It's been an extremely busy holiday season, apologies for the delay in the Winter Series starting. I'm hoping to get it going tomorrow, but for the meantime, here is another couple no frills exercises to get your writing ball rolling.
No Frills Prompt #1:
Write a piece in which a person is changing a tire and is a victim of a hit and run.
No Frills Prompt #2:
Title: Turbulent Waters
No Frills Prompt #3:
Use the following 5 words in a piece: Trickery, Foolish, Hunt, Groom, Lampshade
I'll be starting the Winter Writing Exercise Series soon, hopefully tomorrow, but I'm travelling for the holidays and haven't had a chance to start the new graphic/layout so here's 3 no frills prompt harkening back a couple years.
No Frills Prompt #1:
Write a piece in which one character is trying to chase down something rolling/blowing away from them while another is shot/killed unbeknownst to them.
No Frills Prompt #2:
Title: Enough Was Once Again, Enough
No Frills Prompt #3:
Use the following 5 words in a piece: Froth, Certainty, Forty, Yelp, Eradicate
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. I know it's winter now! But I'm too busy to update the template so we get one more day of fall.
#112 3x5x10+ Wordbank 18
For today's writing exercise complete the following steps.
1) Pick one word from each of three groups and write a sentence that includes all of the words, feel free to change tense, pluralize, gerund etc.
2) Repeat the process ten (10) times using different combinations. No dawdling!
3) Now write five (5) sentences that are five words or fewer in length that use any two (2) words.
4) Now write three (3) sentences that use four or more of the words.
5) Now write a piece of fiction or poetry that uses at least three (3) of those sentences. Try to use as many of the (good) sentences as you can, or parts of the sentences if the whole thing doesn't fit or works better altered.
Word Bank 1:
Barrel
Hazelnut
Palm
Husk
Elongate
Wordbank 2:
Arsenic
Lace
Poncho
Swell
Bloody
Wordbank 3:
Yam
Blanket
Surplus
Rend
Tacky
Bonus writing exercise: Include an animal that is larger than a human on some sort of public transportation.
------------------------------------
Want some mellow background writing music? Try From All of Us Here Pt. 1 by Thankusomuch.
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.
#111 Six Word Shootout with the Force 15
For today's writing exercise write a piece that includes the following six words. While it perfectly sets you up for a sestina, feel free to write whatever you'd like (but ya know, give that sestina a shot!). Also feel free to make slight alterations to the required words if you want to avoid that eye-pokey repetition you can find in sestinas sometimes.
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.
#110
Beginning & Ending with Sap 17
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which begins with one image, scenario, line of dialog or place and ends with another, and an optional additional requirement.
Begin With: A small tree being chopped down.
End With: A spill of maple syrup just skinning over.
Extra Credit Requirements: Include the description of a salty snack; and the words: "Flu" "Biscuit" "Rat" and "Glue".
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music, try eclectic rock band Lord Vapour's 2018 album Semuta.
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.
#109 Title Mania Plus Air 17
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which uses one of the following as its title. For a bonus challenge use the additional exercise of five random constraints.
Titles:
Elicit Encounter
We Surrounded the Arcade Game Cheering
Jones Beach, 1988
Sugar Cookies Cut Like Stars
Pine Needles, Rosemary and Juniper Berries
Bonus Exercise: 5 Random Constraints (I recommend picking any required words or lines before writing with a little surplus for options, but with your chosen title in mind)
Your first paragraph must include a drinking vessel/cup of some sort.
You must include at least five words which begin with the letter combination "Pl".
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.
#108 Ekphrastic in the sky
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 "in the sky" by Roman Avseenko
If nothing right off strikes you try the following exercises along with the image.
Tell the story of the ring's arrival. What accompanied it and why is it so near this train station?
Write a narrative from the perspective of a passenger on a train passing right under the ring when it suddenly appears (and with what physics consequences).
Write a piece in which this ring has been mysteriously floating there for centuries with no one able to figure out anything about it. Follow the person who cracks the mystery. How? What is it and why is it there?
Write a short piece in which aliens make contact and greatly improve humanity, but they make us build trains everywhere because for some reason, they love trains.
Write a piece which revolves around the construction of a 'sky elevator' which will drastically reduce the cost of bringing material into space and will usher a new era of space exploration. But first the thing has to be built. Write about either the experience of locals that are just trying to live their lives in the shadow of the elevator's construction; or about specialists brought in to do one very vital but very dangerous step.
---
If you'd like background writing music try Ralph Vaughan Williams- Oboe Concerto - The Lark Ascending - Robert Haydon Clark - Consort of London.
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.
#107 Three Things and a Random Title 11
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, using a title generated by the random title generator linked below. Nice and simple. If you're not intimately familiar with these things do a little reading and see if a piece of info sticks out.
Title:Use this title generator. Get a look at the 3 things below that you must use and generate phrases 6 at a time. Try the more button on the generator no more than three times. If you click it a third time, that's it. Pick one of those. This is one of the better title generators I've found.
Clifford Garstang's Literary Magazine Rankings are a familiar sight to many active short form submitters over the years—writers of poetry, short stories and essays can all find their literary journals, reviews and magazines of note (specifically, of note to the Pushcart Prize Best of Small Presses).
I really appreciate the approach of using the Pushcart Prize anthology as the basis because it takes out the individual bias of the listmaker. I've long toyed with the idea of doing one with a combination of Pushcart, Best American (special shout out to John Fox for his lists using Best American), Best of the Net and O Henry anthologies but.... so many ideas, so little time. So once again big ups to Clifford Garstang for putting in the legwork for this list yet again in 2020.
Here is the Literary Magazine Rankings forFiction
Here is the Literary Magazine Rankings forPoetry
Here is the Literary Magazine Rankings forNon Fiction
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.
#106 Headbanging 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):
"Like banging your head against _______."
The most likely rationale for this repetition is someone that is faced with tasks that are impossible/impossible with their tools. But it could be about someone that likes banging their head against things due to whatever reason. It could be someone recalling their week while going through a slow-motion car crash where they're hitting their head on things as the instance being recalled shifts. 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 something smashing against a pole, and include the words "Whirred" "Supplies" "Tinge" and "Fruitful".
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music to write to, try this performance of The Cello Concertos by Haydn.
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.
#105 3x5x10+ Wordbank 17
For today's writing exercise complete the following steps.
1) Pick one word from each of three groups and write a sentence that includes all of the words, feel free to change tense, pluralize, gerund etc.
2) Repeat the process ten (10) times using different combinations. No dawdling!
3) Now write five (5) sentences that are five words or fewer in length that use any two (2) words.
4) Now write three (3) sentences that use four or more of the words.
5) Now write a piece of fiction or poetry that uses at least three (3) of those sentences. Try to use as many of the (good) sentences as you can, or parts of the sentences if the whole thing doesn't fit or works better altered.
Word Bank 1:
Furrow
Cirrus
Dip
Flicker
Sweep
Wordbank 2:
Kneel
Pledge
Shelter
Conch
Cap
Wordbank 3:
Yodel
Tropics
Feline
Visions
Prostrate
Bonus writing exercise: Include two of the following words in your title: Met, Catch, We, Flung, Tackle, Escape.
------------------------------------
Want some mellow background writing music? Try Harold McNair's Flute and Nut.
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.
#104
Beginning & Ending with Breaking the Surface 16
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which begins with one image, scenario, line of dialog or place and ends with another, and an optional additional requirement.
Begin With: A geode being cracked open.
End With: A duck diving under water.
Extra Credit Requirements: Include the description of a salty snack; and the words: "Turret" "Knot" "Rut" and "Glee".
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music, try Milt Jackson's Greatest Hits.
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.
#103 Six Word Shootout with Bread Baking 14
For today's writing exercise write a piece that includes the following six words. While it perfectly sets you up for a sestina, feel free to write whatever you'd like (but ya know, give that sestina a shot!). Also feel free to make slight alterations to the required words if you want to avoid that eye-pokey repetition you can find in sestinas sometimes.
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.
#102 Title Mania Plus House 16
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which uses one of the following as its title. For a bonus challenge use the additional exercise of five random constraints.
Titles:
Prague in Spring
Under the Lowest Pine Branches
Jaws Dropped
Paraffin
Klondike Gold Miners Drunk on Their First Nugget
Bonus Exercise: 5 Random Constraints (I recommend picking any required words or lines before writing with a little surplus for options, but with your chosen title in mind)
Your first paragraph must include a drinking vessel/cup of some sort.
You must include at least five words which begin with the letter combination "At".
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.
#101 Three Things and a Random Title 10
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, using a title generated by the random title generator linked below. Nice and simple. If you're not intimately familiar with these things do a little reading and see if a piece of info sticks out.
Title:Use this title generator. Get a look at the 3 things below that you must use and generate phrases 6 at a time. Try the more button on the generator no more than three times. If you click it a third time, that's it. Pick one of those. This is one of the better title generators I've found.
A Boomerang
The Taiga
Cornbread
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music to write to, try the self-titled blues-rock album Soup from 1970's Wisconsin band Soup.
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.
#100 (The big 1-0-0! And yet fall continues! I totally cut summer short it seems, but we continue on until December 21) 3x5x10+ Wordbank 16
For today's writing exercise complete the following steps.
1) Pick one word from each of three groups and write a sentence that includes all of the words, feel free to change tense, pluralize, gerund etc.
2) Repeat the process ten (10) times using different combinations. No dawdling!
3) Now write five (5) sentences that are five words or fewer in length that use any two (2) words.
4) Now write three (3) sentences that use four or more of the words.
5) Now write a piece of fiction or poetry that uses at least three (3) of those sentences. Try to use as many of the (good) sentences as you can, or parts of the sentences if the whole thing doesn't fit or works better altered.
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.
#99
Beginning & Ending with Water 15
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which begins with one image, scenario, line of dialog or place and ends with another, and an optional additional requirement.
Begin With: A leaf floating on water.
End With: A faucet dripping.
Extra Credit Requirements: Include the description of a specific type of gun; and the words: "Crawling" "Plummet" "Grip" and "Drain".
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music, try Labrinth, Sia and Diplo present LSD.
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.
#98 The Smell of 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):
"Followed by the scent of _______."
There are many aromas out there which conjure all sorts of memories or images. Maybe you're writing a narrative of walking through a market and smelling various things, each sparking a different memory. Maybe you're making a large meal and various stages have different smells that take over as most pungent. Or maybe it's not food at all. Maybe you're walking through a locker room or a garage or woodshop. Maybe it's a forest and you cross paths with a skunk. Maybe you're writing about the great molasses flood of 1919. 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 something squeaking, and include the words "Pulse" "Squeegee" "Flip" and "Tuck".
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music to write to, try rock band Plastic Penny's 1969 album "Currency".
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.
#97 Title Mania Plus Reggae 15
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which uses one of the following as its title. For a bonus challenge use the additional exercise of five random constraints.
Titles:
Pillowcase
Matched Lighting
Useless Lines of Dialog
Darkness Levels
Advanced Compositing
Bonus Exercise: 5 Random Constraints (I recommend picking any required words or lines before writing with a little surplus for options, but with your chosen title in mind)
Your first paragraph must include a drinking vessel/cup of some sort.
You must include at least six words which begin with the letter combination "Sl".
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.
#96 Three Things and a Random Title 09
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, using a title generated by the random title generator linked below. Nice and simple. If you're not intimately familiar with these things do a little reading and see if a piece of info sticks out.
Title:Use this title generator. Get a look at the 3 things below that you must use and generate phrases 6 at a time. Try the more button on the generator no more than three times. If you click it a third time, that's it. Pick one of those. This is one of the better title generators I've found.
A Coffee Cup
A Peregrine Falcon
A Piece of Gum on the Sidewalk
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music to write to, try this album of acoustic covers by Felix Irwan.
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.
#95 Six Word Shootout with Bread Baking 13
For today's writing exercise write a piece that includes the following six words. While it perfectly sets you up for a sestina, feel free to write whatever you'd like (but ya know, give that sestina a shot!). Also feel free to make slight alterations to the required words if you want to avoid that eye-pokey repetition you can find in sestinas sometimes.
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.
#94 3x5x10+ Wordbank 15
For today's writing exercise complete the following steps.
1) Pick one word from each of three groups and write a sentence that includes all of the words, feel free to change tense, pluralize, gerund etc.
2) Repeat the process ten (10) times using different combinations. No dawdling!
3) Now write five (5) sentences that are five words or fewer in length that use any two (2) words.
4) Now write three (3) sentences that use four or more of the words.
5) Now write a piece of fiction or poetry that uses at least three (3) of those sentences. Try to use as many of the (good) sentences as you can, or parts of the sentences if the whole thing doesn't fit or works better altered.
Bonus writing exercise: Include in your story or poem a sentence which is exactly two words long, and the piece must include the image of an owl in a knothole (place in the trunk where a limb has died or been cut off which rots to produce a hollow in the tree).
------------------------------------
Want some unobtrusive background writing music? Try this remaster of American rock band American Football's eponymous debut album recorded in 1997.
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.
#93
Beginning & Ending with Poker 14
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which begins with one image, scenario, line of dialog or place and ends with another, and an optional additional requirement.
Begin With: Someone dealing out playing cards.
End With: Someone poking at the almost-out coals of a fire.
Extra Credit Requirements: Include the description of a specific type of gun; and the words: "Fractions" "Decay" "Lightness" and "Instability".
------------------------------------
If you'd like some background music, try the Icelandic electronic group GusGus's album "Lies Are More Flexible".
I believe strongly that keeping a notebook of snippets and interesting tidbits of information, dialogue, quotes, observations etc. is of great use to a writer. For one, I think the act of writing it down strengthens your memory of the thing you thought might be memorable enough to write, despite the inability to sit down at the given time to write an entire piece. It also serves as a reservoir of fragments to draw from when you are writing. David Kirby spoke well to the idea of a writer's notebook in an interview with Stephen Reichert of Smartish Pace when he said:
I’d have the young poets maintain a stockpile of linguistic bits: stories, weird words, snatches of conversation they’d overheard, lines from movies they’d seen or books they’d read. Most young poets will say something like, “Well, I have to write a poem now. Let’s see; what can I write about?” And then they end up writing about their own experiences, and, let’s face it, we all have the same experiences. So what all poets need is a savings account they can raid from time to time
This site is both a general writing blog, and one to help spark the writer's mind for ten to thirty minutes a day with short exercises which may not be full stories or poems, but will hopefully serve as a reservoir for future works.
I'm a writer living and teaching in San Diego. I received my BA from California State University, Long Beach, and my MFA from The University of Washington where I was the coordinating editor at The Seattle Review as it transitioned into its current "Long View" form. My writing has appeared in The Southern Review, The North American Review, The New York Quarterly, Permafrost, Bayou, 5AM, The California Quarterly, The Evansville Review, The Georgetown Review, Dark Matter, Cutthroat, Cairn, Miller's Pond, Pearl and The Lullwater Review among others and is forthcoming in ONTHEBUS's long awaited double issue, The Cape Rock and Exit 7. I've been once nominated for a Pushcart Prize and once did not receive a Pushcart Prize. I'm giving facial hair a go now too. Go figure.
If you have a piece that you really need another's opinion on, I may be able to help. Email zebulonworkshops@gmail.com if you would like to begin a correspondence. Critiques begin at $39 for 2 rounds of edits on a single poem and publishing advice.
