Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
He held the pliers in his hands menacingl...
11/30/16
11/29/16
11/29/16 Narrative prompt: She withered
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
She withered on the vine like a runt tomato hidden in the shadows and left unpicked for far too lon...
8/30/16
For Your Enjoyment: The Tomato Thief by Ursula Vernon
For Your Enjoyment:
The Tomato Thief by Ursula Vernon (in Apex Magazine).
It is 14 thousand words, but worth it. The fantasy aspect of the story doesn't come into play until you've learned to enjoy your narrator's...
8/26/16
8/26/16: Ekphrastic Exercise: Up on Melancholy Hill
Daily Exercise Genre: Ekphrasis.
Ekphrasis is from Greek meaning the description of a work of art as a rhetorical device. That's actually pretty straight forward, but another way to look at it, is it's highfalutin fan...
8/25/16
8/25/16 Narrative prompt: Not Cinnamon
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
"Not Cinnamon," I exclaimed, well knowing it might be my last word...
8/19/16
For your enjoyment: Campbell McGrath's "Capitalist Poem #5"
For your enjoyment: Campbell McGrath's "Capitalist Poem #5" in its original line configuration.
I noticed while trying to link to Campbell McGrath's "Capitalist Poem #5" that the most popular, and potentially the only text...
8/13/16
Three things exercise: Donald Trump in WWI
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things (ideally, not in throwaway dialog, but as vital pieces of the story):
Steel Blue, Normandy, FR, Donald Trump
So,...
Three things exercise: Wheat in New York
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things (ideally, not in throwaway dialog, but as vital pieces of the story):
Wheat (color), New York, NY, a flashl...
8/12/16
Three things exercise: A Yo-Yo in Duluth
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things (ideally, not in throwaway dialog, but as vital pieces of the story):
Plum (color), A Yo-Yo, Duluth,...
8/11/16
Three things exercise: A Raccoon at McDonalds
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things (ideally, not in throwaway dialog, but as vital pieces of the story):
A Raccoon, McDonald's, Gold (color)&nb...
8/6/16
Three things exercise: Coral in Nome Alaska
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things (ideally, not in throwaway dialog, but as vital pieces of the story):
Coral (pink), Nome, AK, a Pogo Ball...
8/5/16
Three things exercise: A First-Baseman's Mitt
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
A First Baseman's Mitt, Durham, NC, Raw Sie...
8/4/16
Three things exercise: A Carnation in Poughkeepsee
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
A Carnation, Poughkeepsee, Sea-B...
7/16/16
Narrative prompt: The tree fell like a gunshot
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
The tree fell like a gunsh...
7/15/16
Narrative prompt: This smoke, however
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
This smoke, however, was acrid, like a burning Bic p...
7/14/16
Narrative prompt: Grass had finally started
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following
and see where it takes you.
Grass had finally started growing again, and although you knew it was inevitable....
6/30/16
Title exercise: Buttermilk Chicken Fritters
6/30/16: Title Mania
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Buttermilk Chicken Fritters
Photo of Nicky Rotten's Buttermilk Chicken Tenders by Zebulon Huse...
6/20/16
Three Birthday requests of Submittable (and one from Duotrope)
Dear Submittable, Are You There? It's Me, Zebulon
Submittable is the revolutionary platform that took simple cloud applications and applied them to literary magazines. And I love them for it. They are quite simply put, awesome. Not in the "I'm in awe of your genius" way but more of the "I am super...
6/18/16
Three things exercise: A Dirty Lollipop
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
A Dirty Lollipop, A Recorder (instrument), A Ballo...
6/15/16
Three things exercise: A Lottery Ticket
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
A Partially Scratched-Off Lottery Ticket, A Shovel, A Blue Mitten.&nbs...
6/14/16
Ekphrastic Tuesday with John Avon
Daily Exercise Genre: Ekphrasis.
Ekphrasis is from Greek meaning the description of a work of art as a rhetorical device. That's actually pretty straight forward, but another way to look at it, is it's highfalutin fan fiction,...
6/7/16
With the passing of the last 9-11 rescue dog I'm reminded of Stephen Dunn's "The Insistence of Beauty"
RIP Bretagne, last remaining 9-11 rescue dog.
I happened to have a subscription to American Poetry Review when Stephen Dunn's "The Insistence of Beauty" appeared there. I was immersed in what was a vibrant writing...
6/6/16
Title exercise: An Abrupt End to Mindless Repetition
6/6/16: Title Mania
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
An Abrupt End to Mindless Repetition&nb...
6/5/16
Title exercise: A Browning Banana Peel
6/5/16: Title Mania
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
A Browning Banana P...
5/31/16
Two Upcoming Flash Fiction Contest Deadlines: Fineline (June 1) and Crazyshorts (July 31)
Hey writers, it's that time again. The Mid-American Review's Fineline Competition deadline is almost here! The website seems kind of messed up so I've copied the text from it here:
Fineline Competition
The Fineline Competition...
5/28/16
Complete a Piece Saturday: An Occasion, a Phrase and a Character
Complete a Piece Saturday!
For today's piece we'll again put together a complete piece in a roundabout way. We'll pick an occasion, a phrase and a character, and for each of these things we'll write a series of lines or...
5/24/16
Three things exercise: Basil (herb), A Douglas Fir Tree, Big League Chew
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
Basil (herb), A Douglas Fir Tree, Big League Chew
For instance, it could be a story about a child playing wiffleball...
5/23/16
Three things exercise: A piece of Sidewalk Chalk, A Fireman's Pole, A Tourniquet
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
A piece of Sidewalk Chalk, A Fireman's Pole, A Tourniquet.
For instance, you could write a short story that...
5/21/16
Title exercise: Cantilevered
5/21/16: Title Mania
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Cantilevered
(also, Happy Birthday A...
5/20/16
Title exercise: Faster-Than-Light Travel and the Blues
5/20/16: Title Mania
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Faster-Than-Light Travel and the Blu...
5/19/16
Title exercise: Rattlesnake Trail
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Rattlesnake Tr...
5/18/16
Title exercise: Midday in Lima
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Midday in L...
5/17/16
Title exercise: Portents, Omens and a Broken Clock
5/17/16
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Portents, Omens and a Broken Cl...
5/16/16
Title exercise: Self Portrait in Blue
5/16/16
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Self Portrait in Blue...
5/9/16
Title exercise: Attending the Non-Event
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Attending the Non-Eve...
5/7/16
Complete a Piece Saturday: Person Place and Thing
For today's Complete a Piece Saturday exercise we'll do a few exercises and then utilize a set of three nouns as major aspects of a story or poem.
1) Pick four ride types from this list of kinds of popular carnival rides,...
5/6/16
Narrative prompt: First One Flash
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
First one flash, then a series of them too bright to blink awa...
5/2/16
Ekphrastic Tuesday with Igor Morski
Daily Exercise Genre: Ekphrasis.
Ekphrasis is from Greek meaning the description of a work of art as a rhetorical device. That's actually pretty straight forward, but another way to look at it, is it's highfalutin fan fiction,...
4/28/16
Narrative prompt: Stewing garlic
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
Stewing garlic emanated from the kitchen was thrust throughout the apartment by the ceiling fa...
4/26/16
Ekphrastic Tuesday in the mountains
Daily Exercise Genre: Ekphrasis.
Ekphrasis is from Greek meaning the description of a work of art as a rhetorical device. That's actually pretty straight forward, but another way to look at it, is it's highfalutin fan fiction,...
4/24/16
Weekend Triple Threat: Title Mania, Three Things, How To
Since it's Sunday here are three options for today's exercise. Choose one, choose them all, just be sure to produce something.
Title Mania (use the following title and write a piece to somehow fit it.)
A Step or...
4/23/16
Complete a Piece Saturday: Rhymebank exercise
For today's Rhymbank exercise you will follow a series of steps and then produce a piece using some of the generated lines or phrases. You will need either a blank document or a few blank notebook pages, and will refer back to things you write in the early exercises, but through the process...
4/21/16
Narrative prompt: Red cast from
Photo (I think) by BENEDEK BOGNÁR
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
Red cast from the setting sun added a filter nostalgic to...
4/20/16
Three things exercise: Monument Valley, A Flat Tire, A Gumball
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
Monument Valley, A Flat Tire, A Gumb...
4/19/16
Ekphrsastic Tuesday with Igor Morski
Daily Exercise Genre: Ekphrasis.
Ekphrasis is from Greek meaning the description of a work of art as a rhetorical device. That's actually pretty straight forward, but another way to look at it, is it's highfalutin fan fiction,...
4/18/16
Inspired by Writing Monday: Nanoism #333
Inspired By: For today's writing prompt read the following short piece (it will always be something quite short, we don't have all day to work on writing, wouldn't that be awesome?) and take inspiration from it. Whether you like specific words, character names, you like the setting, the general plot...
4/17/16
Weekend Triple Threat: Title Mania, Three Things, How To
Since it's Sunday here are three options for today's exercise. Choose one, choose them all, just be sure to produce something.
Title Mania (use the following title and write a piece to somehow fit it.)
Triptych in...
4/16/16
Title exercise: Agate
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Agate
(I could fill this post with images of agates, they're my absolute favorite type of mineral/rock, even more than geodes and the...
4/15/16
Title exercise: Flat Beer, Salad and Sandals
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Flat Beer, Salad and Sand...
4/14/16
Title exercise: Reverberating in the Skull
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Reverberating in the Sk...
4/13/16
Title exercise: Wistful and Wrong
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Wistful and Wr...
4/12/16
Title exercise: Yet Another Tipping Point
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Yet Another Tipping Po...
Title exercise: Lost Luster
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Lost Lus...
4/10/16
Inspired By Prompt: Nanoism #668
Inspired By: For today's writing prompt read the following short piece (it will always be something quite short, we don't have all day to work on writing, wouldn't that be awesome?) and take inspiration from it. Whether you like specific words, character names, you like the setting, the general plot...
4/4/16
Inspired By Prompt: Nanoism #683
Inspired By: For today's prompt read the following short piece (it will always be something quite short, we don't have all day to work on writing, wouldn't that be awesome?) and take inspiration from it. Whether you like specific words, character names, you like the setting, the general plot structure,...
4/3/16
Weekend Triple Threat: Title, Three Things, Narrative Thread
Since it's Sunday here are three options for today's exercise. Choose one, choose them all, just be sure to produce something.
Title Mania (use the following title and write a piece to somehow fit it.)
Population...
4/2/16
Three things exercise: A Shovel, A Water Fountain, Angel Falls
Photo by Adam Ive
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
A Shovel, A Water Fountain, Angel Fa...
4/1/16
Three things exercise: An Aspen Leaf, Schadenfreude, A White Board
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
An Aspen Leaf, Schadenfreude, A White Bo...
3/31/16
Three things exercise: Black Licorice, A Leather Belt, A Fender Bender
For today's exercise write a piece of poetry or prose that somehow utilizes the following three things:
Black Licorice, A Leather Belt, A Fender Bender (minor car accide...
3/26/16
Narrative prompt: Garlic hung in the air
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
Garlic hung in the air like a beaded curtain you had to pass through until you made it to the fresh air of the porc...
3/25/16
Narrative prompt: Candy fell like acid rain
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
Candy fell like acid rain from the dismembered pinat...
3/23/16
Narrative prompt: Thin lines diced
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
Thin lines diced her face into tiny squares in the reflectio...
3/22/16
Narrative prompt: After the fires were extinguished
Narrative Thread: For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
After the fires were extinguished the toll of looting was calculate...
3/21/16
Narrative prompt: Torn at the seams
For today's writing exercise begin a story or poem with the following and see where it takes you.
Torn at the seams her jacket's sleeve freed itself from her torso&nbs...
3/20/16
Weekend Triple Threat: Title Mania, Three Things, How To
Since it's Sunday here are three options for today's exercise. Choose one, choose them all, just be sure to produce something.
Title Mania (use the following title and write a piece to somehow fit it.)
A Large Ball...
3/19/16
Title exercise: Just a Stump
For today's exercise use the following as the title of a poem or piece of prose.
Just a Stump&nb...
