The Write Spot Blog by Marlene Cullen

Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.

  • Cleaver Magazine

    “Cleaver” publishes craft essays on writerly topics. If you are a poet, fiction writer, essayist, or graphic narrative artist and would like to propose a craft essay, contact the editors with a query before submitting.

    Guidelines: offer a reaction to or exploration of one’s personal experience as a prose writer/artist/creative; pieces that delve into something you’ve either found compelling, learned along the way, figured out, gotten obsessed with, found surprising, and want to share with other writers.

    Quirky is okay.

    Nothing too scholarly/academic/ teacher-y.

    Aim for between 800 and 2000 words.

    “Riding West Towards The Woods” by Deb Fenwick is a sample of the type of writing “Cleaver” is looking for.

  • Resilience . . . Prompt #664

    “Resilience is the ability to scrape yourself off the floor relatively quickly after a giant trauma, medium-size setback or everyday disappointment.

    Resilience is a set of coping mechanisms we develop over time. This quality is determined by how we take care of ourselves, the people we surround ourselves with and what we do to find meaning and purpose in our lives.”

    — “How to Bounce Back From Anything,” by Elaine Chin, M.D. and William Howatt, PH.D, Good Housekeeping magazine, July 2018

    Writing Prompts

    How do you define resiliency?

    What are your coping mechanisms?

    What do you do to take care of yourself?

    Is there someone in your life who hinders your ability to be resilient?

    Write about the times you have been resilient.

    #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter

  • You Think You Know Me . . . Prompt #663

    Writing prompts inspired by the June 5, 2022 interview with Kevin Powell and Dr. Adrian Arancibia.

    Prompt #1: You think you know me, but you don’t know . . .

    Prompt #2: Same as first prompt, but this time write in your parent’s voice, or from your parent’s perspective,

    Or: Write from the point of view of Someone Important in your life.

    Write as if your mother or father or Important Person were writing, “You think you know me, but what you don’t know . . .

    #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter

  • What fascinates you? Prompt #661

    Write about what fascinates you, or what you are obsessed with.

    #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter #freewrites

  • I’m not sure . . . Prompt #660

    Use any of these sentence starts to inspire writing:

    I’m not sure if . . .

    I’m not sure about . . .

    I’m not sure when . . .

    I’m not sure why . . .

    I’m not sure how . . .

    I’m just not sure.

    #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter

  • Never would I ever . . . Prompt #659

    Writing Prompt:

    Never would I ever . . .

    #iamwriting #iamawriter #justwrite

  • Never Should You Ever

    Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page.

    Never Should You Ever

    By Ken Delpit

    Whether it’s

    “Never would I ever,”
    Or “Never will I ever,”
    Or “Never could I ever,”
    Or “Never can I ever,”
    Or “Never should I ever,”
    Or “Never have I ever,”

    You cannot help but marvel
    At what an eternity “Never” is.
    At what a commitment “Never” is.
    At what a delusion “Never” is.

    Few such utterances can hold true,
    When a single exception renders them moot.

    Most such utterances harbor doubts.
    We just cannot help ourselves in our passions.

    Who among us say these things?
    Why, everyone, of course.

    Who among us mean these things?
    Well, everyone, of course.

    But who among us are truthful about “Nevers”?
    Well, some of us are…
    Or, intend to be, at least,
    At the time, that is,
    For the most part, anyway.

    So, take heed at the notion of “Never.”
    Its purpose is rigid,
    But its use is fluid.

    Lest you think “Never” always means forever,
    Never should you ever. 

    Ken Delpit, in moments of introspection, grapples with intentions versus realities. “Nevers” and “Alwayses,” generally well-meaning pronouncements, are sly co-conspirators in life. They come in lots of flavors. They come in myriad weights. They come with varying degrees of truth…, or not. They can be purveyors of principle, and they can be agents of deception, including of self. Ken is happy to have found free-writing for exploring such ponderables, not so much for finding answers, but more for discovering questions.

    #justwrite #iamwriting #iamwriter

  • Perspective . . . Prompt #658

    I like the idea of looking at familair things with a new perspective.

    This writing idea is from Kathryn Petruccelli:

    Look at something in your environment, perhaps something you’ve seen many times before, that you think you know well.

    It could be a piece of art hanging in your house, or a plant on your windowsill.

    Get close and look again. Re-see it.

    After you’ve spent some time with it, create a list of metaphors—things it looks like, or reminds you of.

    Don’t be too attached to logic, be free with your associations.

    Maybe the comparisons will get wild as you go along.

    At some point, break the pattern of the list and slow things down by going deeper into description for one metaphor (extend it and explain it in more detail), or by making a statement—a simple subject-verb sentence—that reflects on or summarizes what you’ve said so far.

    Note from Marlene: Use your list as seeds for future writing.

    Join Kathryn Petruccelli for a summer of poking around in poetry.

    Write Spot Blog Posts about similes and metaphors:

    Describe colorful character using similes and metaphors

    Innovative Technique for Creative Writing

    An experience in nature

    Just Write!

    #iamwriting #iamawriter #justwrite #iamapoet

  • I never thought . . . Prompt #657

    Today’s Writing Prompt:

    I never thought . . .

    #iamawrite #justwrite #iamwriting

  • Monologues

    Rebecca Evans taught an amazing class about writing monologues, which sent me on a search for “monologue submissions.” Scroll down for information on Rebecca’s June 16, 2022 writing workshop.

    A few places to submit monologues

    FORWARD THEATRE:  2023 Monologue Festival Out in This World

    “The detour that leads to an unexpected adventure. The vacation where everything goes wrong. The annoying stranger who turns into an amazing guide. Forward Theater is looking for original scripts about travel, whether to places far away or destinations close to home. Even a trip across the street can expand your horizons.

    Here is your chance to create a tale of the connection, joy, fear, beauty, exploration, and discovery that can only happen when you get out in this world.

    As you consider what to write, please be as creative as possible. It can take the form of comedy, spoken word, drama, farce, autobiography, or pure fiction. Our goal is to produce a wildly diverse evening of theater, so let your imagination run free!”

    Deadline: October 1, 2022. 

    Guidelines for 2023 Monologue Festival Out in This World

    THE ROSE THEATRE COMPANY seeks short comedic monologues for the creation of a curated digital film & audio series titled IN CHARACTER. 

    Selected monologues will be produced and released by The Rose for use across digital platforms, including audible, Instagram, and You Tube channels. 

    We’re looking for compelling, well-told and entertaining first-person stories. Non-traditional pieces (stand-up, literary, poems, music, sketch, spoken-word) are welcome provided they meet The GUIDELINES.

    NYCPLAYWRIGHTS

    Ongoing calls for submissions for monologues and plays.

    Now accepting Submissions for a new monologue collection with the working title of: WE/US: 100 Monologues for Gender Minority Actors

    Deadline: June 30, 2022 12 midnight EST

    FILM FREEWAY lists festivals to submit monologues and plays.

    You can use writing prompts for ideas for monologues, especially:

    Tall Tales or Truth

    Comfort Food

    Still Struggling

    People Are

    Just Write!

    Rebecca Evans will teach another writing class on June 16, 2022. Register with Recovery Writing of Idaho.