Happy Holidays!

I wanted to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a very happy and creative New Year! I'll be taking a holiday but will be posting a brand new first line (the last one of 2011!) next Wednesday. I'll see you in the New Year!

Random Exercise

Use these three words in a short story:

package, bell, stumble.

'Tis the Season

This is a busy time of year which means it is easy for your writing practice to fall by the wayside. I know personally that I am happier writing tiny amounts than not writing at all. So I wanted to share a few ways in which I tuck writing into even my busiest days.

1. Lately I have been posting small prose poems on the blog. I like writing that kind of thing all year round because it keeps me aware of the world around me, but I especially love writing them when my days are filled from morning to night. To me they are the writerly equivalent of a few deep breaths.

2. Try keeping a one-sentence journal. At the end of even the busiest day, pause, reflect and try to capture your day in a single sentence.

3. Try writing micro fiction. How small can you go? That's the challenge. Lately I have been trying to write short stories tiny enough to capture on a Post It note.

4. Keep a small notebook or sheet of paper with you at all times. That way when those fleeting ideas come to you in the midst of the holiday madness you can jot them down. After the holidays you'll feel good having those starting points to dive back into your creativity with.

With a bit of determination and some creativity you can still fit writing into even the busiest time of the year!

Week # 163

Tonya turned when she heard her name called, but did not recognize the man waving to her.

Quote

"Art is a guarantee you are not going to go cuckoo."

~ Louise Bourgeois


What do you think? Does being creative keep you from going cuckoo?

Random Exercise

What does the word 'portal' mean to you? What images does it conjure up? What mood does it evoke? What possibililites does it present? Write about a portal.

Week #162

The red envelope was not in the mailbox, but was instead thrust between the branches of the rosebush beside the door.

Dialogue Exercise

Use this line of dialogue anywhere in a short story. It can be the first line, the last line or any line in between.

"I'm going to turn the lights out."