EXERCISE: I Thought That I Would Never See...

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Mon, 08 Jul 2002 22:29:27 -0400

just for the fun of it, let's take one of these:

1. A character slowly turning into a ... your choice!
2. The bottle of beer that swallowed a man
3. A sunrise that shook the world (literally?  figuratively?  symbolically? you decide!)
4. the character who walked into his/her apartment building, up to her/his door, and it was gone. 
5. how about the cubicle worker who comes in one fine morning, and can't find her/his cube in the maze?
6. the day when everyone got their wishes

Add to a tale, mix well, and let's see what kind of story you might write.  A magical mystery tortellini, a fantastic voyage, a trip down memory faded, or...

Just write!

EXERCISE: Darth Vader in a Bubble Bath?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 22:49:22 -0400

Okay, here's the spin...

Take a villian.  The Wicked Witch of the East, Darth Vader, Snidely Whiplash, Dr. No, whoever you like to boo and hiss.

Now, imagine them out of their role for a bit.  For example:

1.  Taking a vacation
2.  Relaxing with a nice bubble bath
3.  Trying hard to have a peaceful, quiet breakfast
4.  Playing with the pets
5.  Out for a night on the town
6.  At the 4th of July celebration

or wherever you wouldn't expect them to be.

Walk us through that scene.  How does Darth act with his niece?  When the Wicked Witch is relaxing in her bubble bath, does she sing?

Go ahead, take a break.

and write!

EXERCISE: Today's Saying...

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Wed, 10 Jul 2002 21:51:07 -0400

In my office, I'm known as the guy who has too many meetings.  So one of the "helpful" habits I've gotten into is posting my daily schedule.  I scribble it on one of those "stick-up" memos, and put it outside the door of my office, so that when people come hunting me, they have some idea of where I might be.

I often add little "aphorisms" for the day.  Here's a few recent ones:

• Getting traction after a break is hard -- so start before the break!
• Remember, we are all people, with dreams and hopes and fears.
• Sometimes you just have to do it -- and sometimes you let someone else do it!
• Plans change -- plan on it.
• Sometimes you just have to laugh.
• Just because it's due later doesn't mean you can't do it now -- put up the long pole in the tent before you bother with the short ones.
• Make your work visible -- set milestones, and celebrate reaching them.

So, let's say you're going to put a note out there for the world to see today.  What saying would you put on it?

I would have written on my stone:
I had a lover's quarrel with the world.  Robert Frost

and in the morning, ah, what a breakfast we had!  tink

EXERCISE: Title Challenge

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Tue, 09 Jul 2002 22:12:55 -0400

Okay, here's the phrase:

Where Dreams Begin

(hum... where dreams take flight?  where dreams can stand?  No, let's stick with begin...)

Now, your task, should you choose to take it, is to let the brain stew (no, not wash, stew!) around that phrase.  Whose dreams?  What prompts them?  Why do they begin there? For that matter, where is there?  Conflict?  Stakes?  Characters?  all the rest of the story telling bits and pieces (a MYTH?  here in our very backyard?  well, don't scare it away, offer it some cool water and shade, maybe it will stick around.)

Okay?  Now pick out some fine spoonfuls of that stew, and let us feast!

In other words, very simply, write a (tale, poetry, whatever you likery) somewhere around the phrase:

Where Dreams Begin

You may use it as a title, theme, initial starting point, whatever makes your words dance.

Just write!

EXERCISE: Oo, say can you see?

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

I probably don't have time for this right now, so it may be a bit choppy.

See, we've got the 4th of July coming up. And it always makes me think of the times when . . . the Boston Pops played, and I boosted a little neighbor up so that she could see the fireworks. And before that, hot dogs and such, fireworks, and other times. And the hard times -- arguing about the Vietnam war, walking with various groups, this and that. What does it mean to be an American, in this time and place? Summertime reflections . . .

And on the random quotations today, I've got:

"First there is a time when we believe everything, then for a little while we believe with discrimination, then we believe nothing whatever, and then we believe everything again - and, moreover, give reasons why we believe." Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

"Nothing great in the world has been accomplished without passion." Georg Wilhelm

"When the souls rise up in glory, yours shall not be shunned nor sundered, but shall be the prize of the gods' gardens. Even your darkness shall be treasured then, and all your pain made holy." Lois McMaster Bujold

"We learn by example and by direct experience because there are real limits to the adequacy of verbal instruction." Malcolm Gladwell

"The world is now too small for anything but brotherhood." Arthur Powell Davies

The Fourth of July celebration in America is an expression of belief and of passion. It's also very much a time of remembrance of darkness and pain. Francis Scott Key was not sitting on the grass enjoying Kentucky fried chicken. Example and experience instead of simple words also play a part in what the Fourth of July means. And that notion of global brotherhood -- that we can no longer say we don't care about what's beyond our borders because our borders include everything.

Kind of a hodgepodge -- but what does the Fourth of July mean for you? What will you be doing Friday? And what will you do in the days to come because of that experience? Flags and music and food and fireworks -- what does it all mean to you?

Write!
When we write, we set fireworks free in the minds of our readers.