Saturday, December 18, 2010

A Writing Exercise



Do you like to write?  I like to write.  And every once in awhile I actually put my mind into it and have a little fun. 
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A couple of weeks ago I went to a little writing group with my sister (she goes weekly).  We were given 5 prompts to pick from and then 20 minutes to free write.  Afterward we got to read what we wrote and the group would discuss what they LIKED about the piece (this exercise re-enforces the strong points/phrases in your story).  The variety of writing was great - poetry, prose, stories - lots of things to make you think.
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Want to try?  Just pick one of the prompts below, set the timer for 20 minutes and write - incorporating your prompt somewhere in what you write.  If you need a few extra minutes - take them, but really the idea is to wrap up your writing time in "about" 20 minutes.    I have never done a Mr. Linky post before but if I can figure it out I will do another blog post and put a Mr. Linky spot on it for sharing.
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Here are the prompts we were given:
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1.  Something seemed different
2.  Some things you will never forget
3.  It's all you could expect
4.  I can't remember
5.  It's too soon to tell
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And here is what I wrote (I couldn't pick just 1 prompt so then went ahead and tried to use all 5 within the 20 minute writing time).  Just remember -this is the unedited version of what I wrote free-hand with pen and paper that day.  It needs some tidying up, especially with the verb tenses, etc., but it has potential - somewhere along the line.  Who knows?  I keep my writing in a 3 ring binder.  Really messy pieces I type and print out (believe me - I scribble all over my paper!).  But more often than not - I just stick the scribbled paper in my binder.  Well, we all have good intentions, right?  And only 24 hours in each day.  But anyway - on to the writing exercise:
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Long and mournful, the foghorn's call beckoned.  The sound slowly wrapping around the scrubby pine trees, drifting down the steep rocks and floating out to sea on the dense fog.  From the top of the cliff Nettie stopped her careful descent down the slippery slope and paused to listen.  Something seemed different.  The foghorn brought a new memory.  The sound came again and wrapped around Nettie's heart slowly nudging her memory.  Secrets long held only in the darkest part of her nightly slumber - just a whisper of something that happened in the far distant past.  
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The combination of the fog, the foghorn,   standing high on the cliff - all were pricking her subconcious.  "I can't remember", she uttered.  But she was lying to herself.  She did remember that frightful night so long ago.  "I can't remember", the words were sad and thick in her throat.  She stood and looked down at the fog and listened to the crashing of the waves below.  It's all you could expect on a night like this.  The nothingness but this place here and now.  She listened waiting for the foghorn's call again.  Rooted in her spot up so high from the tragedy that haunted her.  This nighttime misery she endured time and time again.  Because the foghorn had a story to tell.  And slowly Nettie would remember bits and pieces.  A mind will shut down, close off memories, but some things you will never forget.  The memory is there - behind a locked door.  She wanted the foghorn to finish the story.  So she waited and waited because the pieces of her past were floating around and around in her head waiting to be put together.  Could she will her unconscious mind to reveal her true past to herself?  It was too soon to tell.  But she knew this.  The foghorn held the key to the locked door.
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OK - so that is what I wrote.  Now it is your turn!

1 comment:

Chrissie said...

Wow! that was awesome! makes me want to read the rest of the story! not too bad for 20 min! I don't think I could get that far even in an hour! :)I love your blog! thanks for letting me take a peek into your little life now and then! Hope you are doing well, and that you are safe in Christ. Check out this web page: www.wecanknow.com and tell me what you think!
Take care and God bless!
Chrissie