This week's writing prompts & note on freewriting

Sorry to be late but DH had a bad fall last night. Up all night, got some sleep after 9 am. Anyway, here you go. Hope one of these pleases you.

* Random word prompt. Note these words leaving some space to respond to each. Freewrite (see note) on each one for 5-10 minutes. After you have written for each word, read back through your writing looking for any connections between each freewrite. Are there connections? Do they recall a particular incident? Suggest a journaling topic? Suggest a short story? What might you do with them?
-- connect
-- rain
-- sniffles
-- VW bus
-- truth
Note: If you are unfamiliar with freewriting, it is a simple technique to learn and one which will help you bypass the inner censor. To freewrite, you might choose a topic, such as "children," and write that at the top of a piece of paper. Set a time limit. Usually 10-15 minutes at most. (A timer is helpful but not necessary.) Pick up your pen or pencil and start writing! Do not worry about spelling and punctuation. Do not stop to think. Do not stop to read what you have written. Do not lift your pen from the paper! If you can't think of anything to say, just write something like "I can't think of anything" over and over until something occurs to you. Something will occur to you. In fact, when you finish and read what you have written, you will often be surprised by what you have said. The whole idea in writing this way is that you bypass the censor that tells you, "You can't say that!" The censor that worries about what someone might think, about how your writing may reflect on you. When you bypass the censor, your writing will be fresh and original; it will have a unique voice that is your own.

* Use this phrase to start something - a freewrite, a poem, a short story.
-- Tiny mischievous things . . .

* Here's another starting line. This one is courtesy of Cerulean.
--The birds have been singing their colors to me.

* Write two separate versions of the same event. The first one should be in first person. Next write in third person. Notice how each differs. Which one is more effective?

* Here's a good first line for a short story:
-- I could only whisper your name . . .


Enjoy!