Thursday, October 2 According to Jewish law and tradition, this year, 5775, is a Shmita or Sabbatical year, when Jewish farmers are supposed to let the land rest. The idea of fallow fields got me thinking about what grows when you don’t actively plant seeds, either physically or metaphorically. Prompt #1 Write about toiling, perseverance, steppingContinue reading “Fallow”
Category Archives: Writing Gumbo
The Face of Frustration
Thursday, September 18 Hey Everyone — I’m back from my summer hiatus with more prompts, recommendations and explorations of the craft of writing. Today’s prompt: Write about frustration. Suggestions and inspirations: 1. Writing in prose, write a series of dialogue-free actions that depicts growing frustration. Write for 15 minutes 2. Writing poetry, create pacing, wordContinue reading “The Face of Frustration”
Thursday Thoughts: Out Loud
For Thursday, July 17 Prompt 74 Do you read your work out loud as you write and edit? If so, how does it change what you write? If not, try it. See if it affects your word choice, sentence length or dialogue.
Thursday Thoughts
For Thurday, July 10 Prompt 67 Is there any author whose writing you’ve read thoroughly or repeatedly? Why do you return to their writing? What has evolved or changed from their earliest writings to their later ones? Try writing two paragraphs in their style.
Commitment
For Friday , July 11, 2014 Prompt #68 Following up Wednesday’s cycle-of-life, theme, today’s prompt is about weddings, actual and metaphoric. (I’m traveling this week, so no photo accompaniment.) Instructions 1. Write about the first wedding you remember attending. 2. Include small details that have stayed with you and emotions you experienced, such as excitement,Continue reading “Commitment”
Thursday Thoughts: Why Write?
July 3, 2014 It’s Thursday Thought-day again, so instead of posting a prompt, I’m posing another writer’s question. Ponder, discuss among friends, consider, debate. We write for different reasons at different times. Why do you write? Do you write to understand life more fully — to explore subjects, people, or places? To better understand yourself?Continue reading “Thursday Thoughts: Why Write?”
Play It Backwards
June 27, 2014 Prompt #56 Today, more random play as we explore ways to re-vision, re-see, and re-imagine our work. This exercise comes from writer and translator T. Begley, from whom I took a writing workshop 20 years ago at The Naropa Institute (that’s what it was called back then). Instructions Choose a sectionContinue reading “Play It Backwards”
Thursday Thoughts: Trans-Genre
June 26, 2014 Prompt #55 Instead of a prompt today, I’m posing a few writer’s questions. Think about them yourself, ask other writing friends, or discuss your ideas here. Do you write in more than one genre — for instance poetry, fiction, and essays? If you write in more than one genre, do you considerContinue reading “Thursday Thoughts: Trans-Genre”
Double Double (Toil and Trouble?)
June 25, 2014 Prompt #54 Sometimes, a successful story is the result of careful planning, clear outlines, and a well-conceived structure. Other times, random play generates surprising results. For today’s prompt, we are going to play. Instructions Choose a section of a story or essay you’ve written that is about a page long. Or chooseContinue reading “Double Double (Toil and Trouble?)”
Thirteen
June 13, 2014. Prompt #44 In honor of Friday the 13th, here’s a lucky writing prompt. Instructions Write about a superstition that you believe in, don’t believe in, or are on the fence about. Write for 13 minutes. Further Writing Make up a superstition. Give it history or cultural background. Write convincingly why weContinue reading “Thirteen”
Ellen Orleans 