Writing Prompt

(This month’s Writing Prompt is a repeat from April 2003. I’m having a bit of a lazy summer.)

What are the words you live by? Maybe I sort of stole this topic from The Kansas City Star. The newspaper invited readers to tell them what words they live by. I tried this with the writers who meet monthly at Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas. Some chose individual words. Others used phrases, sayings or scripture. The results were writing that was heartfelt and moving and definitely worth developing further. 

And – if you have a phrase or quote you like but are unsure of its source, go ahead and do your ten-minute writing and then click on Fun Stuff for Writers. Click on www.bartleby.com/reference the address for a reference and quotation site to discover the source of your “words to live by.”

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Open-ended topics such as this lend themselves to releasing your angel. Don't think. Write. If you wander off the subject, don't resist. That's your angel leading you.

Set a timer for ten minutes. Begin writing. Don't think. Don't worry about spelling, punctuation, grammar or staying on the topic.

At the end of ten minutes, stop. Or continue. Then let the writing rest a few days. When you read it, look for new insights or themes. You may want to keep the piece as it is, simply for personal growth. Or, you may want to expand, develop, re-write and edit the piece for publication.

Tip of the Month

(This month’s Writing Tip is a repeat from April 2003. I’m having a bit of a lazy summer.)

Are Writers Made or Born?
One of a writer’s basic tools is the question What if? The question can help create interest, establish character or clarity and keep plot moving. But it is a question the writer can turn into a weapon against herself.

Whether you have always wanted to write, or have recently developed a desire to write, or simply have some practical need to write, many writers begin with the same set of What if? questions.

Let me answer those questions here and now so you can forget them, at least temporarily. When they recur, just re-read this page.

Q: What if . . . my writing is no good?
A: You’ll work on it, and it will improve.
Q: What if . . . people are horrified by my dark thoughts?
A: You don’t have to show everything you write. If you write honestly and sincerely, your honesty will be recognized and respected. Maybe that’s part of why we write – to shine a light into the darkness.
Q: What if . . . I sound stupid?
A: You will fix it. You’ll re-write and edit so it doesn’t sound stupid
Q: What if . . . people are too stupid to understand what I’ve written?
A: Some will be. Avoid them, poor things. 
Q: What if . . . I don’t know enough about anything?
A: You’ll do research, interview, read, travel, study. You’ll learn.
Q: What if . . . I don’t have what it takes? 
A: To do what?
If you’re really asking -- Can I make a million bucks with a blockbuster hardback, paperback and movie deal? – the answer is Maybe.
However, if writing is what you’re really asking about, I can promise you, you have what it takes. If you have a pen, pencil, a piece of paper, a stick to write in the sand, a computer, Ouija board or good aim in the snow, you can write.
Q: Are writers born or made?
A: Yes, so start now.