I’ve decided to let this project go. It hasn’t turned out to be the useful tool that I thought it would be. Instead, it’s turned into something that I feel guilty about not tending and it’s just silly to let myself be so bothered by something I started because I thought it would be fun.
So I’m putting this project aside. I’ll leave it up for now. I’ll leave the access permissions the way that they are so if anyone wants to pick this up, you may. And I’ll stop in now and then and see if it’s been claimed by the ad bots. If I change my mind, I’ll start posting again. But for right now, I’d rather spend the worry and energy working on writing submissions to other organizations.
Thank you, you fantastic handful of people who joined me in this project for a while. Good luck in your writing endeavors! And I’ll catch you around cyberspace some time soon.
Kylene
Inking My Thinking
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So I’m putting this project aside. I’ll leave it up for now. I’ll leave the access permissions the way that they are so if anyone wants to pick this up, you may. And I’ll stop in now and then and see if it’s been claimed by the ad bots. If I change my mind, I’ll start posting again. But for right now, I’d rather spend the worry and energy working on writing submissions to other organizations.
Thank you, you fantastic handful of people who joined me in this project for a while. Good luck in your writing endeavors! And I’ll catch you around cyberspace some time soon.
Kylene
Inking My Thinking
- Mood:
calm
Busy writing! Come back later!
- Mood:
busy
Write about Inauguration Day or the president or any of that stuff that's really effecting the U.S.A. most, but also hits over to other countries, too.
- Mood: busy
I heard on the news about another man who died as a result of his compulsive hoarding. He got lost in his maze of clutter and died from dehydration. Stories like these aren’t new—there have been deaths from having too much stuff for as long as people could start to hoard it. People get lost and starve or they get crushed beneath it when it falls. It’s a dangerous disorder. And it is a disorder. It’s an honest-to-God clinical mental disorder to compulsively hoard things. It’s as serious as schizophrenia or any of the others, but it’s not usually seen as such.
As an overly-organized person, I find compulsive hoarding fascinating. I don’t understand how it’s comforting to have piles of newspapers up to the ceiling and boxes and boxes of who knows what stacked up throughout the whole house. I can understand, a little, how it’s nice to find a place where you feel cocooned and safe, like wrapped up in blankets or in a hidden corner under the stairs. But I don’t understand how filling your home with what I would call trash would create that same safe feeling. To me, it’s just claustrophobic and chaotic.
Of course, I prefer to avoid elevators because they make me uncomfortable. I relax by coming home and making sure that my house is as tidy as I can make it. And people don’t understand that sometimes, either. So it goes both ways.
Today, write about something that you don’t understand. Something like this. Something where people do something that doesn’t make any sense to you at all, but that they insist makes sense to them, maybe because of a mental disorder or maybe because of a personal belief system. Step out of where you’re comfortable and write about something from the other side.
- Mood:
thoughtful
"It had been a perfectly normal work-day. All the regular business. And then she had to walk in . . . ."
...swinging her hips like a chandelier at the train station.
...next..
...swinging her hips like a chandelier at the train station.
...next..
It had been a perfectly normal work-day. All the regular business. And then she had to walk in . . . .
- Mood: calm
Whoops! Sorry about the end of last week. I got a little distracted.
Here's the thought for this morning: We've passed the darkest part of the year and the sun is starting to come back to us. But what if it hadn't? What if the days just kept on getting darker and darker?
Here's the thought for this morning: We've passed the darkest part of the year and the sun is starting to come back to us. But what if it hadn't? What if the days just kept on getting darker and darker?
- Mood: calm
Write a 100-word drabble. 100 words! No more, no less!
- Mood: calm
I had a really fantastic holiday. Half of it was lounging around and relaxing and enjoying that I wasn't at work all day. And half of it was working on projects and things around the house. It was fantastic getting to relax so much and get so many project accomplished.
Sadly, I never once managed to sit down and write. I'd been planning to do it. I had this goal to write several pages and get a start on my submission for the Writer's Digest competition. But I completely failed to do it. I don't know why exactly, just that other things, like organizing under the kitchen sink, seemed so much more important. Why is that?
And now I'm back at work, getting up before light and getting home at almost 6:00 in the evening, with only the time between then and bedtime to get everything done that I should get done. It takes an adjustment. It's kind of dumb how quickly I can get used to being able to get things done during the day and then relax all evening. But it's just not the way things tend to go during my normal work week.
And a lot of this is mostly babbling about how my brain needs to learn how to handle this sort of thing better. And also to remind myself that if I'm serious about this, then I need to invest the time in it, even when I'd rather be kicking back with a book, even when the laundry room needs cleaning, even when I only have 15 minutes before I seriously need to turn off the light and go to sleep.
Because if I want to write, if I'm serious about wanting to do this better and expand what I'm doing with it, then I have to actually WRITE and EXPAND with it instead of just being lazy.
So! That's my swift kick in the bum. Now let's get back on track.
Are you journaling?
Have you given any thought to the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition? Deadline is May 15th.
And finally, if you had a superpower, what would it be?
Sadly, I never once managed to sit down and write. I'd been planning to do it. I had this goal to write several pages and get a start on my submission for the Writer's Digest competition. But I completely failed to do it. I don't know why exactly, just that other things, like organizing under the kitchen sink, seemed so much more important. Why is that?
And now I'm back at work, getting up before light and getting home at almost 6:00 in the evening, with only the time between then and bedtime to get everything done that I should get done. It takes an adjustment. It's kind of dumb how quickly I can get used to being able to get things done during the day and then relax all evening. But it's just not the way things tend to go during my normal work week.
And a lot of this is mostly babbling about how my brain needs to learn how to handle this sort of thing better. And also to remind myself that if I'm serious about this, then I need to invest the time in it, even when I'd rather be kicking back with a book, even when the laundry room needs cleaning, even when I only have 15 minutes before I seriously need to turn off the light and go to sleep.
Because if I want to write, if I'm serious about wanting to do this better and expand what I'm doing with it, then I have to actually WRITE and EXPAND with it instead of just being lazy.
So! That's my swift kick in the bum. Now let's get back on track.
Are you journaling?
Have you given any thought to the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition? Deadline is May 15th.
And finally, if you had a superpower, what would it be?
- Mood:
creative
Welcome to the new year! I hope you all had a wonderful time ringing out 2008!
I'm hoping to continue the momentum I had going before the holiday, posting 5 times a week or so. Unfortunately, I'm having a heck of a day, this being my first day back at work in almost 2 weeks, and my brain is having trouble keeping up. So today we're going to keep it brief.
Today, write about a calendar.
I'm hoping to continue the momentum I had going before the holiday, posting 5 times a week or so. Unfortunately, I'm having a heck of a day, this being my first day back at work in almost 2 weeks, and my brain is having trouble keeping up. So today we're going to keep it brief.
Today, write about a calendar.
- Mood: calm
I love seeing what ya'll do with these ideas!! It makes it so much more fun to try to think of ideas every day.
This being the holiday week, however, I might not be around much the next couple of days. But I'll be sure to try to pop back as quickly as I can!
Today's exercise: What is your favorite part of the holiday season? Do you have a favorite memory? Do you have an idea for how it could be the most memorable Christmas ever?
This being the holiday week, however, I might not be around much the next couple of days. But I'll be sure to try to pop back as quickly as I can!
Today's exercise: What is your favorite part of the holiday season? Do you have a favorite memory? Do you have an idea for how it could be the most memorable Christmas ever?
- Mood:
amused
The Daily Aphorism today is one that I'd heard before but always makes me smile:
And, since I'm all about the reminders today, have you started a journal and writing in it daily? I really do intend to keep bringing this up over and over again. And one of these days I'll actually start journaling creative stuff other than what I did for exercise the day before. One of these days . . . .
Okay. Exercise for today. I'm actually a little flummoxed about what to do today. So you get a choice of two. Either (1) do a 100-word drabble piece. Or (2) tell me about a Christmas card. I mean, make up a Christmas card and explain it to me.
Have fun!
And, on that note, have you given any thought to entering anything into the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition? The deadline is May 15th. Plenty of time yet, but don't put it off for too long or you'll regret it. (I say this mostly for me, but I assume it's beneficial for other people, too.)I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by.
~Douglas Adams
And, since I'm all about the reminders today, have you started a journal and writing in it daily? I really do intend to keep bringing this up over and over again. And one of these days I'll actually start journaling creative stuff other than what I did for exercise the day before. One of these days . . . .
Okay. Exercise for today. I'm actually a little flummoxed about what to do today. So you get a choice of two. Either (1) do a 100-word drabble piece. Or (2) tell me about a Christmas card. I mean, make up a Christmas card and explain it to me.
Have fun!
- Mood: calm
I Stumbled on this great site the other day: Daily Aphorisms from the School of Life
They post quotes every day. Today's quote is by Thomas L. Masson:
What thoughts does that prompt? Write about it.
They post quotes every day. Today's quote is by Thomas L. Masson:
'Be yourself' is about the worst advice you can give to some people.
What thoughts does that prompt? Write about it.
- Mood: amused
I'm working on a project for my husband. He needs to create a portfolio of designs, so I'm making up companies for him to "work for." I'm having a heck of a lot of fun with it and realized that it's really a great creative exercise.
So that's what your exercise is for today: Make up a company, any kind of company, either real or imagined. Give it a name, give it an owner, give it a purpose and a history. And decide where things look like they're going. Think of a logo or a slogan. Describe the building or buildings or lack of a building.
If that doesn't take you very long, think of their neighbors. Think of their clientèle. You could, over time, develop a whole town.
Just go ahead: make stuff up.
So that's what your exercise is for today: Make up a company, any kind of company, either real or imagined. Give it a name, give it an owner, give it a purpose and a history. And decide where things look like they're going. Think of a logo or a slogan. Describe the building or buildings or lack of a building.
If that doesn't take you very long, think of their neighbors. Think of their clientèle. You could, over time, develop a whole town.
Just go ahead: make stuff up.
- Mood: creative
This is always a fun one for me. I seem to have an easier time writing the words coming out of people's mouths than explain what they're doing in the meantime. I should really start looking into playwriting . . . .
Anyway, today, create a character or two and write 15-20 lines of dialog between them.
Aaaaand go!
Anyway, today, create a character or two and write 15-20 lines of dialog between them.
Aaaaand go!
- Mood:
chipper
Good morning, Musers!
Are you writing in your journal? I remember when I was in a creative writing class in college, our professor gave us ideas for journal writing. I wonder if I should start including some of those in here, too. I'll have to go see if I can find what those were.
Have you given any thought to the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition? Yeah, I'm having trouble thinking of something. I'm hoping to spend some time over Christmas holiday to focus on that for a good amount of time.
Today's exercise is something I was thinking about on my walk in from the parking lot into work today. I was actually thinking about some writing ideas and, in thinking about them a little, also thinking about a feeling that I had while at home Sunday evening.
Do you know how it feels when you're "in the zone"? When the muse is awake and tickling your brain and words are just falling together and onto the page? Have you ever just stepped into that moment and not noticed until the words started lining up in your head?
What did that feel like to you? What was it that brought you there? Was it something you did? Something you read? Or saw? Was it something you could repeat?
Write about that.
Are you writing in your journal? I remember when I was in a creative writing class in college, our professor gave us ideas for journal writing. I wonder if I should start including some of those in here, too. I'll have to go see if I can find what those were.
Have you given any thought to the Writer's Digest Annual Writing Competition? Yeah, I'm having trouble thinking of something. I'm hoping to spend some time over Christmas holiday to focus on that for a good amount of time.
Today's exercise is something I was thinking about on my walk in from the parking lot into work today. I was actually thinking about some writing ideas and, in thinking about them a little, also thinking about a feeling that I had while at home Sunday evening.
Do you know how it feels when you're "in the zone"? When the muse is awake and tickling your brain and words are just falling together and onto the page? Have you ever just stepped into that moment and not noticed until the words started lining up in your head?
What did that feel like to you? What was it that brought you there? Was it something you did? Something you read? Or saw? Was it something you could repeat?
Write about that.
- Mood:
curious
Today is Monday and I'm not feeling very creative. So today I'm going to pull from A Creative Writer's Kit by Judy Reeves (citation at the end).
The Kit (link) is a very nifty item with loose cards with recommendations and encouragement, along with a book with short prompts and pages for writing the ensuing thoughts. It has a prompt for every day of the year. When I pull ideas from Reeves' Kit, what I'll do is just write the prompt for that day and you can let your muse take you where it goes from there.
Today is December 15th: "Write about a red convertible."
Reeves, Judy. A Creative Writers' Kit. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1999.
- Mood:
tired
I'm a little pressed for time this morning--things are more busy than expected for a Friday morning with half the office out. And I know I probably won't get back to this later this afternoon because I have several things planned for my afternoon. So please forgive me if this is more brief than other lately.
One of my favorite activities is the drabble. A drabble is a 100 word story. It makes you really concentrate on the words that you use and how you use them. It's an important thing to keep in mind, obviously, but so many times we start putting in fluffy words that don't help move the story along.
Today, write a drabble.
One of my favorite activities is the drabble. A drabble is a 100 word story. It makes you really concentrate on the words that you use and how you use them. It's an important thing to keep in mind, obviously, but so many times we start putting in fluffy words that don't help move the story along.
Today, write a drabble.
- Mood: chipper
One of my personal goals for the next several months is to get writing and actually enter something into a competition. I've said several times that I'm going to try to do one, but I've never actually managed to do it. This year I actually want to follow-though.
Writer's Digest is doing their Annual Writing Competition. Details are here. Deadline is May 15, 2009.
Think about it. Plan it. Do it. You have five months. Start now.
Writer's Digest is doing their Annual Writing Competition. Details are here. Deadline is May 15, 2009.
Think about it. Plan it. Do it. You have five months. Start now.
- Mood: creative
One of the things about writing that I've heard over and over again is that if you want to write and learn to write better, than write, and write every single day.
The way that I tend to do this is to write in my blog or my journal. Usually my blog, since my family likes to know what's happening in my world. But since that's broken, I've turned to my journal and to other places (like this one) to write. Even if I'm not currently working on a project (and I really should be), at least I'm working to get words down on the page and looking at the flow of words and how to say what I want to be saying.
If you're not journaling or writing something every day, or as often as you can, then I highly encourage you to start. It'll be hard at first and you won't know what to say and it might feel really, really silly. But it gets the words moving and the brain clicking and you'll be surprised how much it can help. Plus, if you're like me and you like to have an actual physical journal to write in now and then, you get to buy really cute books to write in and carry around with you. I love my journal right now--it has a velvet cover and ribbons and an elastic band that wraps around a button to hold it closed. It's beautiful. Other people prefer to keep their journal on their computer because, and I understand this very well, it's so much easier and faster to type than to write. It doesn't matter what your journal looks like, computer or physical book, I just want you to have one.
The point isn't to write something profound or amazing or even anything very long, necessarily. Set a goal, maybe, of a page or two or 30 minutes or 5 minutes. I don't really care. I just want you to write. As often as you can.
So that's the exercise for today. Start a journal. Write in it. That's all.
The way that I tend to do this is to write in my blog or my journal. Usually my blog, since my family likes to know what's happening in my world. But since that's broken, I've turned to my journal and to other places (like this one) to write. Even if I'm not currently working on a project (and I really should be), at least I'm working to get words down on the page and looking at the flow of words and how to say what I want to be saying.
If you're not journaling or writing something every day, or as often as you can, then I highly encourage you to start. It'll be hard at first and you won't know what to say and it might feel really, really silly. But it gets the words moving and the brain clicking and you'll be surprised how much it can help. Plus, if you're like me and you like to have an actual physical journal to write in now and then, you get to buy really cute books to write in and carry around with you. I love my journal right now--it has a velvet cover and ribbons and an elastic band that wraps around a button to hold it closed. It's beautiful. Other people prefer to keep their journal on their computer because, and I understand this very well, it's so much easier and faster to type than to write. It doesn't matter what your journal looks like, computer or physical book, I just want you to have one.
The point isn't to write something profound or amazing or even anything very long, necessarily. Set a goal, maybe, of a page or two or 30 minutes or 5 minutes. I don't really care. I just want you to write. As often as you can.
So that's the exercise for today. Start a journal. Write in it. That's all.
- Mood: calm
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