3/11/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #71: Ekphrastic Chickens 7


The Notebooking Daily 2020 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.

#71
Ekphrastic Chickens 7

For today, we're going to write a poem or prose piece inspired by another piece of art, or an ekphrastic piece. The piece of art in question is this gouache painting called "Poker Game" by Irish painter Bella Q.




No handholding today. Like the subject of this painting you're all on your own. Are you writing from the perspective of the girl, someone looking in on this game? Are the chickens actually playing poker with the girl or is she just imagining the game? Moving the pieces all herself... what's up with the chicken in the checkered coat? Lots to work with. You got this.
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If you'd like background writing music try lofi producer Shigeto's album "No Better Time than Now".