Category Archives: Weekly Writing Prompt

Weekly Writing Prompt — September 24, 2014 Edition

September 24, 2014Weekly Writing Promptliterary, pablo neurda, poetry, rain, writingadmin

Greetings Rainy Morning, Writers:

Well, at least it’s raining at the ol’ Thrasher Studios Homestead. Maybe you have some autumn sun? At any rate, if you’re like many writers, the cooler temps and shorter days send you inside to create stories more often. That’s why on Saturday we reviewed the 7 basics of a writing education. The things you should be doing to give your literary life a good foundation.

Upcoming workshops include:

October 18: Poetry is Not a Luxury

November 15: Where to Submit your Work (Note, in our workshop, I mistakenly said November 22. That’s incorrect. The third Saturday for November is actually the 15th.)

December 20: Blog to the World

There’s been questions about whether or not we’ll keep this Saturday schedule. The answer is: Yes, for the foreseeable future.

Today’s prompt is to get you ready for our next workshop. I want you to go check your bookshelves, your e-reader, the library — wherever literary sources are available to you, and find a book of poetry. It doesn’t have to be anything specific. It doesn’t have to be sonnets. It can be anything. There’s tons out there. You could pick up McSweeneys or ZoeTrope All Story. Heck, grab your kid’s Dr. Seuss book, if need be. Do, however, go out of your comfort zone. Find something new. Find your alma mater’s literary magazine and check that out. Then read it. Study it. Really examine it. Journal about it. Find the meaning between the lines and words and the white space. Breathe it for the next month or so. Keep picking it up. Memorize it if you like. Learn it. Know it.

Now for your moment of Writing Zen:

“Poetry is an act of peace.” – Pablo Neruda

—
—
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 — September 17, 2014 Edition

September 17, 2014Weekly Writing PromptNorth Bend Library, Poetry Night, poor man's mfa, Poverty Wine and Poetry, Sno Valley Writes!, The Black Dog, writing work shopadmin

Writers!

Greetings. Hopefully you’re eking out the last of summer and getting ready for a great autumn of writing.

First things first, reminders:

1. Thursday (that’s tomorrow) The Black Dog in Historic Downtown Snoqualmie is hosting a poetry night. I talked to Chris, the owner, and she said that the goal is to become joyfully depressed over summer’s exit. It’s very tongue-in-cheek. Honestly it’s to celebrate the greatness of words and the art form of Poetry, as well as the art form that created wine. Open mic. So, bring your poetry to share. I may even read. No bottle of wine will be over $10. Hope to see you all there. “Poverty Wine and Poetry” starts at 6 p.m.

2. Our revamped Writing Workshops begin on Saturday, at 10:30 a.m. until Noon at the North Bend Library. I understand that many of our published authors will be at the Snoqualmie Block Party — and that’s awesome. Go sell those books! For the rest of us, we’ll be diving back into the Poor Man’s MFA curriculum and discussing The Back-to-School basics of a Writing Education. Lots of tips and tactics and a take-home list to remind you. Oh, and of course there will be writing and sharing. Please RSVP so I may plan accordingly with hand outs and set up.

Today’s prompt has to do with end-of-season travel. I’m starring at my mug from Colorado and thinking about my trip, which then gets me thinking about this story I started and never finished. Therefore, today’s prompt is to write a short (no more than 1500 words) story that happens while traveling. Pretty broad, I know. So, there’s one thing I want you to include in the story: a chicken crossing the road. Now, go write.

Hope to see many of you Thursday or even tonight at the Writing Cafe at Jay Berrys. Also, don’t forget to RSVP for Saturday.

Now your moment of Writing Zen:

“You can write a short story in two hours. Two hours a day, you have a novel in a year.“*

Ray Bradbury

*And as we all know, a novel can be written in a month, too. Don’t forget National Novel Writing Month is in November. 30 days. 50,000 words.

—
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 — June 11, 2014 Edition

June 11, 2014Weekly Writing Promptnew schedule, permission, schedule, summer sabbatical, weekly writing prompt, workshop, Writing Zenadmin

Writers:

Again, my sincere apologies for the last-minute cancellation yesterday. All I can say is that life happens and it doesn’t happen according to schedule. That’s the stuff stories are made of, yes? All is handled, and life will go on.

Now for writing-focused news:

Our next workshop June 23 and we’ll do an editing check list along with doing feedback and critique. Please bring some work to share.

On July 8 we have special author guest speaker. Regional Author Sharol Louise will come and speak to the group. If you attend any workshop this summer, please attend this one.

July 22 will be our last workshop of the summer. I’ve learned a few more things since the last time we focused on this in a workshop regarding online personas and building platforms. As is our core, we’ll be doing some feedback and critique time. Please bring some work to share.

August we’re on summer sabbatical. Enjoy the weather, good times with family and friends and get ready for some changes in the group come fall.

Beginning in September our workshops will moved to once a month and on the third Saturday of the month. Therefore, Sept. 20th will be our first of the new schedule. We’ll meet at the North Bend Library Meeting room, still. Time is from 10:30 a.m. to Noon. Hope this schedule allows everyone to participate more often and regularly. Be ready with work to share for feedback and critique, as always.

Your prompt is to put all these dates down on your calendar and make writing a priority in your life. We give you permission.

Now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Our animal companions love us unconditionally. They are our great teachers.” ~ Julia Cameron

—
—
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 — June 4, 2014 Edition

June 4, 2014Weekly Writing Promptartist's dates, feedback. prepared work, morning pages, snap writing, work shopadmin

Prompt: Prepare something to share for Tuesday’s workshop. Make at least two hard copies of it. Make sure it’s not longer than 8,000 words.

Remember: RSVP for the work shop on Tuesday, June 10 at 6 p.m. at the North Bend Library.

Nudge: Keep doing your snap writing, morning pages, and artist’s dates.

Question: When was the last time you were at a writers cafe? Plan to attend one in the next month.

Writing Zen: “You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.”

― Steve Maraboli, Life, the Truth, and Being Free

Weekly Writing Prompt — May 14, 2014 Edition

May 14, 2014Weekly Writing Promptcriticism, feedback, snap writing, w2 writing, workshop, writers writeadmin

Greetings Writers!

Are you working on your snap writing? Remember, last week I told you to carry a small notebook and pen with you to write whenever you got an idea or had 5 minutes or more to spare? Snap writing is a great way to keep plugging along on a project and keep the creativity juices flowing and steady. Please keep working on that. I saw lots of photos of notebooks. Now, send me photos of them being filled up. 😉 Think of snap writing as Whenever and Wherever writing. W2 writing. It’s done in a snap. Before you know it, you’ll have made headway in your writing life.

We talked at last night’s workshop about finding more quality time for your writing and identifying your productivity zone. Don’t deny your desire to write. Give in to it. There’s a story or stories that need to come out. Your story is important. So if you have to get it out by doing snap writing, do so. But know when you’re most creative — likely when you’re groggy — and go with it. Chunk it out in 15-minute time intervals if necessary.

Bottom line is that writers write. If you’re not writing, then perhaps you’re blocked and need to go back through the steps in The Artist’s Way? Forgive yourself and restart the forward momentum. But, you need to write. Trust me, you’ll feel better.

Today’s prompt is to identify a piece of work — either a short story, or a chapter of a larger novel, or a couple of poems, or article and work on it for our May 27th workshop. Be prepared with at least two hard copies of that work. We’re going to focus on feedback. What it is. How to give it. How to receive it. And then we’re going to read and give feedback. It’s one of the most important tools for growth a writer can give and receive. We need to get back to that. So, be ready. Two copies of something you want feedback on, a pen, and you at 6 p.m. on May 27th at the North Bend Library Meeting Room. Hope to see a big group for this.

Our redo of the Solidifying Your Online Presence workshop will be June 10th.

Now your moment of Writing Zen:

“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.”

― Winston Churchill

—
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 — May 7, 2014 Edition

May 7, 2014Weekly Writing Promptmakje time for writing, portable notebook, week-long exercise, whatever pen, work shopadmin

Bet you thought I forgot about you? Nah! Just been busy taking advantage of the dry weather to get some urban farming chores done. Now it’s back to the write life.

This week’s prompt is about carrying a notebook & pen. It doesn’t have to be a leather-bound journal. It can and should be something uber portable — something that fits in your pocket, in your purse, in a side pocket of your knapsack. Same for the pen. No feather plumes, or calligraphy pens necessary. I somehow ended up with a Jay Berry’s Pen and a QFC pen in my purse. Still there. Still using it. Nothing fancy, see? Do not think your digital notebook on your phone, ipod, or tablet is the same. We want old-school paper and pen. Ya dig?

Your job is for the next week, carry this tiny notebook and whatever pen with you and write whenever you are stalled. Stalled on the bus, waiting for the doctor, waiting for the kid after sports, drinking coffee in the morning. Your code words (maybe emboss it on the front of the notebook?) is: Squeeze & Scrawl. Squeeze in some writing time — just a sentence or two. A thought. An idea. A quick Haiku. Anything. Something. Do this every day through next Tuesday’s Workshop and then, let’s talk about it. I’m betting you will fine that you have a ton more words than if you’d not carried that. Five minutes extra a day can net you that many more words, thoughts, ideas, maybe even a whole short story to work for submittal when the week is up.

Email me photos of your notebook and pen, or text them to me, so I can post on our web site. This is just a bonus, just an option, but I’d love to see it and I bet you all might find it inspiring to know that many of your writing colleagues are doing the same.

And now take a moment and RSVP for May 13ths work shop. 6 p.m. North Bend Library Meeting Room. If you’ve already responded, no need to do again. Looking forward to seeing you all at the various cafes or the forthcoming workshop.

Here’s your Writing Zen for the week:

“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.” ~Carl Sandburg

—
—
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 — April 30, 2014 Edition

April 30, 2014Weekly Writing Promptjournaling, leader, mentor, motivator, new energy, prompter, spring, sunadmin

Writers:

I would be a bad prompter/leader/mentor/motivator (whatever you choose to call me) if I told you to do anything but go outside and soak up the sunshine today. Although, I aim to misbehave most days, today, I shall be good.

Go get some sun. Take an old-fashioned paper journal and your favorite pen along. Find a quiet spot and do your morning pages (even if it’s 6 p.m., Takako). Write about the sounds you hear, what the freedom of just being does to your imagination. Go with it. Don’t think it’s stupid. Don’t worry about if it’s good. Just write.

Report back to me about what happened.

Don’t forget out next workshop is May 13th. Put it on your calendar. 6 p.m. North Bend Library Meeting Room.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come.” ~Robert H. Schuller

—
—
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 — April 23, 2014

April 23, 2014Weekly Writing Promptbe an agent's star, Critique, feedback, Finding Time for Writing, poetry, Prompt, Sno Valley Writes!, solidifying Your Online Presence, work shop, writing cafeadmin

Writers!

Wow! We’ve had a busy writing-centered week. Love it. Poetry on Monday. Work shop on Tuesday. And tonight is Writers Cafe at Jay Berry’s.

Congratulations on a great event on Monday! The library seemed fairly happy with the participation — both from poet and audience. Feels good!

Last night’s workshop helped our authors focus in on what to do and not to do to be a better candidate for an agent to notice: Do’s and Don’ts and things to do before you knock on the agent’s door. Now, go get ’em gang!

Our May 13th workshop will be on Finding Time for Writing. Over the past few months at workshops and cafes I keep hearing folks make a comment about writing time getting pushed down in the priority list. We’ll go over strategies to make time for writing, juggling your writing needs and family/work/community responsibilities. For some it will be a repeat, but it seems we all need it, including myself. I also have learned a few more things that I will share with you during this time as well. Oh, and we’ll also write.

There is some desire from the groups for me to repeat the “Solidifying Your Online Presence” work shop. So, I’m going to put that on the calendar for May 27th.

Our first June workshop, June 10, will be on critiquing. Be prepared to bring a few copies of one of your short stories, sample chapter, or a few poems (not more than 5 pages) to exchange with a couple of the group. Remember, we practice a creative safe zone tactics. Don’t know what that is? Then plan to be at this work shop.

Please put these dates on your calendar and be there. As always, 6 p.m. at the North Bend Library meeting Room, until about 7:30. Last night we went over a bit, but dealing with agents is kind of intense. 🙂 I’m always happy to stay later (we have the room until 8) to answer questions.

Today’s prompt is a straight-up prompt getting you to just pause and get words down.

Start your piece based upon this sentence: The janitor finds something interesting in the accountant’s waste basket.

Go.

Write.

Don’t just stare at the screen, go write. After you write you can get your Moment of Writing Zen:

“You need three things to become a successful novelist: talent, luck and discipline. Discipline is the one element of those three things that you can control, and so that is the one that you have to focus on controlling, and you just have to hope and trust in the other two.”

― Michael Chabon

—

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 — April 16, 2014 Edition

April 16, 2014Weekly Writing Prompt2 for 1, national poetry month, support poets, work shop, write lifeadmin

Writers!

I hope you all have recovered from Spring Break and are rolling along into the active season of warming.

I have a simple request as your prompt today.

Please attend this:

Photo: Come and help celebrate National Poetry Month. There will be several published writers reading published and new works at this special event at North Bend library on April 21st. This is a King County Library System event. Join Us! Appearances by Jacquelyn Fedyk, Linda Garcia, Sheri J. Kennedy (aka Kennedy J. Quinn, Takako Wright (aka Tommia Wright), Rachel Barnard, Stephen J. Matlock, and David S. Moore

I know that it means for some of you, that you won’t be able to come to the work shop the next evening (6 p.m. 4-22, at the North Bend Library Meeting Room) But if you have to support one and not the other, please attend on Monday night. April is National Poetry Month. Fiction and Non Fiction writers, we need to support our Poet counterparts.

Please RSVP and let me know which of these events you plan to attend.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.” ~T. S. Eliot

—
—
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 — April 9, 2014 Edition

April 9, 2014Weekly Writing Promptagent list, book review, SnoValley Writes!, work shop, Writing Zenadmin

Warm April Greetings To You:

The work shop last night was another intimate affair. Those that attended got some juicy details on book reviews — the how, the why, the where, and the who, of course.

I’m missing many of you. But we can’t look at changing when the work shops are until January of 2015. Regardless, it seems no matter what day and time, some of you won’t be able to come. Do know that I always plan to give good information, exercises, and encouragement to follow your writing dreams and desires.

If there is a topic you would like covered in the work shops, please let me know and I’ll do my best to get it on the schedule. We meet again April 22, at the North Bend Library, 6 p.m. I hope to see more of you there. The topic is “How to be on an agent’s MUST HAVE list.”

Today’s prompt is a more traditional prompt. I’ll give you a scenario and you try to write a short story or scene in your WIP around the prompt. Try to get at least 1500 words.

You or your main character is a writer (haha, big stretch, I know), and everything you write keeps happening around you. What does the writer do?

Go. Write. Don’t worry about editing, punctuation, spelling, none of it. The goal is to just get the words down.

Don’t put it off. Go do it now. Or put it on your daytimer/calendar to make it happen before next week. Just do it.

Writers Write. So, go write.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“One can be absolutely truthful and sincere even though admittedly the most outrageous liar. Fiction and invention are of the very fabric of life.” ~ Henry Miller

—
—
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