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.
#22
Ekphrastic Cabin 3
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 render called "The Secret Cabin" by the amazing French digital artist Christophe Tritz.
If nothing right off strikes you try the following exercises along with the image.
- You are the builder and owner of this cabin. Why did you build it this way? The tiny cabin up top looks like only enough room for a staircase down to the actual house—do others know about your secret underground lair, or does it remain your secret? Tell us about someone coming for a visit.
- You are a magistrate/sheriff coming to investigate a missing old man/woman. You arrive at the cabin and find it well up-kept, but no one seems to be in the little cabin, entering, you discover this much larger abode and explore it. Does the owner come home while you're searching? Do you find something awful? Amazing? Magical?
- This is the home of a magician/wizard of some sort. From the perspective of the sunflower at the middle of the garden, describe the odd comings and goings to this magical home. Has the magician enchanted you so you can interact with the guests, or are you merely a sentient plant? Can he communicate with the other plants in the garden, what smells come from the cabin/vents from those cauldrons?
If you'd like background writing music try Nepalese musician Manose Singh's bamboo flute album Suskera.
