11/24/19

Fall Writing Exercise Series #84: Leaping Repetition


The Notebooking Daily Fall Writing Series is a daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep your creative mind stretched and ready to go—fresh for your other writing endeavors. The writing prompts take the impetus—that initial crystal of creation—out of your hands (for the most part) and changes your writing creation into creative problem solving. Instead of being preoccupied with the question "What do I write" you are instead pondering "How do I make this work?" And in the process you are producing new writing.

These exercises are not meant to be a standard writing session. They are meant to be productive and to keep your brain thinking about using language to solve simple or complex problems. The worst thing you can do is sit there inactive. It's like taking a 5 minute breather in the middle of a spin class—the point is to push, to produce something, however imperfect. If you don't overthink them, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

#84
Leaping Repetition

For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following phrase at least four times (non-sequentially):

"Right, left, leap."

    There are many reasons to take a running leap, whether for some athletic endeavor, a quick escape, a fast departure, or a dozen other things. Maybe it's just the way to cross a stream with a reluctant jumper. Or do something completely different. Just be sure that the repeated phrase earns its worth in your piece. It should be necessary.

    Bonus Exercise: Also include the description of some sort of foliage (bushes, leaves etc), and include the words "Tepid" "Generic" "Founder" and "Jaunty".
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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try indie hip hop producer Flying Lotus's album Flamagra.