“ . . . there’s nothing more glorious than when a fictional character feels completely real. And nothing more meh than when a fictional character feels like a cardboard cut-out.” — Excerpt from Forever Workshop From Marlene: I agree! I love to immerse myself in writing that takes me into another world. I’m not interested in reading what a character looks like and haven’t been able to articulate why until I read this by Jo Gatford: “I usually don’t give much of a crap what a character looks like, unless there’s a particular physical attribute, gesture, or way they move that helps show who they are. So dive deep and look for a line that gives us a guts-first impression of your fictional person.” From Workshop Your WIP — Introduce Your Protagonist with ONE Line, By Jo Gatford
Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.
Mondegreen . . . Prompt #848
Excerpt from June 16 River Teeth, “Mondegreen,” by Diane Gottlieb: A mondegreen is a mishearing or misinterpretation of a phrase in a way that gives it a new meaning. Mondegreens are most often created by a person listening to a poem or a song; unable to hear a lyric clearly, substitutes words that sound similar. American writer Sylvia Wright coined the term in 1954, recalling a childhood memory of her mother reading the Scottish ballad “The Bonnie Earl o’Moray,” and mishearing the words “laid him on the green” as “Lady Mondegreen.” Diane’s piece begins like this: “I found a lost memory today. Discovered it inside a writing prompt: recall something you’ve misheard. The title of the 1971 Sly and the Family Stone song is ‘It’s a Family Affair,’ but I swore it was ‘A Family of Bears.’ How wonderful it felt to belt out a song about bears and more bears, a…
Your Neighborhood . . . Prompt #846
Picture yourself standing in front of the house, apartment, flat, whatever type of building you grew up in. If you lived in more than one place, choose the one that holds the most memories. Take a moment to look around. Scan from one side to the other. What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear? Take some deep breaths as you see this scene. Mentally take a walk to where you often walked: School, library, playground, theater, skating rink, store. Picture yourself on this walk. What did your neighborhood smell like? What did you hear as you walked along? Just Write~!
What’s bugging you? . . . Prompt #845
Writing Prompt:What’s bugging you? Just Write! #amwriting #iamawriter #justwrite
Relinquishing the Wagon
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Relinquish the Wagon By CM Riddle Many of us go through life dragging a wagon behind us. Gripping the handle, we continue to pull it along while we try grasping at things ahead of us with the other hand. Imagine how much more we could attain if only we could bring ourselves to release that dang wagon. What could possibly be so important in that wagon, you may ask. Well, there’s a lot of history in it, I will tell you that. It is packed with cherished memories and painful experiences. It gets heavier every year. The grudges weigh a lot, and the guilt slows your pace. But with every step, tugging your wrist, pulling your elbow, and making those broad shoulders, which carry the weight of the world, so weary your, grip begins to slip….
A contest you won, or almost won . . . Prompt #844
Write about a contest you won OR came close to winning OR wish you had won #justwrite #amwriting #imawriter
Any Haircut Is Better With a Smile
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Any Haircut Is Better With a Smile By DSBriggs My hair is what? Old, graying and instead of wiry, fine. Since I have been retired my hair style is whatever takes no work and usually in need of a trim or cut. Haircuts, however, are so darned expensive that to save money I used cut-rate clip-joints. I decided to let my hair grow out. It eventually came down to my shoulders. I tried to wear it back with a French braid or bun or even a pony tail. This dream came crashing down when I no longer had the hand strength or coordination to use rubber bands designed for fine hair. Too klutzy to use hair accessories like combs or claws or barrettes, I resorted to clips. My friends were too kind to tell me that really…
Grandma Carrie
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Grandma Carrie By Robin Mills I remember the scent of my grandma Carrie, slightly sour mixed with ivory soap. I remember the click of her heels, the kidney shaped metal cleat meant to prolong the life of shoe soles tapping on the cold hard tile floor of their Palm Springs apartment. I remember seeing the white hoop cheese she used to stuff her home-made blintzes, nestled between her front teeth when she leaned in to whisper something in my ear, and her thick toenails covered in shiny red polish. Grandma Carrie came across the ocean as a child with her mother, from Kiev, fleeing pogroms and leaving behind some of her ten siblings who would never follow, only to be lost to concentration camps. They settled, living in a New York walk-up, likely shared with more…
What are you tired of? . . . Prompt #842
Writing Prompt: What are you tired of? #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Dastardly Deeds . . . Prompt #841
Writing Prompt: Dastardly Deeds that someone did to you. Dastardly Deeds you did. Have you forgiven them? Have you forgiven yourself? Can you? What would it take to forgive?