12/6/21

2021 Writing Exercise Series #341: First Line Bonanza 27

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.

#341
First Line Bonanza 27

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

1) The summer Jose Canseco was on his way to winning Rookie of the Year, I experienced Hell.
2) This Christmas was destined to be the best ever—I thought.
3) They said "You'll regret this" so many times that week it lost all meaning.
4) It smelled of pine trees and cookies.
5) The party was nearly over when we heard the first scream.
6) Whenever, whyever, however—it was.
7) Broken by the baby's faint cry, I wept.
8) Christmas cookies slid off the tray.
9) I'd never enjoyed science class before tenth grade.

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Bonus 'constraint': You must include a paragraph/stanza in which the all sentences or lines begin with the letter "R" (at least 4) and include three different smells.
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If you'd like some background music to write to, try Yoann Garel's "Tell Me A Story, A Ghibli Inspired Album" lofi album presented by Dreamhop Music.