Writing Wednesday

I used to put a Writing Wednesday post on my blog on a weekly basis. I think with this post, I will start it up again.

This is National Poetry Month!

A fellow blogger, Linda O'Connell,  recently blogged about the Washington University St. Louis, Humanities Dept. Poetry Prompt, for the month of April. Each day they provide you with 5 words to encourage you to write a short poem.

I've dabbled with it a couple of times. I go to the sight and look at the words for each day, if one of the prompts catches my eye, I copy the words down and write a poem.

I don't think I'm doing it right. I'm thinking they want you to write the poem on the day the prompts are put up, but that's okay --- it's got me to writing.

The April 16 prompts were: Sunlight, Ceiling, Nostalgia, Bleak and Mother

Here is my poem:

I sit and gaze out the window.

The sun hides behind stubborn clouds

and refuses to shine.

I stare at the ceiling and nostalgia

Sets in. I find myself wishing my mother

was here on this bleak day

to spread hope and sunlight to my life.

 

 

The April 13 prompts were: Star, Stairway, Memory, Hour, Light

After a few versions, here is my latest poem:

Climbing the stairway toward heaven,

A star shines its bright light before me.

But my magic hour has not yet come

For me to go, so I linger another day

And add another memory to my life.

Why don't you give it a try? 

Sometimes a little prompt is all a writer needs to kick-start their brain. 

If you like, post your poem in the comments.

Happy Writing!

WORD FOR THE WEEK

FICTION: Written stories about people and events that are not real. An invented story.

EXAMPLE: She is a writer of fiction.

QUOTE: Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't.  Mark Twain

Do you lie? Do you tell tall tales? Do you have an imagination? Are you good at making things up?

uth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.

Mark Twain

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fiction.html#v0r4ROhC4hCLJomF.99

Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because Fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; Truth isn't.

Mark Twain

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/fiction.html#v0r4ROhC4hCLJomF.99

You might say that those are good qualities of a writer of fiction.  

But, sometimes a writer gets writer's block. Your imagination goes on vacation, you've used up all your tall tales and you start feeling guilty about lying.

What do you do?

You can always add cheating to your resume. Use real life experiences and change them up a bit. Do you know a colorful, unique or ordinary person? Sure! We all do. Take a little from them and add it to one of your characters or plots. Of course, be sure and change the names and the locations. Your Aunt Hazel may not want everyone to know she has a pet snake, wears purple underwear and dreams of running for president some day.

I have stolen names, quirks, special abilities, dreams, memories, pets, jobs, hobbies, clothing, locations, etc. from family and people I know and placed them in my stories. You know what they say - fact is stranger than fiction.

 Maybe you can find a place for one of these unique, but ordinary, objects in your next story of fiction.

  

Happy Writing!

Posted byJanet Smart  on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch.

 

Poem for the Season, plus a Writing Prompt

I love this time of year. 

While looking out the window at the leaves scattered on my neighbor's roof yesterday morning, 

this poem came to me.

 

Fall's Melody

by Janet F. Smart

 

Leaves scatter upon the rooftops, while

walnuts wait for the first frost.

Sapphire skies,  cool nights, dewy mornings,

sweet apple cider and whiffs of chimney smoke.

Pumpkins sit on the front porch, smiling

because fall has arrived.

What words come to you,  when you look out at fall in all it's splendor?

Or use the picture above as a writing prompt to write a poem, paragraph, picture book or idea for a middle grade book.

If you like, share it with us.

Posted by Janet Smart   on Creative Writing in the Blackberry Patch,.

Barn Prompt

I love old barns!

I take pictures of them all the time.

Many of my followers have works in progress. But for those of you who do not have anything you are currently working on, I thought I would post this picture of an old barn to give you inspiration.


Use your imagination, which is one of the best tools a writer has.

I can see the makings of a poem.
I can see the start of a mystery.
I can see a short story set in the past.

It can provide a descriptive setting for a historical fiction MG novel.
It can inspire a barnyard picture book.

Have fun, and if you have the time. . . write about the barn, or include it in your work in progress.

Writing Exercise

Mary from Mary's Writing Nook posted a writing exercise from her writing group.

You were to write a story starting with this sentence:

I knew it was a mistake to travel by ---- when . . .

Fill in a mode of transportation such as a tricycle, red wagon, truck, motorcycle, etc.

She told me to use red wagon. Here is my story.

I knew it was a mistake to travel by red wagon when I saw the bull in the cow pasture glare at me. He snorted and pawed the ground. He shook his head and swished the flies off his back with his long black tail.

My short legs shuffled across the field. I wiped the sweat from my face and watched the bull out of the corner of my eye. He snorted again, lowered his head and pawed the ground with his sharp hooves.

"Why did I take the short cut home from the store?" I muttered to myself.

I picked up my pace and I streaked across the field. The wheels of my red wagon sailed over the bumps behind me. I raced toward the nearest tree. My hand let go of the wagon handle and grabbed hold of the sturdy oak limb. I scrambled up the tree just as the bull ran underneath me.

"Na, na, na, na, na," I shouted to the animal below.

I shouldn't have done that. He took aim and charged toward my red wagon. His horns slid between the open slats and he flung it over his head. It twirled in the air and landed with a thud. The eggs and bread, smashed and shattered, fell to the ground.

Content with his rampage on the red wagon, the bull turned and lumbered across the field. I climbed down from the oak tree and looked at the mess. I reached into my pocket and counted my change. Pulling my red wagon behind me, I returned to the store taking the long way this time, and bought more eggs and bread.

My little red wagon and I traveled down the winding road, around the cow pasture, toward home.

Now, it's your turn. If you would like to do this, fill in the blank with a mode of transportation and write a short story.

Have fun!