“Charmian Kittredge London, Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer” by Iris Jamahl Dunkle elegantly brings Charmian to life in this chronicle about the woman who is mostly known as Jack London’s wife. Dunkle’s gift as a researcher and a writer glow with perfection. Her writing abilities bring Charmian to life with intriguing adventures and travel tales. I highly recommend “Charmian Kittredge London, Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer” both as an entertaining page-turner and as a text on how to write a biography.
Tag: Writing freely. Just write. Writing Prompts. The Write Spot Blog.
A Brick Path
Memorable writing that sparks imagination. Lean in. Hear the writer’s voice on the page. A Brick Path By Douglas Newcomb I often tell the children that they must be afraid before they can be brave. Courage doesn’t travel alone, aimlessly, And doesn’t just drift anywhere it pleases. It follows fear and despair Quietly. I had courage enough to roar once, but was interrupted, and forgot what it was I was there to say. Now I don’t remember how I got here, or which direction I was headed. Out here the road stretches left and right as if arms unfolding. Douglas Newcomb lives in Petaluma, California, and grew up in the Sierra Nevada foothills.
Halloween: Fun or a trickster? Prompt #813
It’s Halloween week. Does this mean anything special to you? Or, ho-hum, just another day/evening? Did you go trick-or-treating as a child? With siblings, cousins, friends? If yes, where did you go? What was that like? Describe your favorite and least favorite Halloween costume that you wore. What clever or interesting Halloween costumes have you seen? Where did you see this? Is Halloween week a fun time for you? Or is it a trickster, something you really don’t like? If you worked with children/students, what was / is Nov. 1 like? #justwrite #iamwriting #iamawriter
Did you wear a uniform? Prompt #812
Did you wear a uniform for work or school? If yes, describe the uniform. What were your duties while wearing this uniform? Worst part of the duties and uniform? Best part of the duties and uniform? OR: What is your reaction when you see somebody in uniform? Marching band, sports uniform, law enforcement, firefighter, doctor (white lab coat or scrubs), prison inmate, postal workers, FedEx and UPS employees, private security guard, housekeeping staff, life guard, food delivery person, etc.
How to Create Memorable Writing . . . Prompt #811
How to make your writing memorable. Step 1. Choose something you have written. Step 2. Circle all to-be verbs. Step 3. Replace “to be” verbs with strong verbs. Step 4. Rewrite, using the idea of “show, don’t tell.” Links to blog posts about strong and memorable writing: Why Should You Use Strong Verbs? Strengthen Your Writing How to be a better writer Sparks, memorable writing on The Write Spot Blog
A place or time you want to return to . . . Prompt #810
In “The Wizard of Oz,” the tinman wants a heart, the scarecrow a brain, the lion wants courage. And, of course, Dorothy wants to go home. Auntie Em, Uncle Henry, and Professor Marvel also want Dorothy to return safely home. Their neighbor Almira Gulch wants to capture Dorothy’s dog, Toto. Is the Wizard of Oz a charlatan, like Professor Marvel? Or is he a bumbling, absent-minded imposter? And, of course, Dorothy must overcome obstacles before she can return home. And then there is the wicked witch, the Munchkins, the monkeys, the hired hands, and of course, Glinda, the good witch, or is she a witch? Which Oz character do you identify with? What do you want? In general, what do you want? Is there a place or time you want to return to?
Body Awareness . . . Prompt #809
October is breast cancer awareness month.I would like to expand to body awareness.Write about an illness or a physical change you, or someone you know, went through.Include your age and who was involved.How did you find out about the illness?What was the next step?What happened?Are you still affected by this illness/physical change? #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Fish out of water . . . Prompt #808
Photo by David Zinn Prompt: A fish out of water story. Write about a time you felt like a fish out of water, where you didn’t fit in, or you wondered if you belonged. Inspired by Sept/Oct 2024 Writer’s Digest, “Level Up Your Writing Life,” by Sharon Short. #justwrite #amwriting #iamawriter
Are you an introvert or an extrovert or a combination? Prompt #807
According to Diane Stark, author of “Life of the Party,” a Chicken Soup story in “Be You:” “If your favorite activity is a busy one that involves lots of people, you are an extrovert. If your activity is a quiet, solitary pursuit, you are an introvert. The vast majority of writers are introverts. It’s just how we’re wired.” Diane discovered, “I am a social introvert. It’s someone who is outgoing, but also requires alone time to be healthy.” Prompt: Are you an introvert, an extrovert, or a combination? List your three favorite activities. Are these things you do by yourself or in a small group, or with a lot of other people? When you are tired or stressed, what activity appeals to you most? After being by yourself all day, are you anxious to be around other people? Or, do you need downtime to recover? What energizes you? What restores…
The Emotion Thesaurus
Review by Marlene Cullen. I have heard about this book, read about this book, seen posts about this book for years. So, I bought “The Emotion Thesaurus” by Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi. Yes to this book! From the introduction: “What we [recognized] was our own difficulty conveying character emotion in a way that would engage readers. This problem was a big one, because only when the character’s emotions are clearly shared can readers become more involved.” I have often thought about how to “show” body language when writing. As you know, when we interact with others, there is much about body language that conveys our mood, emotions, reactions. How to show these things? The Emotion Thesaurus to our rescue! “We wanted to ensure that our character’s feelings would trigger the reader’s own emotional memories, encouraging empathy that would draw them deeper into the story.” Tips on how to write…