“When we seek closure, we reach out to the zipper. it keeps us warm, prevents things from falling out of purses and lets us cram way too much into our suitcases. When it gets stuck, so do we. Without it, life would be filled with the endless ennui of buttoning and snapping.” — Helen Anders Today’s writing prompt: Zipper
Tag: just write
First car . . . Prompt #190
Write about your first car, someone else’s first car, or your fictional character’s first car. You can use this as a way to get to know your fictional character better. You probably won’t use this information in your fiction, but you might! Write about a first car. See where it takes you.
What are you angry about? Prompt #189
Prompt #1: What are you angry about? Mad about? Annoyed about? Complain! Go ahead and vent. Spit it out. You can answer from your experience, or from your fictional character’s point of view. Prompt #2: Regarding Prompt #1, is there anything you can do about it? If yes, write possible solutions, compromises, ideas, brainstorm. If not, let it go. Write about how you can release it, breathe it away, banish it, whisk it away. How can you let go of your fears, worries, annoyances? How can you just let go?
Sensory Detail – Taste
When writing simmers with sensory detail, readers digest the story and perhaps, are satiated with emotionally charged memories. Do you remember dipping graham crackers in milk and eating it quickly before it broke off and became a soggy mess? You might use something like this in a scene where the hero/heroine has just been dumped by a boyfriend/girlfriend. Perhaps your character can’t make decisions. Employ a scene where he taste tests while walking a buffet line; a bite here, a nibble there, unable to settle on a nourishing decision. Employ sensory detail to involve readers in the story’s emotional ingredients. Match emotions with taste receptors: Bitter: She recoiled and didn’t know whether it was from her bitter coffee or his abrupt, “We’re done.” Salty: “The oysters were so fresh they tasted like my tears. I closed my eyes to feel the sensation of the sea.” — Laura Fraser, “Food for…
Growing up . . . Prompt #188
Start writing with this phrase: “Growing up” . . . and then, just start writing! Today’s writing prompt: Growing up . . .
Things I’ve Learned. . . Prompt #187
Make a list. Write about things you have learned. Today’s Prompt: Things I’ve learned. . .
Writing as an organic process. . .
“Think of writing as an organic, developmental process in which you start writing at the very beginning – before you know your meaning at all – and encourage your words gradually to change and evolve. Only at the end will you know what you want to say or the words you want to say it with.” –Peter Elbow
Zazzle. . . . Prompt #186
Today’s writing prompt: Zazzle You can write about something that happened to you, something that happened to someone else, or write fiction. I look forward to reading your writing about Zazzle.
Ice cream . . . Prompt #185
Today’s writing prompt: Ice cream
Brevity publishes extremely brief essays.
Brevity is an online journal, publishing short narrative essays (750 words or less). Employing strong verbs and using sensory detail increase chances of your writing being selected. “There is no room for throat-clearing in search of a point. . . You need each sentence to do more than one thing . . . provide setting, forward the action and give insight into character, all at once.” Founder and editor Dinty W. Moore, interviewed by Kerrie Flanagan, The Writer August 2015 Information about using sensory detail can be found in the Just Write section on The Write Spot Blog. Good Luck!