Stories from our childhood can be rich material to write about. Let’s start with going back in time. See yourself at 6 years of age, five years, 4 years. See yourself at the kitchen table where you ate breakfast. Maybe swinging your legs because your feet couldn’t reach the floor. Listen. Hear the adult chatter. Maybe there was no ‘round the kitchen table time for you. Maybe it was a picnic table, or a dining room table. Perhaps there was no table. Maybe family time was in the family room, or the TV room, the den, or the rumpus room. Possibly there was no family time. Friends might have been significant in your child life. Maybe most of your childhood was spent outside. Take a deep breath in. Let it out. See the room or the place where you spent a lot of time as a child. Write about that…
Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.
Outside the Norm . . . Prompt #744
“Totem of Confessions” by Michael Garlington at Burning Man What have you done that is “outside the norm?” Been to Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert? “Burning Man is all about self-expression and the rejection of corporatism and capitalism. The experience of creating and viewing art and living in the moment is Burning Man’s purpose.” —Reno Gazette Journal, Aug. 31, 2022 Or, perhaps something like seeing the musical Hair, “where friends struggle to balance their young lives, loves and the sexual revolution, with their rebellion against the war, their conservative parents, and society.” Writing Prompt: Write about an experience you have had that is “outside the norm.” #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
All In Good Time
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. All in Good time By Lynn Levy “How do you work it?” Joe finally asked. Agnes smiled. It was one of her rules. No cell phones in the house. Not no phones, but by the time these kids got handed over to her, less-is-more turned out to be a good starting place. “What’s the phone number?” Agnes asked. Joe shrugged, which was not a surprise. Kids didn’t memorize numbers anymore. The phone stored them. “Alright,” Agnes said. “The first thing you have to do is memorize the phone number here. Get it down until you can say it by heart. It’s just 10 numbers. 304-555-0058. Say it back.” “Three oh four,” Joe started and faltered. “Can I write it down, at least?” Joe asked. Agnes shook her head, and repeated the number. This first test told…
Grandparents . . . Prompt #742
What did you call your grandparents? Great-grandparents? If you didn’t know your grandparents, why is that? Do you know stories about them during their young years? Write about your grandparents and/or your great-grandparents. #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Intuition . . . Prompt #741
Writing Prompt: Write about a time you paid attention to your intuition. Or, a time you didn’t pay attention. Just Write! More on Intuition: Calm Your Brain. #justwrite #imawriter #iamwriting
A building . . . Prompt #739
Write about a building that has or had meaning to you. Describe the building. Where is it? Or, where was it? Write about the energy of the building or the place. Did you like being there, or going there? If you no longer go there, would you like to go back? If you continue to go there, what draws you to this place? In your mind’s eye, turn to the building. Wave good-bye. Tell it you will see it again, either in your imagination or for real. “A Building,” by Cheryl Moore, might offer inspiration. #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Sensory Detail . . . Prompt #738
Writing Prompt Look around. What catches your eye? Choose an item near you, or in your room, to write about. Hold it in your hands, if you can. Move it around in your hands. Feel it. What is the weight? The heft? The texture? Where did you get the item? What meaning does it have for you? You can start your freewrite like this: “I want to tell you about . . .” Use sensory detail Sight: Color, shape Feel/Touch: Smooth, bumpy, texture Smell: “Smells like . . .” Sound/Hearing: If it makes a sound, what do you have to do to make the sound? More posts about Sensory Detail.
Reaching . . . Grasping . . . Prompt #737
Sit comfortably in your chair. Feet flat on floor. Hands on lap. Sit up tall. Take a deep breath in. Hold for a few counts. Release your breath. Take a couple more deep breaths. Relax into your chair. Notice your non-dominant hand. Lift it and rotate it in a circle a few times. Rotate opposite direction a few times. Gently stretch fingers out. Relax hand. Stretch and relax hand a couple more times. Stretch arm in front of you or to the side. Stretch and notice your arm. Relax Arm. Return hand to lap. Take a deep breath in. Hold breath for a few counts. Release your breath. Notice your dominant hand. Lift it and rotate it in a circle a few times. Rotate opposite direction a few times. Gently stretch fingers out. Relax hand. Stretch hand a couple more times. Stretch arm in front of you or to the…
A Simple Building
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. A Simple Building By Cheryl Moore A simple building lacking in flare Why am I so often drawn there? Roaming its shelves, tasting its wares A whole wide world available there Journeys take me around the world And when I no longer want to roam Work on gardens, on business On cooking and art And English lit and Shakespeare To keep me smart Not to mention poetry To suit the fussiest muse So much to read, no time to lose. Cheryl Moore grew up in the mid-west, went to college in San Francisco, then lived in foreign lands before returning and eventually settling in Sonoma County. In recent years, she lives in a house and garden where deer nibble on roses, raccoons dine on fallen figs, and her bird feeders are busy. A nearby river offers…
The Right Thing . . . Prompt #735
Write about a time you did the right thing, even though it was difficult and you didn’t really want to do it. Or, write about a time you didn’t do the right thing. What happened?