Tag Archives: SnoValley Writes!

Weekly Writing Prompt — April 9, 2014 Edition

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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

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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 — April 10, 2013 Edition

Weekly Writing Prompt,

Busy, busy writing week!

We had an awesome workshop last night. Be advised that our April 23rd workshop is canceled, because the library has a special event. I would encourage everyone to do the following night’s Writer’s Cafe at Sawdust Coffee Co. I’ll be there and will probably have some exercises or be available for critiquing.
So next workshop will be May 14th. We’ll be working on “mining” our lives for creative stories. It’s going to be great. Please put it on your calendar.
And coming up tonight and this week:
Writer’s Cafe’ will be travelling this week to Pioneer Coffee in North Bend for a Reading and Book Signing involving SnoValley Writes! author, Jackie Fedyk and local artist Leslie Moon for their book, Agatha Hattie. Here’s a link to more info: https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/289260581205683/?fref=ts  It runs from 6:00 – 8:00 with a reading and door prize each 1/2 hour. Hope to see you there!

Also, come and write with us on Saturday this week, the 13th, for the NaNoWriMo Writing Marathon. SnoValley Writes! will be shooting for 30 hours or more between all of the writers, so come and contribute what you can. You can work on any project including editing to be counted toward the total. We’ll be at North Bend Bar & Grill starting at 9:30 and will move to Pioneer Coffee from 11:30 – 5:30 or 6:00. The official NaNoWriMo event info is here: http://www.nanowrimo.org/marathon. You can also look for check-ins on our Regional Forum for Snoqualmie Valley on the NaNoWriMo site.  You are welcome to donate to NaNo as part of this event, but you can write with us without monetary obligation other than an appreciative order from whichever cafe’ you are visiting.

My plan is to join at least first thing in the morning at the grill and then we’ll see whether baseball will interrupt before I come back and finish at Pioneer in the afternoon. You could do the same. Come when you can, leave when you must. Make time for your writing. We’re all hanging there with you!

And that, my fellow authors, is your prompt. Get out and connect with your fellow writers. Go to the reading tonight. Participate in the Writers Cafe on Friday morning at the Black Dog or the Writing Marathon this week.
Do it. You have my permission. You’re a writer. Go be with other writers, listen, read, write.
And now your moment of Writing Zen:
“A writer without interest or sympathy for the foibles of his fellow man is not conceivable as a writer.”- Joseph Conrad
P.S.: The snovalleywrites.org site is currently down. My server crashed due to a hardware failure. the replacement part then crashed as well. We got a new part, but now we have to reload everything and that takes some time (since we’ve been doing this for several years). Hopefully it will be up by Thursday morning. I’ll keep you posted. 
—
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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 6, 2013 Edition

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Writers:

Greetings to you. The frogs serenaded me last night; the birds awoke me with their songs.

Spring is here. It will fight an epic battle for the next few weeks with Old Man Winter. But she is here. There is a sense of newness in the air (I moved my winter greens to their Spring-time beds), and I saw a doe and fawn early this morning. It’s all right here in front of us. But, sometimes I think we let the world and all its troubles detract us from the goodness and beauty right in front of us. I hope you have a chance to pause and reflect and allow the goodness and beauty to seep into you.

Enjoying life doesn’t mean there isn’t work, however. But, when it’s writing work, creative work, it doesn’t feel like work, right?

Today we continue making our way through the very last of The Artist’s Way.

Today’s task is this:

Build yourself a special creativity notebook. Number pages one through seven. Give one page each to the following categories:  health, possessions, leisure, relationships, creativity, career, and spirituality. With no thought as to practicality, list ten wishes in each area. All right, it’s a lot. Let yourself dream a little here.

That’s it. No other task this week from us. Just do that one. But you do have an opportunity tonight at the Writer’s Café at Sawdust Coffee in North Bend, beginning at 6 p.m. to complete this task/prompt/creative nudge.

If you don’t have an artist’s date planned this week, please consider supporting one of our fellow writers and artists in the valley by attending a book launch/signing in North Bend.

Agatha Hattie – Queen of the Night, written by our own Jacquelyn Fedyk and illustrated by local favorite artist, Leslie Nan Moon are being hosted by Selah Gifts on Saturday, March 9th, at Noon until 2 p.m. There will be a reading, signing, and definitely a chance for you to acquire as many copies of this great children’s book. Please consider setting aside some time to support them. For more information, please visit http://agathahattie.wordpress.com/

Next work session for the group is March 12 at the North Bend Library at 6 p.m. Hope to see you all there.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“To keep the body in good health is a duty…Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ~Buddha

Weekly Writing Prompt — February 27, 2013 Edition

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Writers:

Great Work Shop last night. I can tell winter is wearing on folks as our numbers always seem to dwindle in late February/early March. Hope to see more of you on March 12.

We are now on Week 11 of The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It’s clear folks are really beginning to recover their creativity and be good to their inner artist. That’s fantastic and what it’s all about.

In this chapter we focus on our artistic autonomy. We examine the ongoing ways in which we must nurture and accept ourselves as artists. We explore the behaviors that can strengthen our spiritual base and, therefore, our creative power. We take a special look at the ways in which success must be handled in order that we not sabotage our freedom.

We will be working on acceptance of self as an artist. I’ve had you do this exercise before, but we’ll do it again.

Say these words a loud:  “I am an artist.”

Again.

Once more, and with feeling!

Awesome.

Oh, you didn’t do it.

Turn around and do it. Excuse yourself to a private place, if necessary. But say, “I am an artist.” And say it out loud for your own ears to hear three times.

We’ll be focusing on how success is creativity. How creativity is a spiritual practice.

We’ll be focusing on what Cameron calls “The Zen of Sports.” Basically that’s doing things like walking, or running, or a Zumba class to get the brain waves into a zone that allows for open channels to creativity.

We’ll be looking at building an artist’s altar. We just said that creativity is a spiritual practice. You’ll need to create some “rituals” towards your creativity. Some of you may already have them. Some of you maybe just need permission to building these spaces and actions. Some of you just need to know this is a part of The Artist’s Way.

Tasks:

  1. Tape your own voice reading the Basic Principles. (See Page 3). Choose a favorite essay from this book and record that as well. Use it as a meditation. (If you do not have a copy of The Artist’s Way – just choose any inspirational essay. However, here’s some from Cameron that you might choose.)
  2. Write out, in longhand, your Artist’s Prayer from Week Four. Place it in your wallet.

Those are the tasks for this week.

Those who went to the workshop – don’t forget:  One lovely thing for you – just yourself – each day for the next seven days.

For those that didn’t attend the workshop and want to know what that is…be sure to join us March 12, so you don’t miss out.

And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“Art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes it visible. The moon develops creativity as chemicals develop photographic images.” ~Norma Jean Harris

Weekly Writing Prompt — January 30, 2013 Edition

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Greetings Writers!

Most times you get this directly to your Email. This week, I sent you simply a link to our web site, to get the information there. Please feel free to comment there, as well, on the information contained therein.

When was the last time you positively affirmed either “I am a writer,” or “I am an artist?”

Don’t know?

Well say it with me now. Out loud. Doesn’t matter where you are.

“I am a writer.”

“I am an artist.”

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So it’s Artist Way Check-In Time.

Look folks, it’s been more than a year that we’ve been working on The Artist’s Way. I’m really hoping that you’re beginning to do some of these “habits” to nurture your “inner artist child” and find your path to creative recovery. It’s a long and arduous journey. The abuse to our inner child was long in the making. We’re not going to fully heal over night. So, don’t just think you can give up on these habits. They are life long.

If you’ve truly been doing these habits and have no sense of recovery, I’d really like to know. For those who have been doing these weekly habits, the exercises, the tasks, tell me how you’re doing. Answer the questions below in the comment section:

1. How many days this week (since last Wednesday) did you do your morning pages? Regarding your U-turns, have you allowed yourself a shift toward compassion, at least on the page?

2.  Did you do your artist date this week? Have you kept the emphasis on fun? What did you do? How did it feel?

3.  Did you experience any synchronicity this week? What was it?

4.  Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them.

Again, please answer in the comment section below.

And now your Moment of Writing Zen:

“When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines the kind of men we are.” ~Cesar Chavez

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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 14, 2012 Edition

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Happy Pi Day all. Be sure to get some Pie today as well. Treat yourself. Apple-pie making in the happening over in these parts.

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So how many days this week did you do your morning pages? What? You haven’t been journaling? You haven’t been getting that mental debris out — the stuff that keeps your creativity blocked?

Have you given yourself an artist date this week? Even just a trip to a favorite retailer for some fun stickers and a new journal? How about to a book signing? A new art exhibit? Hear a new band? If you did, how did it feel? What did you do? What do you plan to do this week?

For those that missed the work session on Sunday, we’ve started the journey of The Artist’s Way (A path to higher creativity). Having done the formal program twice personally, beginning it with a group is fabulous. It has that much more meaning. For those that have had a hard time making time for your creativity — or spending too much time on your shadow art as opposed to the art you’re impassioned about (e.g. writing), this will be a great exercise for you. It will take us many months to do, but I hope that you will see this as a course in discovering and recovering your best creative self yet. A self who is generative and prolific and a creative life that leaves you feeling satisfied.

The major tools in this journey are:

1) Morning pages: three hand-written, stream-of-consciousness pages you write every morning as soon as you wake up (before you do anything else). Write them in a notebook or journal so you can have them all in one place (currently, I have two completed Morning Page journals sitting on my bookshelf). I set my alarm :15 early to do this. My handwriting is not pretty; but, it clears the mind and is like a writing meditation. I can’t recommend this practice enough.
2) A weekly Artist Date: A commitment of time spent on yourself once a week; Time spent solely on you — no companions allowed; A date with your inner-artist, or your inner-child. For me, it was yesterday and getting a multi-flavored slurpee at 7-11 and to sit in the sunshine (albeit brief as it was in Seattle yesterday) and just watch the world go by. Oftentimes I walk down to the river and do yoga or just sit and watch the inner workings of the water, the trees, the birds and critters. I have also been known to pull the blinds and get out the kids coloring books and crayons and just color in superheros or Hello Kitty. It’s freeing and lets your brain recharge for productive creativity.
3) Daily Reading (which can be accomplished on Wednesdays by undertaking your weekly writing prompt from SnoValley Writes!) I do no less than :30 of reading a day. Non-fiction, fiction, it doesn’t matter. I have books everywhere — my car, the bathroom, my bedroom, my purse, my desk, the living room, even the kitchen. There’s no excuse for not reading every day.

Therefore your prompt this week is to try to accomplish these goals. I can’t recommend or encourage you strongly enough to really take these tasks to heart and do them. Reward yourself for each day you accomplish your morning pages; the artist date is a treat in itself. Do not turn out the lights at night until you’ve gotten in your :30 of reading.

Let me know by next Tuesday how you’re doing, too. Yes, I’m giving homework. Report back, please. I promise no tongue-lashings, just honest encouragement and understanding and all-out cheerleading-praise when appropriate. 

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Sometimes I carve out my artist date on either end of one of the Writing Cafes we host. The next is Friday’s DayTrippers from 9:30 a.m. to about noon-ish. Our dearest Takako Wright sends out the reminders for that. DayTrippers are tripping all over the valley for the next few weeks until the Black Dog returns to normal hours on Fridays. So, get the Email from Takako to find out where this week’s location is (her email is in the to line above).

Following that will be Mid-day Muse on Monday at Toad’s in North Bend. This is your reminder about that. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (ish). Hope to see you there.

Then Tuesday is Writers Cafe at Carriage Insurance House in North Bend. The Incredible Sheri Kennedy will send out the reminders for that. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.(her email is in the to line above).

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Make your reservations for Word Jazz now. April 10 at 7 p.m. at Boxley’s. It’s going to feature some of our best work yet. Be there or make us all very sad. 

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I am still in need of local literary legends for our first Literary Salon. Send me your suggestions now, please.

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And now your moment of Writing Zen:

“You need to claim the events of your life to make yourself yours.” ~Anne-Wilson Schaef
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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 — February 29, 2012 Edition (In a time warp)

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Yes, we’re a day late. My apologies, I’ve been in a time-warp of sorts. I kept thinking it was Tuesday yesterday, even though my calendar and reminders clearly said it was Wednesday.

So, that’s your prompt. It’s a trope — but its a fun trope. Write a story that has some sort of time or time travel element in it.
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I’m writing this on the fly because I’m already late for the start of a day due to some tech emergencies. So please forgive the abruptness of this.
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REMINDERS:
1.  Everyone participating in Word Jazz needs to have their final copy and images (which you own or have permission to use and we won’t have any copyright issues with…) to SHERI KENNEDY. Do not send them to me. Please send them to Sheri. She is on the “to” line here for convenience.

2.  Tonight is the Open Mic at Black Dog. If you want some reading experience, or at minimum want to see how others do it, I encourage you to attend. They start sign ups at 6:30 p.m. and the open-mic starts at 7 p.m. My son plans to debut his “comedic writing” tonight as well; it would be great if you came out and supported him, at minimum.
3.  Friday is Day Trippers Write In, currently being held at Country Pride restaurant at Truck Town (north of exit 34 off I-90). 9:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. Hope to see you there.
4.  Monday Midday Muse at Toads. Another write in from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
5.  Our very own Writer’s Cafe (bring your own snacks and drinks) at Carriage Insurance House at 3rd and Bendigo in North Bend. 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
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Still looking for suggestions for local literary figures to invite to our upcoming literary salons.
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And now your moment of Writing Zen:
“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ~Albert Einstein

—
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 — November 9, 2011 Edition

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Wow, 9 days into November already. Yowsa!

NaNoWriMo Update:  
Dont’ fear if you’re behind like me. Some of us are late bloomers. Just keep at it. Come to a write-in, too. The word wars work just as well as Write or Die without erasing your hard fought words. 
Upcoming Write-Ins: As with all the write-ins, look for the rubber ducky on the table, or at minimum the nano-stickered laptops).
Today:  Sawdust Coffee Company, North Bend, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lots of room, plugs, internet, good coffee
Thursday:  Happy Hour Write-In at Fall City Roadhouse 4 to 7 p.m. Hosted by DukTap (aka Kathy Gabriel). Meet in the pub.
Friday:  Toad’s North Bend, 9:30 am. to 12:30 p.m. If you’re the first one there, get the far back table.
Saturday:  North Bend Library from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by Winney and Quinnleeeee (aka Vicky and Sheri).
Sunday:  North Bend Library Meeting Room — Regular Writer’s Work Session (all welcome) 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
(Note:  on Sunday at 2 p.m. at the North Bend Library, the King County Library System is presenting The Art of the Novel, a presentation of a variety of narrative artworks to serve as inspiration for a novel. The artworks will relate to the following genres:  mystery, fantasy, romance, memoir, historical, thriller and adventure. Need some inspiration? Plan to attend right before our work session)
Monday:  Music Muse Write-In at Boxley’s (North Bend) 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., they are opening up a special room for us. So please show support and come out for this one! Jazz in the background to help fuel your writing flame. 
Tuesday:  Writer’s Cafe, Carriage House (North Bend) 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. (this is where I made a breakthrough last night! A great environment to get the words down!)
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Upcoming News:  
Nov. 21st — 6:30 p.m. SnoValley Writes! Fall Into Story Book Signing at Selah’s Gifts! Come get some early Holiday Gifts and support your fellow writers. Authors with other works will have them available as well! Do plan to be there!
Dec. 12th SnoValley Writes! Board Meeting 7:30 p.m. Carriage House All invited to attend. This will be a work session to get our Federal Tax Exception worked out.
Needed:  Project Manager for Word Jazz!

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Writing Prompt for this week:  Go somewhere unusual — the side of the river, a park bench, steal into an empty conference room at lunch — and write, just write, freewrite, whatever comes to mind. That guy Fred whose cubicle is catty-corner from you and is constantly shuffling, the sound of the river’s current along the shore, the sound of the birds in the tree at the park. Anything. Everything. Just sit and write out of your normal writing zone. If you’ve never been to a write-in, that would qualify as well. Mimic a conversation you hear at the cafe. Incorporate it into your prose.
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And now your moment of Writing Zen:
“Chance is always powerful. Let your hook be always cast: in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.”
— 
— 
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