are involved. So, don’t be in any great hurry to publish or to get it out there into the world. Take your time to hone and draft that first book. Appreciate those early years where you’re writing for yourself because it never is quite the same once you start publishing.”
Excerpt from a Writer’s Digest interview with Brandon Taylor.
The bestselling (and Booker Prize-shortlisted) author discusses the interconnectedness of his work, the importance of short stories, and his latest release, The Late Americans. Interviewed Michael Woodson
The May/June 2023 issue of Writer’s Digest is all about “Keeping It Short” —short forms of writing, that is. This issue includes advice for writing flash fiction, personal essays, and some of the shortest—but most important—bits of writing you’ll do: loglines, elevator pitches, query pitches, synopses, and marketing copy. Plus, we feature the perennial favorite 25th Annual 101 Best Websites for Writers.
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Rain Dog, a Pantoum
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page.
Rain Dog, a Pantoum
By Suse Pareto
Dog is bored and restless.
Rain is pouring down.
I’m loath to leave this comfy bed,
but walk we must, says she.
Rain is pouring down,
the road is sodden and feckless.
But walk we must, says she,
up to the woods we go.
The road is sodden and feckless.
The hills are wet and slick.
Up to the woods we go,
Dog barks in great delight.
The hills are wet and slick,
rain drips from leaf and stick.
Dog barks in great delight,
“Water slithering, sliding everywhere!”
Rain drips from leaf and stick.
The gullies run fast and wild,
water slithering, sliding everywhere,
it’s like the earth has burst.
The gullies run fast and wild,
Dog nips at water’s tumble.
It’s like the earth has burst,
she frolics and romps quite madly.
Dog nips at water’s tumble,
gamboling down the hill.
She frolics and romps quite madly,
there’s never been a better day.
Gamboling down the hill,
a whirling dervish made of mud,
there’s never been a better day.
As rain keeps pouring down.
A whirling dervish made of mud.
It’s time to end our walk,
as rain keeps pouring down
my soles and hat are sogged.
It’s time to end our walk.
I whistle loud and firm.
My soles and hat are sogged,
but never has my heart
felt so lithe and light.
Suse Pareto writes and lives in western Petaluma, California with her dogs, cat and husband.
A pantoum is a poetic form derived from a Malaysian verse form in which the 2nd and 4th line of every verse becomes the 1st and 3rd line of the following verse creating interwoven quatrains.
Pantoum rules and pantoums on The Write Spot Blog:
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Presence and Connection
Guest Blogger Dr. Doreen Downing talks about public speaking, especially for writers.
As a writer, you may be able to put words on a page, but … do you have the confident voice to access your words when you must speak in public?
If you don’t feel confident, and if you feel anxiety, doubt yourself, hold yourself back, then what you write won’t reach as many ears or as many hearts as you’d like.
When I ask my clients what holds them back from feeling at ease speaking about their work, the answer is always fear.
And, bottom line, it’s the fear of being judged.
It’s true that a judge could be sitting in the audience, listening for your mistakes, and counting your um’s, but more likely than not, the judge that criticizes you the most is perched right inside your own head.
In fact, you could be your own worst critic.
Ask yourself now to listen to what you say about public speaking. Note if you hear a voice telling you something like this…
… You are going to forget what you have to say, go blank, and mess up… or
… Your nerves are going to show, and everyone will notice.
I know I can’t tell you to simply disregard the thoughts in your head.
But I can suggest a way that will lead you to the amazing voice that comes from your true self, the Essence of who you are.
And once you learn how to drop down and tap into the strength that comes from your Essence, you will be able to speak with a natural confidence.
I’ve taken this inner journey to find my true voice, and I wrote about it in my book, “The 7 Secrets to Essential Speaking: Find Your Voice, Change Your Life.”
As an author, I know what it takes to find my words and put them on a blank page, but I also know what it takes to find my words and share them in public, on podcasts, radio shows, videos, book events, and conferences.
If you see public speaking as an avenue that will help you bring your passion out into the world, then you’ll want to make sure you have the confidence to be in the spotlight.
Where do you find this confidence? The answer lies within you. In other words, confidence is an “inside job.”
Going within means you must first face your fears and explore their roots. In early childhood, were you welcomed and celebrated by your family? Did you get their applause when you danced in front of them?
Even if you had favorable reactions as a child, other influences outside of family dynamics that shape your self-confidence include cultural messages, personality, trauma, and experiences during your school years, with peers and with teachers.
Once you’ve uncovered the root cause of your fear, you’ll feel the relief that comes with knowing why it’s been so difficult to control your nerves.
And, this is the moment where the transformational journey of “fear to freedom” really begins. You realize your authentic voice has been buried underneath your fears. Now you are ready to unlock this voice so you can speak in public and share whatever you have said in your writing.
Two of the secrets I reveal in my book, Presence and Connection, are keys to speaking with ease.
With Presence, the idea is that when you are fully present in the moment, you are not thinking about negative speaking experiences from the past, nor dwelling on the future with its possibility of failure or disapproval. You are unafraid and more self-assured.
Likewise, with Connection, you may already be comfortable speaking one-to-one which makes this natural ability so powerful when you apply it to a group. Being with and speaking directly to one person at a time creates a genuine connection with an entire group.
In addition to guidance and instruction on how to be more Present and Connected, you’ll find my book takes you beyond scripts and performance techniques to connect to your authentic voice.
If you are ready to overcome anxiety and empower yourself to speak in front of groups, the one step you can take right now is to download the 7 Secrets to Fearless Speaking.
Dr. Doreen Downing is a Psychologist, Author, Keynote Speaker, and Host of the Find Your Voice, Change Your Life Podcast.
She once suffered from stage fright. In facing this debilitating condition, she discovered a unique and simple way to connect to one’s authentic voice, the very Essence of who we are.
Her book, “The 7 Secrets to Essential Speaking,” has become an instrument for people to tap into their inner strength and speak with confidence.