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Weekly Writing Prompt — March 23, 2016 Edition

March 23, 2016Weekly Writing Promptadmin

All:

It’s convention season. NorWesCon is this weekend, Emerald City Comic Con is April 7 – 10, and so on and so on…

But, I want you to consider just stepping through the doors at NorWesCon this weekend and supporting our sister organization: Free Valley Publishing, who will be at the Clockwork Dragon’s table in the vendor room. I’ve attended NORWESCON for many years. It’s totally doable to attend just for a day, or the whole weekend and sleep in your own bed. Lots to learn. Many cool folks to meet. Awesome art to view or procure. And of course there is the Philip K. Dick awards on Friday night. Make a plan and go.

That’s your prompt this week.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“There is nothing like a dream to create the future.” ~ Victor Hugo

—

What did you Write today?

~Casz

Casondra Brewster
Moderator/Founder
Sno Valley Writes!
Helping Writers Reach New Literary Peaks Since 2008
http://www.snovalleywrites.org
Check us out on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SnoValleyWrites

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — March 2, 2016 Edition

March 3, 2016Weekly Writing Promptmonths as characters, workshops, Writing Promptadmin

Writers:

March already! I hope you’re making all your writing goals for 2016. If you’ve fallen off the path of success, no time like now to get back on it.

March always seems to be a month where things go very well or very badly for me, personally. Therein lies your writing prompt. I want you to think about the months of the year as distinct characters. Then write a short story about your particular character. Your goal is at least 1,500 words. But if you only get 1,000 or come up with more like 2,500, that’s fine, too. The goal is to write and come up with something unique. I’d love to see some of you post this exercise on your individual blogs, too.

Well what are you waiting for? The Ides of March? Blargh! Get on it! The author in you demands it.

Remember, March 19 is the date of the next workshop. The subject is: Direct Application of Critique to Enhance Your Novel

Lastly, the much delayed anthology that yours truly is a part of is going to be hitting your favorite bookseller soon. In as much, I’ll be interviewing with NPR next week in Seattle regarding the anthology. More details as they arrive. To be sure, all of you will be with me in that broadcast booth.

Now your moment of Writing Zen:

“When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.” ~ Hunter S. Thompson

—

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — February 17, 2016 edition

February 17, 2016Weekly Writing Promptadmin

Writers:

Saturday we gather for our monthly work shop: FEB. 20: How to analyze critique notes, tools to help with first pass changes, creating platform for book launch

We will meet at the North Bend Library meeting room at 10:30 a.m. until Noon.

Hope to see you there.

Now your moment of Writing Zen:

“When I was seven or eight years old, I began to read the science-fiction magazines that were brought by guests into my grandparents’ boarding house in Waukegan, Illinois. Those were the years when Hugo Gernsback was publishing ‘Amazing Stories,’ with vivid, appallingly imaginative cover paintings that fed my hungry imagination.”~Ray Bradbury

—

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — February 10, 2016 Edition

February 10, 2016Weekly Writing Promptadmin

Writers:

Are you writing? No?

Get to it.

That is all.

Weekly Writing Prompt — February 3, 2016 Edition

February 4, 2016Weekly Writing Promptadmin

Writers:

We are halfway through the winter duldrums and Spring is around the corner.

Last week at the DayTrippers’ Writing Cafe, one of our long-time members brought in work she created based on prompts I’ve given in this very weekly email. So, I thought I’d revisit some of those types of inspirational prompts this week.

Illness has been part of my life for the last week, unfortunately. So, I thought I’d ask you to write a scene, poem, create an entire novel if you’re so disposed, turning illness into a good thing. Turn something that is typically negative and find a way to make it a positive plot point in a story. It could be in the past, present, future, here in the U.S. or abroad, or in outer space. Heck, put it on TALUS STAR BASE 5 (I just made that up). Just write until you find The End.

Okay, go!

As always don’t forget about our weekly write-ins (Little Si Cafe tonight at 6 p.m.; The Black Dog Arts Cafe on Friday at 9:30 a.m.) And don’t let the winter colds and flus get you!

Next workshop is February 20 at the North Bend Library at 10:30 a.m. See our Website for details.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.”~Joseph Campbell

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 13, 2016 Edition

January 13, 2016Weekly Writing Promptcommitment, new year, workshopadmin

Writers:

This is the week to start that journey from completed manuscript to publishing. On Saturday (1/16) at 10:30 a.m., leaders in the group will be at the North Bend Library to provide a short presentation and help attendees move forward. SVW! is presenting this year-long workshop series, NaNoWriMo to Published, designed to help you take a roughly written finished manuscript through the editing, critique, revision edit, beta, final edit, ARC, polish and publish phases. There will be some general instruction and resources offered, but it will mostly be a hands-on support program tailored to help move each writer forward with focus on areas where they are seeking help and/or continued motivation.

Please think about what you’d like to work on for this year’s workshop and consider committing to this intensive program. If you’re not sure…come to the meeting on Jan 16th at the NB library Meeting Rm from 10:30–noon to find out more about it. http://www.kcls.org/calendar/detail.cfm?view=event&lib=29

For those still trying to find The End, your prompt is to set aside no less than 20 minutes today and write. It doesn’t matter if you write three words, thirty words, or 333 words. Just so that you write in those 20 minutes. Journal if there are no story ideas. Then do this 20 minutes again tomorrow. Keep at it. Every day this year and you’ll find “The End.” You might even find it more than once.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Commitment is an act, not a word.” ~Jean-Paul Sartre

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt: January 6, 2015 Edition

January 6, 2016Weekly Writing Prompt2016, goals, writingadmin

Happy New Year Writers!

Today’s prompt is the traditional “What are your writing goals for the year.”

Well?

What are they?

I finally have some exciting ones. I plan to pitch WHEN A RAVEN PECKS OUT YOUR NORMAL to other agents, since the first go-round fell flat (that happens and no need to get discouraged). I’m revising STONE EYES WAR. Also, this summer, I’ll be self-publishing my first Larch Falls Book: WILDERNESS RIM.

Busy! But exciting! And oh, so worth it.

I plan to keep blogging and doing book reviews (hopefully more than last year).

And if all goes well, I’ll return to teaching.

How about you? What do you want to do?

Get out the laptop or journal and write it down. Set some dates in pencil at least. If you’re bold, they’ll be in Pen.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

—

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — November 18, 2015 Edition

November 18, 2015Weekly Writing Promptadmin

Writers:

Many of you are stuck in the mire of the middle that is a novel. Others of you are stuck in the middle of revisions. Some of you are just stuck.

It’s time to get unstuck.

I know many of you have heard it from me before that if you’re a writer, you write. It

doesn’t have to be difficult. Laugh in the face of difficult and writer’s block. It doesn’t matter if what you’re writing is good, or a lot, or the next smash hit. It matters that you do it. Besides, that’s what revision is for. Kind of like the song from the old holiday television special: One Word In Front of the Other. Ten words in the morning, 100 words in the afternoon, and before you know it you have 1,000 more by the time you turn off the lights.

Today’s prompt is to find some bit of nostalgia that has meaning for you and put it in whatever you are working on. It can be one sentence, a whole paragraph, or an entire scene. Just find it and then stick it in, kind of like my silly holiday song.

Time to change direction — charge forward!

Don’t forget, quick workshop with heads down writing time this Saturday at the North Bend Library at 10:30 a.m. until Noon. Hope to see you there.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.”
― Søren Kierkegaard

—

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt — November 11, 2015 Edition

November 11, 2015Weekly Writing Promptadmin

Writers:

Many of you are writing furiously this month. Today’s message is not addressed to you. It’s addressed to the rest of us still wrestling with making writing a priority in our life or cycling down at the moment.

I want to encourage all of you to just stop, drop, and write. Go to a writers cafe, get the motivation, inspiration, and community you need to launch yourself to the next level. With NaNoWriMo there’s actually more cafes available than our normal two a week.

Just this week you can go here:

11/11 – Little Si Cafe (formerly Jay Berrys) in North Bend. 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

11/12 – PNWA Writer’s Cottage in Issaquah, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. (317 NW Gilman Blvd #8, Issaquah, WA 98027)

11/13 – The Black Dog Cafe in Snoqualmie, 9:30 a.m. to Noon

11/13 – Writing on the Road — Fall City Roadhouse from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

11/14 – The Morning After Breakfast of Champions — Fall City Roadhouse from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

11/14 -Slide In Write In – 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. – North Bend Library, North Bend

11/15 – Slow Dance Write In – SnoValley Coffee Company, Snoqualmie Ridge, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

11/16 – Midday Moves — Pioneer Coffee Company, North Bend, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

11/17 – Boogie Nights Write In – Fall City Library, Fall City, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

If you can’t make even one of these, you may need to step back and address whether your goal of writing life priority is true and honest in you.

Alright, time for your moment of Writing Zen:

“It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.”~E. B. White

—

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron

Weekly Writing Prompt: October 28, 2015 Edition

October 28, 2015Weekly Writing Promptadmin

Writers, Authors, and Penmonkeys:

This is the pre-NaNoWriMo week. What is that, you ask? National Novel Writing Month.

Our SnoValley Writes! folks lead the charge in our Snoqualmie Valley region, with two of our long-time members taking the reigns of municipal Liaison — Sheri Kennedy and Takako Wright.

Your prompt this week is to 1) decide if you’re doing NaNo, and 2) Plan to attend a kick-off event: (If you’re undecided, attending one of these events, just may seal the deal for you!)

Two kick offs this year:

First Words Late Night Kick-off at Pioneer Coffee NB October 31st from 10:30pm -12:30am

Gather up your writing gear and come out to meet your ML’s and fellow Rhinos. Pioneer’s doing a late night just for us! We’ll write First Words together when the clock strikes 12. Don’t miss a single second!

Time Warp Brunch Kick-off at Fall City Roadhouse November 1st, 11am-1pm

Kick-offs are so much fun, let’s do it again! Let’s meet up with those wise guys, the early-to-bed-ers, & greet your ML’s & Rhino buddies. Word count progress welcome!

Writing Zen time:

“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until its done. It’s that easy, and that hard.” ~Neil Gaiman

—
What did you Write today?
~Casz

“But words are things, and a small drop of ink,
Falling, like dew upon a thought, produces
That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.” ~ Lord Byron