June 22, 2014 Prompt #51 For this week’s Sunday Shape-Up, we will carefully press a circle into an oval and give it a spin. Instructions Quick Tip: The word oval originates from the Latin ov or egg. Hence, oval means egg-shaped. For five minutes, jot down phrases and images that come to mind when youContinue reading “Sunday Shape Up: Oval”
Category Archives: Working with Words
De-Construction
June 12, 2014. Prompt #43 Walking with friends along Pearl Street tonight, we came across the demolition of the Daily Camera building, a structure that housed our local newspaper for decades. (It moved east of downtown several years ago.) For today’s prompt (somewhat the philosophical opposite of yesterday’s prompt) we’llContinue reading “De-Construction”
Plant
June 11, 2014. Prompt #42 For the last six weeks I’ve been working on my flower bed, vegetable garden, and planters. Spring gardening is annual ritual that is sometimes hectic as I work to get soil turned and amended, seeds and seedlings planted, and everything watered in between bouts of rain and sometimes snow. Mostly,Continue reading “Plant”
Breaking News
June 9, 2014. Prompt #40 I just finished binge watching marathon viewing four seasons of Downtown Abbey. The very first episode opens with a close-up of a telegraph in motion, complete with taps and beeps as the operator sends a message. The telegraph not only grounds the story in history (in this case, 1912) butContinue reading “Breaking News”
Sunday Shape Up: Try Angle?
June 8, 2014 Prompt #39 For this week’s Sunday Shape, we turn to the triangle. Here’s a chance to examine language closely (and playfully, perhaps) and link images with people, actions or memories with abstract ideas. Instructions For five minutes, jot down associations, phrases, and images that come to mind when youContinue reading “Sunday Shape Up: Try Angle?”
Inspiration Everywhere: Poetry and Prose Readings
June 6, 2014. Prompt #38 On Thursday night, I attended an outstanding reading at Naropa’s Summer Writing Program. It featured Lee Ann Brown, Thomas Sayers Ellis, Rebecca Brown, Norma Cole, and Eleni Sikelianos. Over the next month, I’ll talk more about all these writers and how their work might inspire you. If you’ve never beenContinue reading “Inspiration Everywhere: Poetry and Prose Readings”
Inspiration Everywhere: Maya Angelou
June 2, 2014. Prompt #33 As a writer, I am often asked, “Where do you find your inspiration?” That question always surprises me, as I find inspiration everywhere. In this week’s posts, I’ll offer a variety of people, places, and instances that may inspire you. Using your writer’s notebook, track what engages you throughout theContinue reading “Inspiration Everywhere: Maya Angelou”
Circle Round
June 1, 2014 Prompt #32 Let’s run around in circles for this week’s Sunday Shapes. Like last week’s square, writing about circles helps you consider language closely and link images with people, actions or memories and build upon abstract ideas. One word of caution: Because the circle is such a ubiquitous shape in our world,Continue reading “Circle Round”
“Get in Shape” Sunday
May 25, 2014 Prompt #25 For the next four Sundays, shapes will be our springboards. Today’s prompt helps you consider language more intricately and will perhaps move you to explore the origin of phrases. It encourages you to link images with people, actions or memories and build upon abstract ideas. Ready to square off? Continue reading ““Get in Shape” Sunday”
Body Parts, Inc.
May 5, 2014 Prompt #4 Today’s Prompt: Embodied Here’s a simple but surprisingly powerful writing prompt. I first used it when I was leading writing workshops for GLBT high school students. Instructions Choose a body part from the word list below and match it with an adjective from the list below that. Feel free toContinue reading “Body Parts, Inc.”
Ellen Orleans 