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.
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. These titles all come from the Paige Lewis poem "You Can Take Off Your Sweater, I’ve Made Today Warm".
- Mint Leaf
- Gritty Toothpaste
- Fingers Numb From Lack of Gravity
- A Winter Husband and a Summer Husband
- Gemmy Starlight
- More Pears Than You Could Ever Eat
- The Sweet Rot of It All
- Gunfire
- Milk
- A Treehouse
If you'd like some background music try Klaus Wiese's 1991 tape "Cosmic Glue".
