More than one friend recently told me their difficulties, about how things seem impossible, how hard everything is. Sometimes I wonder why these things happen. And then I remember: Life. Life happens. There are ups and downs. Situations that seem hopeless. And then time goes by. We find solutions. Or the situation remedies somehow. Write about a time that seemed hopeless. What happened? Or, if you are in a situation now that seems hopeless, write as if the problem has been resolved. What would your life look like if this situation was remedied? Writing About Difficult Times In Your Life by Guest Blogger Nancy Julien Kopp #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.
Beyond a warm house . . . Prompt #769
What are you grateful for? Let’s go beyond a warm house and plenty of food. Dig a little deeper. Did something happen that curved your lips into a smile? Did someone catch your eye and give a knowing nod? Did someone unexpectedly reach out to help you? What are you thankful for? #justwrite #iamawriter #iamwriting
What do you need to unsubscribe from? . . . Prompt #768
What do you need to unsubscribe from? What do you need to let go of?
Chinese New Year . . . Prompt #767
Chinese New Year 2024 Year of the Dragon According to legend, Chinese New Year started with a mythical beast called the Nian (a beast that lives under the sea or in the mountains) during the annual Spring Festival. One year, the villagers decided to hide from the beast. An older man appeared before the villagers and said that he would stay the night and get revenge on the Nian. The old man put red papers up and set off firecrackers. The next day, the villagers returned and saw that nothing had been destroyed. They assumed that the old man was a deity who came to save them. The villagers learned that the old man discovered that the Nian was afraid of the color red and loud noises. The tradition grew as New Year approached. The villagers wore red clothes, hung red lanterns and red scrolls on windows and doors. They…
Dream Weaver
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Dream Weaver By Sarah Horton I dreamed the world was a place of love and harmony . . . Dream Lover . . . What dreams may come You are my dream lover – thinking of my love, my sweet heart . . . (song pops into my head) Dream The snow is falling . . . hard. The air is thick with it . . . in my nose. I wander on the path while the winds blow. I slip, and almost lose my footing. The pathway is blurred from the flakes and wind blowing. Soon, there is no side view or peripheral vision. Instantly, only one foot in front of the other and I think— if I keep moving it will clear. Clearly, I now step ahead — one foot, then another, and another. …
What have you forgotten? . . . Prompt #766
Excerpt from “Happy to be Here,” by Elizabeth Berg. “Last time my friend Phyllis visited me, she said, ‘Don’t you ever comb your hair?’” “’I forget,’ I told her.” I laughed at that moment of recognition. Sometimes, during the day, I’ll glance at a mirror as I walk by and realize, “forgot to comb my hair.” Writing prompt: What have you forgotten? And then (obviously) remembered. Or: What might you have forgotten? Just Write!
Shears
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Shears by Marian Van Horn I have been working on letting go of things that no longer serve me. Past hurts, painful experiences, things that cause me resentment or anger. Then I had this dream the other night. A small 5-year-old child is floating around a room. I am watching her. She is about a foot above the ground and moving effortlessly. She is focused on doing that and nothing else; enjoying the simple movement as children often do when absorbed in the present moment. When she floats by me, I ask, “How do you do that?” She looks down and says, “With these.” She pulls out a huge pair of silver shears. I am a little shocked because they are quite large and sharp and she’s only five years old, so I worry a bit,…
Good Housekeeping wants your story
From The Good Houeskeeping Magazine Website: We’re always on the lookout for great writers with great ideas, in an effort to deliver a unique mix of voices and perspectives to our readers. When it comes to freelance pitches, we’re interested in long-form narratives, deeply reported service pieces and personal essays that offer a compelling point of view, a personal story that will help improve readers’ lives. Email pitches to: ghdigital – at – hearst.com. Include: Email subject line: “Story Pitch” and a short summation of your topic. Please include your name, contact info, a brief description of your experience as a writer and links to your past work. Headline: Include a working headline for your story. Brief description/outline: We find that the best pitches are timely, well written, appropriately researched and have a strong working outline. We accept all pitches for Good Housekeeping on a rolling basis. Please note that due to the volume of emails…
The challenge of freewriting . . . Prompt #765
The challenge of freewriting is getting Self out of the way. Let your writing flow with no judging. Release your worries about your writing. Allow your creative mind to play with words. With freewrites, you are writing for yourself, not for an audience. Give yourself permission to be open to whatever comes up while you are writing. A freewrite is a way of writing freely, with no worries about the outcome. Choose a time when you will not be interrupted. Select a prompt. Set a timer for 15-20 minutes and write without pausing to think. If you run out of things to say, write “I remember” and go from there. Or, write “What I really want to say . . .” Give your inner critic time off during this writing. Lists are a great way to inspire freewrites. ~ Make a list of issues and experiences, important or trivial, in…
Simple Joy
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. Simple Joy By DSBriggs Joy is . . . Hearing a tail thump when I walk in the room. Watching my dog at the dog park as he smiles and checks in before running off again. Talking to my sister after a long period of silence. Being with my niece and her family. Today, joy was sitting with a close friend, talking about family recipes, remembering how thankful I am for our friendship. Shared laughter is joyous. Some days joy is being outside on a good weather day. You know, warm but not too warm or cold but not too cold. The “why we live in California “ type day. Joy, is seeing a tree in a different way and the interaction of sunlight and leaves. Joy is watching the mad…