10/5/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #276: Ekphrastic Wanderer 16


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.


#276
Ekphrastic Wanderer 16
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 ink art piece titled "Wanderer" by artist James Gardiner.




No handholding today. You have the image, and while it may look to me like a man standing at the edge of a dark forest, looking inward, to you it may look like something entirely different. What's on that person's mind? What's their story? How'd they get to where they are? You tell us, in the world of your piece, you're the one in charge. 
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If you'd like background writing music, try this "3:30 p.m." lofi playlist from our friends at Feardog Music on this monday, and just pretend it's still the weekend.