Excerpt from I Could Do Anything . . . If I only knew what it was, by Barbara Sher Rescuing Your Past Something inside you is too loyal to permit you to turn your back on everything you loved and simply walk away. No matter how many times people tell you to let the past go, it’s never possible. You’ll never move wholeheartedly into the future unless you take your beloved past with you. And that’s exactly as it should be. There’s no reason to turn your back on a happy past. Sometimes we try to turn away from the past because we feel it somehow betrayed us. It’s as though we loved our past, but our past didn’t love us. So we go on strike and pretend we don’t care, as if to punish fate for being unkind. Fate never cares, of course, so we only hurt ourselves. Prompt:…
Tag: The Write Spot Blog
Our Tribes . . . Prompt #273
I’m thinking about our connections with one another. This excerpt seems timely. Excerpt from Your Mythic Journey by Sam Keen and Anne Valley-Fox “Pre-modern people didn’t think of themselves as individuals — they were members of a tribe as well as of a family. Ancient philosophers knew that human dignity begins with ‘We are a people, therefore I am.’ Modern people are tribal too but we call our tribes by different names — churches, corporations, states, nations. Each of us was nurtured within and shaped by several corporate bodies, voluntary organizations and professional corporations that molded our values and behavior — schools, athletic teams businesses, clubs, temples, and local, national, and international governments.” Prompt: I am from . . . Or: What uniforms or emblems have you worn? Or: What groups have you been a member of? Brownies, Blue Birds, Daisies, Girl Scouts, athletic groups, sorority, secret clubs.
Threads Connect Generations Prompt #272
I’m thinking about ancestors this week and how we inherit some of their traits, like threads weaving from one generation to the next, connecting us. For this prompt, remember your grandfather, your father or an uncle doing something he likes, or liked to do, whatever it is or was. If they built something or maintained something . . . picture what that looks like. Take a deep breathe in. Let it out. Now, think about your grandmother, your mother, or an aunt, doing something she likes, or liked, to do, whatever it is or was. If she built something, or made something, picture what that looks like. Go back a generation or two or three, before electricity, before modern conveniences, pioneer days. Picture your grandfather or grandmother or great-grandparents. If you know how they spent their time, picture that. If you don’t know how they spent their time, use your…
“Show” Using Dialogue . . . Prompt #271
Today’s writing prompts are about “showing” through dialogue. Show what characters are thinking, show their personalities, their quirks, move the story forward through dialogue. Remember, with freewrites, the writing is spontaneous. There is no crossing out. This could be called “practice writing,” as Natalie Goldberg says. With dialogue we can show character, scene and drama. Use these prompts for practice writing. Respond as your fictional characters would respond. Or, respond in the first person, “I,” with yourself as the primary character . . . You playing the character of you. Prompt: Write a scene, where two characters talk about what they are afraid of. Prompt: Same or different characters. One confesses “I’ve lied about . . .” Prompt: Same or different characters: “I wish I would not have . . . ” You can have a turning point – where the drama takes an unexpected turn, excitement mounting. Throw is…
Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over . . . Prompt #270
Just when the caterpillar thought her life was over, she began to fly. If you have been following the prompts on The Write Spot Blog, you know what to do. If you are new to freewriting: set your timer for 15-20 minutes and just start writing. Write whatever comes up for you. Shush your inner critic, invite your internal editor to sit outside the room. This is your time to write freely and openly. Just as the caterpillar’s cocoon morphs into a butterfly, let your writing become whatever it wants to be. Just write.
Does your heart hurt? Prompt #269
Does your heart hurt? I’ve been hearing “My heart hurts” from several friends these past few days. And when I hear their stories, my heart hurts, also. What to do? I believe in healing through writing. So, let’s write. Write about: Does your heart hurt? Write all the details you can about this. What happened? Write all the details that you know. If you were directly involved: Be as detailed and as explicit as you can. When did it happen? Day of week? Time of day? Where did it happen? Who was involved? What were you wearing? Were you standing or sitting? If you weren’t directly involved: Write as many details as you know. Then, focus on why you are affected. What connects you to what happened? Why are you affected so strongly? Read the next part after you have written about why your heart hurts and how and why…
You have survived. Prompt #267
The pink ladies are about to bloom in Northern California where I live. Their proper name is Amaryllis belladonna. “A plant gone wild and therefore become rugged, indestructible, indomitable, in short: tough, resilient, like anyone or thing has to be in order to survive.” — The Ubiquitous Day Lily of July by David Budbill This last sentence in The Ubiquitous Day Lily of July reminds me of our pink ladies and is the inspiration for today’s writing prompt. Write about something you have survived.
Something you will never forget . . . Prompt #266
Today’s prompt is inspired by Hal Zina Bennett, Write From The Heart For some people, summer means sipping cool drinks. For others, summer might mean sitting around a campfire after a day of hiking, swimming, exploring. Summer might mean telling stories —tall tales or short ones— while lounging on a porch, a patio or a boat deck. There is a rhythm to summer, unlike any other time of year. Summer ’round the campfire brings out story tellers. The shaman storyteller of ancient times, embraces his own life experience, tells stories to the community that gathers in a circle around him, a fire blazing at its center. In the telling of what most deeply touched his life, the shaman helps others to see that they are not alone. And in the process both storyteller and listeners are healed. Imagine now, that you are sitting ’round a campfire, very comfortable with the…
Note to your younger self . . . Prompt #265
Before you start writing on this prompt, how about a little relaxation? Sit back. Relax into your chair. Both feet flat on the floor. Hands resting lightly. Take a deep breath in. Relax it out. Roll your shoulders in a circle. Other direction. Drop your chin to your chest and roll your head in a circle. Other direction. Take a deep breath in. Ease it on out. Now, We’re going to time travel back in years. Think back to the person you were ten years ago. See yourself as in a snapshot. Now go back to when you were 25. Remember what you looked like. What were you doing? Just take a moment to remember yourself at 25. Now go back to when you were twenty. Take a look at yourself when you were 15. What were you like at 15? What influenced you? When you’re ready, write a note…
Someone Who Is Always There For You Prompt #259
Write about someone who is always there for you. Or someone who needs you. I thought of this prompt when reading the quote from To Kill a Mockingbird: “I was to think of these days many times. Of Jem, and Dill…and Attticus. He would be in Jem’s room all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.” Let me (Marlene) know if you have a favorite quote. . . I can use quotes for writing prompts and for Tuesdays – Quote Day on The Write Spot Blog.