“Writing essays is like therapy because you’re figuring out: What was the important thing in that incident? ” — Etgar Keret Keret, an “acclaimed Israeli writer . . . known for his unique and distinctive writing style” began writing essays after the birth of his son. “. . . because I’m sensitive about family issues. . . It never stops me from writing it, but it might stop me from publishing it.” He wrote personal essays to “have a literary tombstone” for his father. He is able to create work that is “moving and deeply affecting in only a few pages.” Excerpted from the February 2017 issue of The Writer magazine. Your turn: No pressure to write the next great American novel, just write what you know, what you experience. Write about your trip to the grocery store where you observed an act of kindness or had a weird encounter….
Tag: just write
How we affect others. Prompt #307
It’s after the holidays, when some of us spent time with family. It’s inauguration day. Lots of energy. Lots of emotions. Today’s prompt, “How we affect others,” is something I’ve been thinking about for awhile. We don’t live in a bubble, immune to the thoughts and emotions of others. Today, I suggest writing about how we affect others. If that doesn’t work for you, how about: Do we affect others? What does that mean? I look forward to your response.
Despair and broken promises. Prompt #306
You might know that I facilitate Jumpstart writing workshops. One day, a participant read her freewrite which contained the phrase, “Despair and broken promises.” I immediately thought that would make a great writing prompt. What do you think? And that reminds me, during this season of many deaths, if you need to write a condolence note and are stymied about what to write, take a look at “The Condolence Note – What to Write.” You might get some ideas. Today’s writing prompt: Despair and broken promises. Post your writing on The Write Spot Blog and I’ll offer commentary . . . always positive.
Favorite Recipe . . . Prompt #305
Do you have a favorite recipe? Write about that recipe . . . where did the recipe come from? What kind of occasion did you have it? Photo: Fried eggs on top of sauteed kale on top of grits, sausage patty on the side. Yum! My new favorite recipe inspired by a trip to Athens, Georgia, where every meal was delicious!
Nostalgia and writing
When responding to a writing prompt, you are completely free to write the absolute truth, with no worries about what anyone will think. You are also free to write fiction. You have the freedom to write whatever you want . . . these writings are called freewrites. There are over 300 prompts on The Write Spot Blog. You can choose one at any time and just write. Sometimes our writing takes us to memories from our childhood, a very powerful place that is important and so intoxicating. From Writers Dreaming, by Naomi Epel, chapter by James W. Hall: “One of the things that I’ve discovered through reading a lot of best-sellers, studying a lot of popular fiction for courses that I’ve given at the university, is that there are certain recurrent, mythic qualities in books that we could consider, from an elitist academic viewpoint, to be pulp or low-life, mass-market…
What do you cherish? Prompt #303
Today’s Writing Prompt: What do you cherish?
If I have to . . . prompt #302
Today’s writing prompt: If I have to . . . Post your writing on The Write Spot Blog. Guidelines.
Difficult Time Part 1 Prompt # 298
Write about a difficult time . . . something that happened to you or something you witnessed that made your stomach churn. Perhaps a crisis, or an argument, a disagreement. Write about an event that got you hot under the collar. Write as if you were a reporter narrating the facts. This happened and then that happened. See your story and tell it. How to write without adding trauma.
It’s tradition . . . Prompt #297
Write about something you traditionally go to . . . The Nutcracker, a sports event, a debate, a poetry slam, Grandma’s house, Japanese Tea Garden, Golden Gate Park, the beach, the mountains, skiing, Hawaii, the movies on Christmas Eve, out to dinner on an anniversary, watching fireworks at . . . , Disneyland, Friday night movies, family dinner on Sunday, the flea market, farmer’s market, bowling on New Year’s Eve. Write about something you traditionally go to.
Your favorite season. Prompt #295
I refuse to ignore autumn. I refuse to go from Halloween straight to Christmas. So let’s give a cheer for this wonderful time of year. . . Autumn. Before the hectic holidays begin, savor this moment. The slant of the sun casts a soft glow, highlighting fall colors of yellows, burnt oranges, umber and browns. Pause and enjoy the wonderful golden light of autumn. Recently, I looked everywhere for a garland of fabric autumn leaves to decorate the archway between my kitchen and dining room. None of the usual suspects had them in stock. “Oh, you missed it by a week,” said a store clerk amidst Christmas decorations . . . on November first. A friend told me about gluten-free oatmeal with quinoa at Raley’s. Sounded good, so I headed there. I strolled the seasonal section, as I had been doing in every store, looking for that elusive autumnal garland. I…