2/29/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #60: Three Things Together 9


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.

#60
Three Things Together 9

For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, Nice and simple.

  1. A Raccoon 
  2. An Oreo
  3. A Wooden Pallet


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If you'd like some background music to write to, try jazz pianist Duke Jordan ft. Mads Vinding and Ed Thigpen playing "Flight to Denmark"





2/28/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #59: Erasing "Out of Season" 4


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.

#59
Erasing "Out of Season" 4

For today's exercise we have split paths for fiction and poetry, though I highly recommend that even fiction writers try the poetry exercise, because erasures can be a blast!

For poetry do an erasure or black-out poem from the following selection of Ernest Hemingway's 1923 short story "Out of Season". An Erasure/Blackout is really simple: you take the given text and remove many words to make it your own new piece. One way to go about the erasure that I like to do is to copy the text and paste it twice into your document before you start erasing or blacking out (in MS Word set the text background color to black), that way if you get further into the erasure and decide you want a somewhat different tone or direction, it's easy to go to the unaltered version and make the erasure/black-out piece smoother. Another tip is to look for recurring words, in this example 'marsala' occurs multiple times and could be a good touchstone for your piece.

If you insist on fiction, write a piece with one of the three titles taken from this section:

  1.  "The Line Will Lie Flat on the Water" 
  2. "A Little is Enough" 
  3. "Five Lira for a Favor"


Today's excerpt is a little short so keep that in mind when composing your erasure.


Erasure Selection:

from "Out of Season"

We can't fish then, said the y. g. and unjointed the rod, reeling the line back through the guides. We'll get some piombo and fish tomorrow.

But listen caro, you must have piombo. The line will lie flat on the water. Peduzzi's day was going to pieces before his eyes. You must have piombo. A little is enough. Your stuff is all clean and new but you have no lead. I would have brought some. You said you had everything.

The y. g. looked at the stream discolored by the melting snow. I know, he said, we'll get some piombo and fish tomorrow.

At what hour in the morning? Tell me that.

At seven.

The sun came out. It was warm and pleasant. The young gentleman felt relieved. He was no longer breaking the law. Sitting on the bank he took the bottle of marsala out of his pocket and passed it to Peduzzi. Peduzzi passed it back. The y. g. took a drink of it and passed it to Peduzzi again. Peduzzi passed it back again. Drink, he said, drink. It's your marsala. After another short drink the y. g. handed the bottle over. Peduzzi had been watching it closely. He took the bottle very hurriedly and tipped it up. The gray hairs in the folds of his neck oscillated as he drank, his eyes fixed on the end of the narrow brown bottle. He drank it all. The sun shone while he drank. It was wonderful. This was a great day after all. A wonderful day.

Senta caro! In the morning at seven. He had called the young gentleman caro several times and nothing had happened. It was good marsala. His eyes glistened. Days like this stretched out ahead. It would begin at seven in the morning.

They started to walk up the hill toward the town. The young gentleman went on ahead. He was quite a way up the hill. Peduzzi called to him.

Listen caro can you let me take five lira for a favor?

For today? asked the young gentleman frowning.

No, not today. Give it to me today for tomorrow. I will provide everything for tomorrow. Pane, salami, formaggio, good stuff for all of us. You and I and the signora. Bait for fishing, minnows, not worms only. Perhaps I can get some marsala. All for five lira. Five lira for a favor.

The young gentleman looked through his pocketbook and took out a two-lira note and two ones.

Thank you caro. Thank you, said Peduzzi, in the tone of one member of the Carleton Club accepting the Morning Post from another. This was living. He was through with the hotel garden, breaking up frozen manure with a dung fork. Life was opening out.

Until seven o'clock then caro he said, slapping the y. g. on the back. Promptly at seven.

I may not be going, said the young gentleman putting his purse back in his pocket.

What, said Peduzzi, I will have minnows Signor. Salami, everything. You and I and the Signora. The three of us.

I may not be going, said the y. g., very probably not. I will leave word with the padrone at the hotel office.
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If you'd like some background music to write to, try lofi mix "A Calm Breeze" from the Youtube channel the bootleg boy.






2/27/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #58: Between a Fact and an Exact Place 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.
#58
Between a Fact and an Exact Place 7
For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following place (either as the setting, referenced or some aspect of it described) and the following fact in some way (its discovery, used as a metaphor, witnessed etc).



As an additional assignment, should you choose to incorporate it, is as follows: Also include an animal 'dancing' whether this is a mating dance, some choreographed attack or struggle for dominance, a Disney-like actual dance, a trained animal, however you choose to interpret that prompt.
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If you'd like some background music to write to, try pan flautist Zamfir's Greatest Hits. You may think that you recognize that first song from the end of Kill Bill 1, and yep. That's the one.








2/26/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #57: 3x5x7 Wordbank Sprints 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.

#57
3x5x7 Wordbank Sprints 7
For today's writing exercise complete the following steps. The wordbank exercise has changed so be sure to take a peek at the new 'rules'. I recommend using the timer on your phone or computer and setting it for 1 minute. Each time you write a sentence, quickly reset the timer. If it goes off before you're finished with the sentence—wrap it up ASAP!

In order to complete the large number of sentences demanded of this exercise it is imperative that you write fast. Don't think too much at all until you've reached the final exercise. The process of this quick production is to thrust past second guesses or other stumbling blocks that sometimes impede your writing. You're aiming to write 23 sentences in at most 20 minutes so you have ten minutes to organize and write that actual piece, so you're going to be writing more than a sentence a minute.

WRITE FAST, DON'T OVERTHINK


  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. Repeat the process five (5) times using different combinations. No dawdling! 
  2. Now write three (3) sentences that are six (6) words or fewer in length that use any two (2) words from the wordbanks.
  3. Now write three (3) sentences that use four (4) or more of the words.
  4. Now write five (5) sentences which begin with one (1) of the words and contain a second one (1) of the words.
  5. Now write five (5) sentences which are fewer than ten (10) words in length and conclude with one (1) of the words from the wordbanks. Remember, keep up the pace! Don't overthink!
  6. Now rephrase two (2) of your sentences from exercise #1 in either a more efficient or more descriptive manner.
  7. Now write a piece of fiction or poetry that uses at least three (3) of the sentences you've written throughout this process of exercises. 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:
  • Mill
  • Sand
  • Pernicious
  • Embargo
  • Mine
Wordbank 2:
  • Fungal
  • Raccoon
  • Salamander
  • Zip
  • Wring

Wordbank 3
:
  • Flutter
  • Gut
  • Orlando
  • Garnish
  • Forage

Bonus writing exercise: Include the image of something glass breaking, and compare two types or genres of music to each other in at least one way.

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Want some mellow background writing music? Try pianist Brian Crain's Piano Opus.





2/25/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #56: First Line Bonanza 1


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.

#56
First Line Bonanza 1

For today's writing exercise write a piece that begins with one of the following first lines.


  1. The bridge vibrated his soles with each passing semi.
  2. Beneath the streetlight two teenagers struggled to light a small fire of tinder made mostly of magazines and stuffed animals.
  3. Wind whipped the weeping willow's long lashes.

-

Bonus Exercise: Also include the word "Follow" in your title, and the smell of black pepper
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If you'd like some background music to write to, try the music for the Chinese civ in the game Civilization 5.





2/24/20

2020 Writing Exercise Series #55 Truth told Anaphora—Repetition Files 4


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.

#55
Truth told Anaphora—Repetition Files 4

For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which focuses on repetition. In this instance we will work with anaphora. It's a handy little bit of poetic craft that goes a little something like this:

the repetition of a word or words at the beginning of successive phrases, clauses, or lines to create a sonic effect.
Take a moment and read the Poetry Foundation article, even if you know the term. For even more fun check out this longer article called Adventures in Anaphora.

The word or phrase we'll use for our exercise today is:

"Truth told"

    There are a number of ways you could approach this bit of anaphora. You could tell many simple truths, truths about a very specific profession or person, a place. They could be the 'backstory' of a bunch of foods, geological structures, customs, whatever you'd like. Tell us some truths that are interesting and maybe occasionally funny. Or do something completely different. Just be sure that the repeated phrase earns its worth in your piece. It should be necessary.

    Bonus Exercise: Include these five words into your piece "Flung" "North" "Elongated" "Triumphant" and "Horticulture".

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try ambient artist Ash Ra Tempel's eponymous album.






    2/23/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #54: Title Mania Plus Running 8


    The Notebooking Daily 2020 Writing Series is here! These are 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.
    #54
    Title Mania Plus Driving 8

    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:
    1. Washboard Gravel Road
    2. Flying Toward the Sun
    3. Eastward
    4. Right Turn Yield
    5. Northbound Lane

    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)
    1. The first or second word of your piece must be "Dripped".
    2. You must include at least five words which rhyme with "Might".
    3. You must include rain.
    4. You must include the words "Funnel" "Vote" "Cruise" "Cough" and "Hooped".
    5. You must include in your piece at least two specific cities of your choice.

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this chill indie rocker Jenny Choi's album "Postcard Stories".




    2/22/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #53: Beginning & Ending with Droppin 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.
    #53
    Beginning & Ending with Dropping 7

    F
    or 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 spitting over a railing.

    End WithA seed being dropped into a small dirt hole.


    Extra Credit RequirementsInclude someone eating shellfish; and the words: "Flip" "Bivalve" "Internalize" "Judiciary" and "Bop".


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    If you'd like some unobtrusive background music, try this lofi jazz mix "side streets" from Cafe Hop Music.







    2/21/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #52: Three Things Together 8


    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.

    #52
    Three Things Together 8

    For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, Nice and simple.

    1. A Wet Newspaper
    2. Sage (herb)
    3. A Pogo Stick


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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this orchestral recording: Lowell Lieberman Piccolo Concerto, Op. 50




    2/20/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #51: Erasing "Out of Season" 3


    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.

    #51
    Erasing "Out of Season" 3

    For today's exercise we have split paths for fiction and poetry, though I highly recommend that even fiction writers try the poetry exercise, because erasures can be a blast!

    For poetry do an erasure or black-out poem from the following selection of Ernest Hemingway's 1923 short story "Out of Season". An Erasure/Blackout is really simple: you take the given text and remove many words to make it your own new piece. One way to go about the erasure that I like to do is to copy the text and paste it twice into your document before you start erasing or blacking out (in MS Word set the text background color to black), that way if you get further into the erasure and decide you want a somewhat different tone or direction, it's easy to go to the unaltered version and make the erasure/black-out piece smoother. Another tip is to look for recurring words, in this example 'rod' occurs multiple times and could be a good touchstone for your piece.

    If you insist on fiction, write a piece with one of the three titles taken from this section:

    1.  "If You Go to Jail We Might as Well Both Go" 
    2. "Say it to me in Italian" 
    3. "Up the Grassy Bank"


    Today's excerpt is a little short so keep that in mind when composing your erasure.


    Erasure Selection:

    from "Out of Season"

    Everybody in the town saw us going through with these rods. We're probably being followed by the game police now. I wish we weren't in on this damn thing. This damned old fool is so drunk, too.

    Of course you haven't got the guts to just go back, said the wife. Of course you have to go on.

    Why don't you go back? Go on back Tiny.

    I'm going to stay with you. If you go to jail we might as well both go.

    They turned sharp down the bank and Peduzzi stood his coat blowing in the wind gesturing at the river. It was brown and muddy. Off on the right there was a dump heap.

    Say it to me in Italian, said the young gentleman.

    Un' mezz'ora. Piu d’un' mezz'ora.

    He says it's at least a half hour more. Go on back. Tiny. You're cold in this wind anyway. It's a rotten day and we aren't going to have any fun, anyway.

    All right, she said, and climbed up the grassy bank.

    Peduzzi was down at the river and did not notice her till she was almost out of sight over the crest. Frau! he shouted. Frau! Fraulein! You're not going? She went on over the crest of the hill.

    She's gone! said Peduzzi. It shocked him.

    He took off the rubber bands that held the rod segments together and commenced to joint up one of the rods.

    But you said it was half an hour further.

    Oh, yes. It is good half an hour down. It is good here, too.

    Really?

    Of course. It is good here and good there too.

    The y.g sat down on the bank and jointed up a rod, put on the reel and threaded the line through the guides. He felt uncomfortable and afraid that any minute a gamekeeper or a posse of citizens would come over the bank from the town. He could see the houses of the town and the campanile over the edge of the hill. He opened his leader box. Peduzzi leaned over and dug his flat, hard thumb and forefinger in and tangled the moistened leaders.

    Have you some lead?

    No.

    You must have some lead. Peduzzi was excited. You must have piombo. Piombo. A little piombo. Just here. Just above the hook or your bait will float on the water. You must have it. Just a little piombo.

    Have you got some?

    No. He looked through his pockets desperately. Sifting through the cloth dirt in the linings of his inside military pockets. I haven't any. We must have piombo.
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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try lofi jazz producer ctrltu's album "Turn".





    2/19/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #50: Six Word Shootout 2


    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.


    #50
    Six Word Shootout 2

    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. All the words will either have homonyms or have easy substitution options, so look for those homonyms!

    Required Words: Three, With, Bury, Ate, Dough, Flour

    -

    Bonus Exercise: Also include these words somewhere in the text: Free, Width, Berry, Eight, Doe and Flower. 
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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try the album Slatyam Stoot by Ska/Reggae legends Toots and the Maytals. And you're not mistaken, the first song, that's their take on the classic Kingsmen song "Louie Louie".




    2/18/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #49: Ekphrastic Diner 5


    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.

    #49
    Ekphrastic Diner 5




    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 piece of digital art called "Far Away" by reddit user EarthtoKeebs.

    No handholding today. Like the subject of this painting you're all on your own. Are you writing from the perspective of the man, someone seeing the man? Is he actually alone or is there someone on the other side of the booth? If so, who? What was on his plate before this moment? What's with that sad, eyes half-closed look? Is he sad or just tired? Is that his truck? Lots to work with. You got this.
    ---

    If you'd like background writing music try this album of acoustic guitar duets.




    2/17/20

    The Publishing Life: Journal Submission Journal 2/17/20


    Journal Submission Journal 2/17/20

    I mostly stuck to the Discovery tab in Submittable and scrutinizing any magazines I wasn't familiar with in Entropy Mag's Where to submit post. February 2020 isn't long for this timeline, so it's good to keep an eye out for upcoming deadlines. I also had been riding high over the fall and early winter with sending out those $3 submissions but now I am having to choose them very carefully and limiting myself to only a few. I'm trying to save up some money to go to the AWP San Antonio conference in March but not sure if the $ will work out, unfortunately.

    I received two personal responses this morning from journals I'd only previously gotten form rejections from, and I did also rediscover a journal I'd submitted to back in 2006, but not since. However, my streak of rejections in a row is over 20, so for you folks that are relatively or entirely new to submitting, keep that in mind. For every poem most literary journals accept, they reject 200, or even far more, many of them perfectly fine and even good—just not right for the publication at the time. There are a myriad of reasons why that might be, but it's just the fact of the matter. There is certainly a fair amount of luck in the submission game—but having a good, well crafted product which you're selling is also vital. Following will be a few journals I've discovered recently and a few classics.



    Lists:

    Entropy Mag's list of where to submit is a great resource and I definitely combed through it quite a bit this last month.
    Submittable Discover Tab. Good for upcoming deadlines.


    Journals

    San Joaquin Review: This is CSU Fresno's MFA program's literary journal. They seem to like people with a connection to California or central California but it doesn't look to be a requirement. They accept all genres, have a few samples on their website and have a March 1st deadline.

    Rubbertop Review: This is University of Akron's MFA program's print literary journal, they accept all genres and although their website says the deadline is Feb. 15th, their submittable page is open until March 1st.

    Camas, The Nature of the West: This journal is definitely specific people living and writing about nature in the american west. Their current call is for a theme that "interrogate what it means to live in this modern moment, when it seems that we’re running out of time". Specifically, they want pieces responding to this Martin Luther King quote:
    “We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”
    The William and Mary Review: This journal is College of William and Mary’s long-running literary and artistic print magazine. They lean toward the more accessible. They have a March 1st deadline.

    Heavy Feather Review: This unconventional journal runs multiple features with regular publication on their website. They aren't your home for basic, straightforward, 'pretty' poetry. Right now they have submission calls open for Bad Survivalist, Haunted Passages and #NoMorePresidents. Read the descriptions and some pieces in the feature before you decide if you'd like to submit.

    Salamander: This is Suffolk University's print literary magazine that's been publishing since 1992. They publish really good work and are often included in the year end 'best of' anthologies. They have an April 1st deadline.

    Lake Effect: This is Penn State—Behrend's long-running print journal. I have more than a couple issues on my journal shelf (well, bookshelves. I have a problem, haha) They accept all genres and have rolling submissions.


    Five Points: This is Georgia State University's premiere print literary magazine. Quite well known and a staple of the 'best of' anthologies, know that competition is extremely keen, also their submission fee is high. But, the journal is spectacular, so it's worth giving it a shot if the you have a budget for submissions. They do charge a $3 submission fee for flash fiction, and a whopping $4.75 for fiction and poetry—and that's 3 poems only. Probably the highest fee in a journal that I recommend submitting too, but even then it's with that caveat. 

    Sycamore Review: This is Purdue's acclaimed print literary journal. They also charge a fee, a flat $3 for all genres (art is free). They have a March 31st deadline.

    *

    I'd love to hear other journals you fine folks have found recently, or are your favorites too! And if this post or my blog in general has been helpful, I'd really appreciate any donations you might be able to spare. I'm trying to raise money to go to the AWP conference in San Antonio in the beginning of March and any little bit you can spare will help. I'll definitely report back with articles about cool stuff I saw, read and learned. But likely, it'll be just the usual keep on, keepin' on.



    2020 Writing Exercise Series #48: 3x5x7 Wordbank Sprints 6


    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.

    #48
    3x5x7 Wordbank Sprints 6
    For today's writing exercise complete the following steps. The wordbank exercise has changed so be sure to take a peek at the new 'rules'. I recommend using the timer on your phone or computer and setting it for 1 minute. Each time you write a sentence, quickly reset the timer. If it goes off before you're finished with the sentence—wrap it up ASAP!

    In order to complete the large number of sentences demanded of this exercise it is imperative that you write fast. Don't think too much at all until you've reached the final exercise. The process of this quick production is to thrust past second guesses or other stumbling blocks that sometimes impede your writing. You're aiming to write 23 sentences in at most 20 minutes so you have ten minutes to organize and write that actual piece, so you're going to be writing more than a sentence a minute.

    WRITE FAST, DON'T OVERTHINK


    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. Repeat the process five (5) times using different combinations. No dawdling! 
    2. Now write three (3) sentences that are six (6) words or fewer in length that use any two (2) words from the wordbanks.
    3. Now write three (3) sentences that use four (4) or more of the words.
    4. Now write five (5) sentences which begin with one (1) of the words and contain a second one (1) of the words.
    5. Now write five (5) sentences which are fewer than ten (10) words in length and conclude with one (1) of the words from the wordbanks. Remember, keep up the pace! Don't overthink!
    6. Now rephrase two (2) of your sentences from exercise #1 in either a more efficient or more descriptive manner.
    7. Now write a piece of fiction or poetry that uses at least three (3) of the sentences you've written throughout this process of exercises. 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:
    • Lurid
    • Broach
    • Brick
    • Tilled
    • Floral
    Wordbank 2:
    • Tea
    • Bamboo
    • Granular
    • Gradient
    • Wreckage

    Wordbank 3
    :
    • Wrest
    • Loop
    • Luscious
    • Vaccine
    • Projection

    Bonus writing exercise: Include an image of a glacier calving, and a the phrase "Blue in the face" either in your piece or as the title.

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    Want some mellow background writing music? Try this compilation album of Greek Electronic artists called "Micro Beat"




    2/16/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #47: Between a Fact and an Exact Place 6


    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.
    #47
    Between a Fact and an Exact Place 6
    For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following place (either as the setting, referenced or some aspect of it described) and the following fact in some way (its discovery, used as a metaphor, witnessed etc).




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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try Vivaldi's Concertos for Bassoon played by Klaus Thuneman.







    2/15/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #46: Title Mania Plus Running 7


    The Notebooking Daily 2020 Writing Series is here! These are 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.
    #46
    Title Mania Plus Running 7

    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:
    1. Running Errands 'Real Quick'
    2. A Marathon of Sorts
    3. Sprinting Toward the Tape
    4. Rundown
    5. Runway in Disrepair

    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)
    1. The first or second word of your piece must be "Sick".
    2. You must include at least five words which rhyme with "Wheat".
    3. You must include the smell of burning food.
    4. You must include the words "Traits" "Tomcat" "Erased" "Prong" and "Vitamin".
    5. You must include in your piece at least three different shades of blue.

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Train Trip to Tokyo" lofi hip hop mix by Pueblo Vista.





    2/14/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #45: Three Things Together 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.

    #45
    Three Things Together 7
    For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, Nice and simple.

    1. A Paring Knife
    2. Elmer Fudd
    3. A Flash Flood

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this Nighttime Ramen lofi mix by Chillhop Music




    2/13/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #44: Between a Fact and an Exact Place 5


    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.
    #44
    Between a Fact and an Exact Place 5
    For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following place (either as the setting, referenced or some aspect of it described) and the following fact in some way (its discovery, used as a metaphor, witnessed etc).



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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try Hilary Hahn with the Frankfurt Orchestra playing Brahms.








    2/12/20

    2020 Writing Exercise Series #43: Rhymebank Rounds-Rhyming Poem 2


    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. 
    This may be pushing 45 unless you're really writing fast.

    #43
    Rhymebank Rounds-Rhyming Poem 2

    Rhymbank Rounds are a new type of exercise. Kind of like the Wordbank sprints, but there will be more focus on editing and re-writing, and you'll complete a piece, with the main focus of the exercises being on Like Sounds. If you're typing I suggest copy/pasting the lines you're editing to save time, save the originals in their own exercise space.


    1. Take three minutes and jot down/type all rhymes and slant rhymes (include phrases for multi-syllabic words/feminine rhymes) you can think of just off the top of your head for the word: Slick. If you have trouble getting more than ten or so remember to rhyme with slit and picked. You want to have close to thirty (30) words even if they're only kind of rhyming.
    2. Pick four of those words you wrote down and underline/bold them. Write three sentences for each of those words which include at least two other words from the rhymebank you generated from #1. Try to use even more words without making the sentence awkward or too weird—a little weird can be good though.
    3. Fragment time! Write down ten (10) sentence fragments which end with words from your rhymebank—they should end in either a comma or a period. Try to work in additional 'like' sounds if you can. You don't need to know the rest of the sentence or the context so something like "a broken brown brick" or "which is his pick?".
    4. Fragment time 2! Write at least ten (10) 5-word partial sentences that use at least two (2) words from your list. Don't worry about context or what might be being said, just make sure you can make some logic of the phrasing.
    5. Short fragment time! Write five (5) three-word partial sentences which use two (2) words from your rhymebank back to back. No dawdling, but try to switch it up and use words you hadn't yet if you can. An example would be "a thick stick" or "he bit quick".
      -
    Poem or story time!
    1. Rhymed Poem: Write a poem that is 12 lines in four tercets (3-lined stanzas) with the rhyme scheme ABA CBC ABC BBB with B being words from your rhymebank. Try to use fragments from the previous exercises and even the rhymebank itself to fill out your poem with as many 'like' sounds as you can within the lines. If you want more guidance, pick your favorite 3 fragments that ends in the rhymebank sound that can be an ending. Your favorite is what you will build your ending around. If it works as the end of a poem have that be the end and try to use one of your other fragments as one of the other B rhymes. Once you have your final stanza, pick one word that doesn't rhyme with B that has a good amount of rhymes, that will be your rhyme for A. Repeat step 1 and pick your favorite 3 for your A rhymes. Now write that first stanza, knowing you have the rhyme scheme, one fragment (end of line) and it's in the context of that it's the beginning of the poem leading to that final stanza you've already written. Start with something not directly in line, but that has something in common with the ending. Use the poem to go from that opening stanza to the final one. Don't try to do too much, write descriptively and only include at most one more 'thing' beyond the first and last stanza, you don't want to leave bits of the poem unexplored and you are only working with 12 lines here. If you're feeling especially motivated when you've written the final stanza feel free to either add 9 more lines (first 3 tercets repeated before the final one) or just straight double the rhyme scheme and lines so it is a 24 lined poem that ends with a second BBB stanza.
    2. Free form narrative: Pick your ten favorite fragments and find a way to fit those pieces together. What do I mean by fit them together? I mean that you're required to use ten of the fragments you'd written in a coherent piece by adding connective tissue and exposition/whatever needs to get you narratively from one line to the next. Whether you write this as a story or a poem is up to you. 
    3. Title Mania: Write a piece that uses your favorite fragment as your title.
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    If you'd like some background music, try this 1963 surf rock instrumental album "Surfin' Wild" by Jim Waller And The Deltas.