5/31/21

2021 Writing Exercise Series #151: Dueling Six Word Shootout 15

The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

#151
Dueling Six Word Shootout 15
For today's writing exercise write a piece that includes one or both of the following sets of 6 words. Don't front-load them all into the beginning of your piece, save at least one or two for somewhere to 'aim' your piece. Remember sestinas have 6 different end-words, but don't let me tell you what to write. Just use all 6 (or twelve) words in a fashion that isn't throw-away. Don't put them in in a way that you'll definitely later edit them out because they don't add to the piece. Make them important. This might require a little brainstorming at first. Don't be afraid, you can do it!

Set 1: 
1) Five 
2) Hive
3) Ivory 
4) Gory 
5) Abhorring 
6) Priority 

Set 2:
7) Forty 
8) Resorting 
9) Courting 
10) Alive
11) Vibe
12) Flooring

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Bonus Exercise: If that's not enough, also include the following three things: London, A Sail Boat, and A Pair of Sneakers.
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If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Morning Vibes" lofi mix.

5/30/21

2021 Writing Exercise Series #150: Ekphrastic Fantastic 13

The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

#150
Ekphrastic Fantastic 13

For today, we're pairing images for you to respond to. The two images will be contrasting and it will be up to you how they can interact, how your writing can make the two pieces of art meet. Or, just pick one of the images and run with it if you'd rather. I'm not here to tell you exactly what to do, just to help you get the ball rolling. But if it was me, I would look for commonalities or how one image could be an imagination or memory or media within the other image, or if they exist in the same 'world', how you can get from one point in space and time to the other. But you do you boo-boo.


Image 1: This 1914 painting titled "Love of Winter" by the artist George Wesley Bellows.


Image 2:  This photo of a man in a suit flying a kite by Umut YILMAN on Unsplash


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How do these two images play off of each other in your mind? Are you going from one to the other or do they intermingle in your piece? Is the man somewhere in the scene, flying his kite alone in the winter as other are interacting together? Is this the same location a century apart? Happening simultaneously on opposite sides of the world? Is the first image from that man's past or something his ancestor's experienced? Had he just gone to a museum before deciding to fly a kite? Are they completely unrelated? You decide. Don't overthink it, take a couple minutes perhaps, but dive in and make this happen!

You got this!
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If you'd like background writing music, try this Fall 2019 Chillhop Essentials lofi mix.

5/29/21

2021 Writing Exercise Series #149: Erasing EAP "The Oblong Box" 2

The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes. 

#149
Erasing EAP "The Oblong Box" 2

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 Edgar Allen Poe's 1844 short story "The Oblong Box".

Edgar Allen Poe is considered by some to be the writer that solidified the short story genre as, well, a genre. Not the first writer of short stories, or even popular short stories, but he wrote enough of them that with the stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, Irving Washington and others, critics were finally like—fine. Short stories can be a thing.

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, or themes.

If you insist on fiction (or if one of these strikes you), write a piece with one of these titles taken from this section:

  1. Making Sail
  2. The Ordinary Temperament of Genius
  3. Customary Fits of Moody Misanthropy
  4. In a Few Hurried Words
  5. Positively Ugly
  6. An Oblong Pine Box
  7. In Sprawling Capitals 


Erasure Selection:

from "The Oblong Box"

    I did not receive the expected message from the captain for nearly a week. It came at length, however, and I immediately went on board. The ship was crowded with passengers, and every thing was in the bustle attendant upon making sail. Wyatt's party arrived in about ten minutes after myself. There were the two sisters, the bride, and the artist—the latter in one of his customary fits of moody misanthropy. I was too well used to these, however, to pay them any special attention. He did not even introduce me to his wife;—this courtesy devolving, per force, upon his sister Marian—a very sweet and intelligent girl, who, in a few hurried words, made us acquainted.

    Mrs. Wyatt had been closely veiled; and when she raised her veil, in acknowledging my bow, I confess that I was very profoundly astonished. I should have been much more so, however, had not long experience advised me not to trust, with too implicit a reliance, the enthusiastic descriptions of my friend, the artist, when indulging in comments upon the loveliness of woman. When beauty was the theme, I well knew with what facility he soared into the regions of the purely ideal.

    The truth is, I could not help regarding Mrs. Wyatt as a decidedly plain-looking woman. If not positively ugly, she was not, I think, very far from it. She was dressed, however, in exquisite taste—and then I had no doubt that she had captivated my friend's heart by the more enduring graces of the intellect and soul. She said very few words, and passed at once into her state-room with Mr. W.

    My old inquisitiveness now returned. There was NO servant—THAT was a settled point. I looked, therefore, for the extra baggage. After some delay, a cart arrived at the wharf, with an oblong pine box, which was every thing that seemed to be expected. Immediately upon its arrival we made sail, and in a short time were safely over the bar and standing out to sea.

    The box in question was, as I say, oblong. It was about six feet in length by two and a half in breadth; I observed it attentively, and like to be precise. Now this shape was PECULIAR; and no sooner had I seen it, than I took credit to myself for the accuracy of my guessing. I had reached the conclusion, it will be remembered, that the extra baggage of my friend, the artist, would prove to be pictures, or at least a picture; for I knew he had been for several weeks in conference with Nicolino:—and now here was a box, which, from its shape, COULD possibly contain nothing in the world but a copy of Leonardo's "Last Supper;" and a copy of this very "Last Supper," done by Rubini the younger, at Florence, I had known, for some time, to be in the possession of Nicolino. This point, therefore, I considered as sufficiently settled. I chuckled excessively when I thought of my acumen. It was the first time I had ever known Wyatt to keep from me any of his artistical secrets; but here he evidently intended to steal a march upon me, and smuggle a fine picture to New York, under my very nose; expecting me to know nothing of the matter. I resolved to quiz him WELL, now and hereafter.

    One thing, however, annoyed me not a little. The box did NOT go into the extra stateroom. It was deposited in Wyatt's own; and there, too, it remained, occupying very nearly the whole of the floor—no doubt to the exceeding discomfort of the artist and his wife;—this the more especially as the tar or paint with which it was lettered in sprawling capitals, emitted a strong, disagreeable, and, to my fancy, a peculiarly disgusting odor. On the lid were painted the words—"Mrs. Adelaide Curtis, Albany, New York. Charge of Cornelius Wyatt, Esq. This side up. To be handled with care."

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As your background music sommelier, I've chosen to again pair Vangelis with your "Erasing Edgar Allen Poe", "The Obling Box" series. For this sampling I've selected Vangelis' album "Bitter Moon".

5/28/21

2021 Writing Exercise Series #148 Micro 101 Episode 12

The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

#148
Micro 101 Episode 12

For today's writing exercise you will write a few micro-poems or micro-fictions. These will be either poems under 20 lines or stories under 200 words.

For inspiration go read some micro or hint fiction in this Buzzfeed article, at Microfiction MondayAlbaMolecule50 Word Stories and Nanoism. Or also this Barnstorm blog post "How Microfiction Could Transform Social Media".

Read the full prompt twice before you start writing, because you're looking to keep it minimal, so have ideas. If your first draft is longer don't fret. Hone it down. And the piece will be what it is. I've started out with a goal of 100 words but hit on something and had to cull the end result from 1350 to 1200 for a contest because I loved the result. So each story will be its own beast, but we're ideally aiming for 20 lines or 100-200 words with these.

Micro Exercise 1: 100 Year Storm. Tell the story of a neighborhood or village that is struck by an insanely strong storm, like what news programs every few years call a "100 Year Storm" but actually that rare (or rarer). If you want extra guidance, include a person who must go out in the storm to retrieve something very vital.
Micro Exercise 2: Sun Shower. Write a short piece in which an early afternoon, despite being sunny and practically cloudless, is interupted by a quick 'sun shower' or light rain while the sun is still shining. A pleasant activity should be happening when the rain starts, and at least one person should get irrationally mad or upset by the rain (which they see as 'ruining' something).
Micro Exercise 3: 'Talkin about the weather' 1. Write a micro piece which is mostly dialogue which revolves around 'the weather' but which a friend or family member's recent death is very lightly addressed/subtly talked about. 
Micro Exercise 4: 'Talkin about the weather' 2Take 4 minutes and watch this short video about different 'weird weather events'. Be inspired by that, and write a short conversation in which one of those events is being described to someone who just isn't getting it. Be sure to include some humor, and some interesting actions or descriptions.
Micro Exercise 5: Rain in the Night. Write a piece in which two character's rainy evenings are compared very briefly, one who is working out in the rain, and the other who mostly sleeps through the night rain. Be sure to give us some quirky or interesting details.

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If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Autumn Mix '20" lofi mix.

5/27/21

2021 Writing Exercise Series #147: Title Mania "Strong" 14

The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

#147
Title Mania "Strong" 14

For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose that utilizes one of the following titles, and if you want extra 'bonus points' also include the three items from below the title list. There is absolutely nothing that these potential titles have in common, I swear.

Titles:
  1. Strong Coffee at 4 a.m.
  2. The Strongman Contest in the Land of Weaklings
  3. Built Stronger
  4. Strong Smells
  5. Especially Strong
  6. We Are Strong
  7. Strong Tea, Weak Tea
Bonus Exercise: Three Things
(Your piece must also include the following three 'things', if you choose this option)
  1. An Iceberg
  2.  Spitting
  3. A Hermit
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If you'd like some background music try jazz pianist Bill Evans live performances from '64 and '75.

5/26/21

Hump Day Submission Carousel 18

#18: 5/26/21

It's Wednesday, so you know what that means! HUMP DAY SUBMISSIONS! Because it's easy to fall off the submission train during the week I'm presenting you with 3 cool and very different small journals currently open for submissions to save you research time! Pick one of the three journals presented and read some of the pieces in your genre. If you're not digging them, check the next journal. Don't agonize over it, if you're not enjoying the writing or you don't feel your writing would fit in there move along to the next journal. If none of them seem to fit... maybe next week?

Journal 1: Empty House Press.  Empty House Press is an online literary magazine that publishes . They read no fee submissions via an individual submission platform. As always I recommend reading the most recent issue in your genre before submitting to them. And definitely check out the submission guidelines as always.


"We are looking for writing that addresses the way narrative and presence adhere to place and the way they vanish. We encourage broad interpretations of what the idea or image of an empty house might evoke. This includes but is not limited to writing about home, landscape, place, memory, and of course, the atmosphere of previously inhabited spaces."

2021 Writing Exercise Series #146 We Bought Anaphora—Repetition Files 7

The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

#146
We Bought Anaphora—Repetition Files 7

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 above-linked Poetry Foundation article, even if you know the term. For even more fun check out this longer article called Adventures in Anaphora.

Your mission is to use the following phrase to begin at least 6 sentences.

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

"We bought..." 

    There are a number of ways you could approach this bit of anaphora—is the running meaning working, retreating from something, advancing on something, is it giving the finer points of running track as opposed to just 'running'? Whatever you do, just be sure that the repeated phrase earns its worth in your piece, and it should in some way build upon what came before it. The repetition should be necessary and not merely redundant.


    Bonus Exercise:
     Include these five words into your piece "Earrings" "Chemistry" "Mayor" "Remnants" and "Glitter".
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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try Ryo Kawasaki's 1976 debut jazz fusion album - "Juice". 

    Something interesting from the You Tube comments about this artist: "Ryo Kawasaki was an incredible guy and truly brilliant. Studied quantum physics at Nippon University, was scouted by Gil Evans almost as soon as he arrived in NY, played on one of the hottest Elvin Jones albums, designed the very first guitar synthesizers, played on THE first ever digitally recorded album, along with many other achievements. Definitely a guitar hero."

    5/25/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #145: Beginning, Middle & End 14

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #145
    Beginning, Middle & End 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, includes another thing or event somewhere beyond the first and before the last stanza/paragraph, and ends with another required 'thing'.

    Begin WithA horse running.

    Somewhere in the middle: A river is crossed.

    End WithA comet (or shooting star) being watched.

    Extra Credit RequirementsYour title or first line must include the word Salmon, and the phrase "Hungry for ____" must appear at least two times in your piece.

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    If you'd like some background writing music try this "Rainy Day" piano and rain playlist.

    5/24/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #144: 'Wedding' Multi-Prompt 4

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #144
    'Wedding' Multi-Prompt 4
    For today's writing exercise you actually have 4 choices! In the spirit of a wedding needing "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue." The first offered prompt is one from Notebooking Daily's past, the second is a brand new prompt for the day of one prompt theme or another, the third prompt is a 'borrowed' prompt from one of Sparked's 'Prompting Partners', and the fourth prompt is a wildcard riffing on the idea of 'Something Blue'. Take a look and dive in! First thought, best thought for these prompts.

    Something Old: Five Random Constraints: 12/13/15 "Lefty" (Published on Notebooking Daily on 12/13/15 this prompt is to write a piece that includes or is constrained by 5 limitations—for instance, #1 is "Five different words beginning with the letter K must be used.")

    Something New: Three things (include these things in a piece): A Calendar, A Pothole, and Polka Dots

    Something Borrowed: 3Elements Review ISSUE NO. 18 SPRING 2018 (use the following three things in your piece: Fuse, Accordion, Scrape). Reminder, this piece can be sent to Sparked Lit Mag! It doesn't have to have been written when the issue was currently reading.

    Something Blue: Write a piece that centers around someone flying through the bright blue sky (not in an airplane, shuttle, balloon or dirigible). 

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Six Strings" Acoustic Lofi mix again from our lofi buddy Dreamy.

    5/23/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #143: Three Things, Five Words 14

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #143
    Three Things, Five Words 14
    For today's writing exercise you will write a piece of poetry or prose which contains the following three things, and these five individual words. The three things should be important to the piece, not just a throwaway reference used because it has to be. This is prompt time, baby! 

    If you're not sure where to start, begin by finding a connection between two of the 'things'—whether that is a shared appearance, locale, one of the things might interact with another (or all three), some way that the two are likened or could be physically together. Use one of the things with two of the 'words' in the beginning of the piece and explore for a bit, knowing that you're aiming at the second ''thing' (where the two 'things' have their connection) about 1/3-1/2 of the way through what you imagine the length of the piece (which may be totally off). By then you should have a direction and it's off to the races, with that third 'thing' in your pathway to the finishing line.

    'Three Things'
    1. A Baseball Glove
    2. Pliers
    3. A Snowbank
    'Five Words' 
    Include these five words in your piece: 
    Flush, Shaggy, Split, Mug, Pluto.

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Welcome to the Underground" mix from our lofi buddy Dreamy.

    5/22/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #142: Between a Fact and an Exact Place 11

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes. 

    #142
    Between a Fact and an Exact Place 11

    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 the words "Augur" "Flint" "Glove" "Zoo" and "Yank".

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Summer Vibes" lofi playlist.

    5/21/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #141: Dueling Six Word Shootout 14

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #141
    Dueling Six Word Shootout 14
    For today's writing exercise write a piece that includes one or both of the following sets of 6 words. Don't front-load them all into the beginning of your piece, save at least one or two for somewhere to 'aim' your piece. Remember sestinas have 6 different end-words, but don't let me tell you what to write. Just use all 6 (or twelve) words in a fashion that isn't throw-away. Don't put them in in a way that you'll definitely later edit them out because they don't add to the piece. Make them important. This might require a little brainstorming at first. Don't be afraid, you can do it!

    Set 1: 
    1) History 
    2) Forty
    3) Knee 
    4) Below 
    5) Phyllo 
    6) Curry 

    Set 2:
    7) Dough 
    8) Resewn 
    9) Worthy 
    10) Vinyl
    11) Snorting
    12) Boring

    ---
    Bonus Exercise: If that's not enough, also include the following three things: St. Louis, Salt Water, and A Unicycle.
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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try Canadian piano virtuoso Oscar Peterson's album "Tenderly".

    5/20/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #140: Erasing Roger Ebert 29 "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #140
    Erasing Roger Ebert 29 "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"

    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!

    Poetry: For poetry do an erasure or black-out poem from the following:  Roger Ebert's review of the 1994 film "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" (one star).

    Roger Ebert has been the archetypal film critic for decades, and he's written thousands of reviews. Because of their nature, almost their own bit of ekphrastic art, this series of erasures will be lots of fun!

    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 'bingo' occurs multiple times and could be a good touchstone for your piece.

    Fiction or (poetry): If you insist on fiction (or just feel like writing a "Title Mania" piece), write a piece with one of these  titles taken from this section:

    1. The French Consider Jerry Lewis the Greatest Screen Comedian of All Time
    2. Acting More Normal
    3. Strange Shapes
    4. Like those zookeepers on late-night talk shows who always have pets crawling out of their collars
    5. Simultaneously a Spectacularly Good and Bad Detective
    6. Weird Nerdy Strangeness


    Erasure Selection:

    Roger Ebert's review of "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective"

    You know that the French consider Jerry Lewis the greatest screen comedian of all time. You've looked at some Lewis comedies, but you don't get the joke. You know that a lot of critics praised Steve Martin in "The Jerk," but you liked him better after he started acting more normal. You are not a promising candidate to see "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective." The movie stars Jim Carrey, best known as the all-purpose white guy on "In Living Color," as a Miami detective who specializes in animals. He'll find your missing bird or your kidnapped pedigree dog. And as the movie opens, he's hired by the Miami Dolphins football team to find their mascot, a dolphin named Snowflake, which is mysteriously missing from its home in a large tank at the stadium.

    The plot deepens, if that is the word, when Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino also disappears.

    Carrey plays Ace as if he's being clocked on an Energy-O-Meter, and paid by the calories expended. He's a hyper goon who likes to screw his mouth into strange shapes while playing variations on the language. He shares his house with so many animals that he's like those zookeepers on late-night talk shows who always have pets crawling out of their collars. And he is simultaneously a spectacularly good and bad detective.

    The story eventually involves Sean Young, who is much too talented for roles like Lt. Einhorn of the Miami police department; Udo Kier, once a distinguished German actor-director, now Ronald Camp, sinister millionaire; Courteney Cox, as the Dolphin's chief publicist; and Noble Willingham as the team's owner. Most of the people look as if they would rather be in other movies. Sean Young is a trouper, however, and does her best with dialogue like, "Listen, pet dick. How would you like me to make your life a living hell?" The movie basically has one joke, which is Ace Ventura's weird nerdy strangeness. If you laugh at this joke, chances are you laugh at Jerry Lewis, too, and I can sympathize with you even if I can't understand you. I found the movie a long, unfunny slog through an impenetrable plot. Kids might like it.

    Real little kids.

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    If you'd like some background music, try this "Catching a vibe" lofi playlist from our good lofi buddy Dreamy.
     

    5/19/21

    Hump Day Submission Carousel 17

    #17: 5/19/21

    It's Wednesday, so you know what that means! HUMP DAY SUBMISSIONS! Because it's easy to fall off the submission train during the week I'm presenting you with 3 cool and very different small journals currently open for submissions to save you research time! Pick one of the three journals presented and read some of the pieces in your genre. If you're not digging them, check the next journal. Don't agonize over it, if you're not enjoying the writing or you don't feel your writing would fit in there move along to the next journal. If none of them seem to fit... maybe next week?

    Today I'm going with the theme of 'Highly Ranked Print Mags', as in journals that can be found on the various ranking lists by John Fox, Erika Krouse or Clifford Garstrang, the terrific trio of 'lit mag rankers'. Even though these journals are 'highly ranked', they still need to fill their pages! Take a look and maybe give one (or all) your best shot.

    Journal 1: Crazyhorse.  Crazyhorse is the great print journal out of the College of Charleston. A long-running print journal that is a unique square design (I mean, they're not the only ones, but one of the few). They read $3 submissions via Submittable until May 31st. As always I recommend reading some of your genre in the online features before submitting to them. Also check out this interview the fiction editor did with Bennington Review. Or this one he did with Long River Review.

    Rankings: JF: 29 | EK T3 (Elite litmags with SMALLER circulation: prizewinning, usually decent payment) | CG 40/73/132 (Fiction/Nonfiction/Poetry)


    Fiction: Crazyhorse is open to all narrative styles and forms, and are always on the lookout for something we haven’t seen before. Send a story we won’t be able to forget.
    Poetry: Crazyhorse aims to publish work that reflects the multiple poetries of the twenty-first century.

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #139: How to... 9

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #139
    How to... 9

    For today's prompt we are focusing on imperative directional pieces. What does that mean? A "How to"! You don't have to title your piece "How to ..." (though you certainly can if you'd like to), you could write a prose piece that merely includes someone giving another directions or you could make it a step by step process like a recipe, however you want to interpret the prompt, the process that is the 'how to' should merely be described at some length during your piece, in some fashion. 

    For a couple examples of "How to" pieces. "How to Get There" by Philip Levine, "How to tie a knot" by James Kimbrell, the villanelle "The Grammar Lesson" by Steve Kowit, Mónica de la Torre's wonderful "How to Look at Mexican Highways". and the awesome short story "How to Write a True War Story" by Tim O'Brien.

    How toBeat a Pesky Sense of Self Control.

    Extra Credit RequirementsYour piece must include a desert setting (or reference) and the words "Textiles" "Leaf" "Flaccid" "Silty" and "Carapace".

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    If you'd like some background music try this "Inspire Your Soul" lofi mix.

    5/18/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #138 Micro 101 Episode 11

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #138
    Micro 101 Episode 11

    For today's writing exercise you will write a few micro-poems or micro-fictions. These will be either poems under 20 lines or stories under 200 words.

    For inspiration go read some micro or hint fiction in this Buzzfeed article, at Microfiction MondayAlbaMolecule50 Word Stories and Nanoism. Or also this Barnstorm blog post "How Microfiction Could Transform Social Media".

    Read the full prompt twice before you start writing, because you're looking to keep it minimal, so have ideas. If your first draft is longer don't fret. Hone it down. And the piece will be what it is. I've started out with a goal of 100 words but hit on something and had to cull the end result from 1350 to 1200 for a contest because I loved the result. So each story will be its own beast, but we're ideally aiming for 20 lines or 100-200 words with these.

    Micro Exercise 1: Childhood Bike Crash. Tell the story of a child crashing their bike. For the first time or the fiftieth, that's up to you. Give us lots of good details, and at the end use an adult narrator's voice to offer perspective and consider how that injury stacks up to future injuries they had, include three specific 'hurt' examples.
    Micro Exercise 2: Adult Bike Crash. Write a short piece which an adult has had a number of alcoholic beverages and attempts to ride a bike (perhaps for the first time in a long time), they recall a specific 'feat' they claim to have once accomplished on their bike as a child.
    Micro Exercise 3: Biking Off a Cliff 1. Write a micro in which a person (in a dream or real life) pedals directly at a large cliff/drop off and goes over the edge. 
    Micro Exercise 4: Biking Off a Cliff 2. Take 3 minutes and watch this video of mountain bike 'freeriders' at the 2015 Red Bull Rampage competition. Using what you've seen as inspiration, write a micro in which a narrator watches or participates in either a competition like this, trains for one, or imagines themselves training for it despite practicing on very very small obstacles.
    Micro Exercise 5: The Jam Session 3. Write a piece in which a commuter is on an absolutely jam-packed subway or bus when they strike up a conversation with a stranger they're pressed up against only to find out they have something unusual in common. Do the characters try to keep in touch or part ways never to meet again? You tell us!

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    If you'd like some background music to write to, try this "Hollow Knight" relaxing game music and rain mix.

    5/17/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #137: Erasing EAP "The Oblong Box" 1

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes. 

    #137
    Erasing EAP "The Oblong Box" 1

    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 Edgar Allen Poe's 1844 short story "The Oblong Box".

    Edgar Allen Poe is considered by some to be the writer that solidified the short story genre as, well, a genre. Not the first writer of short stories, or even popular short stories, but he wrote enough of them that with the stories of Nathaniel Hawthorne, Charles Dickens, Irving Washington and others, critics were finally like—fine. Short stories can be a thing.

    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, or themes.

    If you insist on fiction (or if one of these strikes you), write a piece with one of these titles taken from this section:

    1. Weather Permitting
    2. The Ordinary Temperament of Genius
    3. A Compound of Misanthropy
    4. Two Berths
    5. Inquisitive About Trifles
    6. Designed in Hope
    7. Repaired 


    Erasure Selection:

    from "The Oblong Box"

    Some years ago, I engaged passage from Charleston, S. C, to the city of New York, in the fine packet-ship "Independence," Captain Hardy. We were to sail on the fifteenth of the month (June), weather permitting; and on the fourteenth, I went on board to arrange some matters in my stateroom.

        I found that we were to have a great many passengers, including a more than usual number of ladies. On the list were several of my acquaintances, and among other names, I was rejoiced to see that of Mr. Cornelius Wyatt, a young artist, for whom I entertained feelings of warm friendship. He had been with me a fellow-student at C—— University, where we were very much together. He had the ordinary temperament of genius, and was a compound of misanthropy, sensibility, and enthusiasm. To these qualities he united the warmest and truest heart which ever beat in a human bosom.

        I observed that his name was carded upon THREE state-rooms; and, upon again referring to the list of passengers, I found that he had engaged passage for himself, wife, and two sisters—his own. The state-rooms were sufficiently roomy, and each had two berths, one above the other. These berths, to be sure, were so exceedingly narrow as to be insufficient for more than one person; still, I could not comprehend why there were THREE staterooms for these four persons. I was, just at that epoch, in one of those moody frames of mind which make a man abnormally inquisitive about trifles: and I confess, with shame, that I busied myself in a variety of ill- bred and preposterous conjectures about this matter of the supernumerary stateroom. It was no business of mine, to be sure, but with none the less pertinacity did I occupy myself in attempts to resolve the enigma. At last I reached a conclusion which wrought in me great wonder why I had not arrived at it before. "It is a servant of course," I said; "what a fool I am, not sooner to have thought of so obvious a solution!" And then I again repaired to the list—but here I saw distinctly that NO servant was to come with the party, although, in fact, it had been the original design to bring one—for the words "and servant" had been first written and then over-scored. "Oh, extra baggage, to be sure," I now said to myself—"something he wishes not to be put in the hold—something to be kept under his own eye—ah, I have it—a painting or so—and this is what he has been bargaining about with Nicolino, the Italian Jew." This idea satisfied me, and I dismissed my curiosity for the nonce.

        Wyatt's two sisters I knew very well, and most amiable and clever girls they were. His wife he had newly married, and I had never yet seen her. He had often talked about her in my presence, however, and in his usual style of enthusiasm. He described her as of surpassing beauty, wit, and accomplishment. I was, therefore, quite anxious to make her acquaintance.

        On the day in which I visited the ship (the fourteenth), Wyatt and party were also to visit it—so the captain informed me—and I waited on board an hour longer than I had designed, in hope of being presented to the bride, but then an apology came. "Mrs. W. was a little indisposed, and would decline coming on board until to-morrow, at the hour of sailing."

        The morrow having arrived, I was going from my hotel to the wharf, when Captain Hardy met me and said that, "owing to circumstances" (a stupid but convenient phrase), "he rather thought the 'Independence' would not sail for a day or two, and that when all was ready, he would send up and let me know." This I thought strange, for there was a stiff southerly breeze; but as "the circumstances" were not forthcoming, although I pumped for them with much perseverance, I had nothing to do but to return home and digest my impatience at leisure.

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    As your background music sommelier, I've chosen to again pair Vangelis with your "Erasing Edgar Allen Poe", "The Obling Box" series. For this sampling I've selected Vangelis' soundtrack to the 1981 movie "El Greco" with its use of Latin choruses to start off this story's erasure.

    5/16/21

    2021 Writing Exercise Series #136: Ekphrastic Fantastic 12

    The 2021 Writing Series is a series of daily writing exercises for both prose writers and poets to keep their 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.

    This is not a standard writing session. This is pure production—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 it, you will be able to complete all of the exercises in under 30 minutes.

    #136
    Ekphrastic Fantastic 12

    For today, we're pairing images for you to respond to. The two images will be contrasting and it will be up to you how they can interact, how your writing can make the two pieces of art meet. Or, just pick one of the images and run with it if you'd rather. I'm not here to tell you exactly what to do, just to help you get the ball rolling. But if it was me, I would look for commonalities or how one image could be an imagination or memory or media within the other image, or if they exist in the same 'world', how you can get from one point in space and time to the other. But you do you boo-boo.


    Image 1: This 1877 painting titled "Paris Street; Rainy Day" by the artist Gustave Caillebotte.


    Image 2:  This photo of a crow blinking by reddit user u/SN74HC04


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    How do these two images play off of each other in your mind? Are you going from one to the other or do they intermingle in your piece? Is the crow watching the scene, are the people witnessing the strange bird? Are the umbrellas actually there to defend the people from a time and place where crows attacked like in a Hitchcock movie? Is the crow the reincarnated soul of one of those people or of a bird that witnessed that scene? Are they completely unrelated? You decide. Don't overthink it, take a couple minutes perhaps, but dive in and make this happen!

    You got this!
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    If you'd like background writing music, try this lofi Cowboy Bebop mix.