“Caryl Pagel’s poems float and drift and alight in just the right places.” From “How I Write” in The October 2014 issue of The Writer magazine. Caryl says, “I start with a doo-dee-da-de-dee-dum-dee in mind and rhyme it with a bloop-bee-doop-bee, or something like that. A clearing of the throat. A hum.” Marlene’s Musings: Sounds like a good way to write just about anything. I love watching words fall into place and enjoy the sounds and rhythm of words . . . this goes for prose as well as poetry. How do you feel about words and sounds and rhythm? Tell us, we want to know.
Tag: The Write Spot
Create a pantoum. Prompt #107
So far, on The Write Spot Blog, the prompts have been nice and easy. How about challenging yourself with a pantoum? Pantoum is the Western word for the Malayan pantun, a poetic form that first appeared in the fifteenth century, in Malayan literature. It existed orally before then. The Western version of the pantoum is a poem of indefinite length made up of stanzas whose four lines are repeated in a pattern: lines 2 and 4 of each stanza are repeated as lines 1 and 3 of the next stanza. ___________________________________________________________ line 1 ___________________________________________________________ line 2 ___________________________________________________________ line 3 ___________________________________________________________ line 4 ___________________________________________________________ line 5 – same as line 2 ___________________________________________________________ line 6 ___________________________________________________________ line 7 – same as line 4 ___________________________________________________________ line 8 ___________________________________________________________ line 9 – same as line 6 ___________________________________________________________ line 10 – same as line 3 ___________________________________________________________ line 11 – same as line…
Writing can offer solace and salvation.
From the October 2014 issue of Writer Magazine, “Writers on Writing,” Roxane Gay: “Writing, at its best and truest, can offer solace and salvation for both readers and writers.” Marlene’s Musings: Sometimes we want to read something good, just like we want comfort food. We need you, Writers, to do your best to create those words that soothe and settle us. Use the prompts sprinkled throughout The Write Spot Blog and Just Write!
Write about a vivid or recurring dream. Prompt # 106
Write about a vivid or recurring dream.
The funny thing about rock bottom is . . .Prompt #104
The funny thing about rock bottom is . . . Set your timer and write on this prompt. Photo by Breana Marie
Write a thank you note . . .Prompt #103
Write a thank you note . . . either for a tangible, or intangible gift, either for a gift you truly liked, or something you saw as annoying or difficult at first. . . but later saw the value or the good of the gift.
The most important tool . . . to help me make the big choices in life — Steve Jobs
The subject of death may be uncomfortable or difficult for some. And yet, we are all going to die . . . some time. . . somehow. Here’s a quote from Steve Jobs. “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.” — Steve Jobs Note from Marlene: Writing. . . letting others read your writing . . . can make you feel vulnerable, afraid and weak…
I believe. . . Prompt #102
Today’s writing prompt . . . I believe . . .
In the middle of the night . . . Prompt #101
In the middle of the night . . . Set your timer and Go. Write! Lifeshotsbylaura
Editing is writing, too.
Editing is writing, too. Do you resist editing your writing? Does the idea of polishing your writing make you feel uncomfortable? I hear ya! Do you resist sharing your writing with others? Does putting your writing “out there” feel like you’re sending your precious child into the (cold, cruel) world? Yep, I hear that, too. I used to be very nervous about showing my writing to others. And I still am a bit nervous sometimes. But then I joined writing groups here and there and I began to share my writing. When my writing was published — it happened sort of by accident — I didn’t seek to be published. A friend encouraged me (thank you, Pat Tyler) and . . . now I’ve been published in 6 anthologies. And I have to tell ya . . . it’s fun. Here are my thoughts about the writing process of going…