EXERCISE: In Honor of Olga

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Thu, 24 May 2001 05:12:37 -0400

Simple, sweet, and to the point...

Complete this sentence fragment:

I write because

Then settle down and complicate it.

Go ahead, expound on it, impound it, even plain olde pound on it, but make your point!

Then do it again.  Yes, take that same fragment, and finish it another way.

Do a round 10 or so.  Heck, do a baker's dozen.  Oh, all right, go ahead and do four square and some odd.  (odd?  No, let's do evens!)

Anyway, elucidate the rationales for writing.

Thanks!

"There are no whole truths; all truths are half-truths. It is trying to treat them as whole truths that plays the devil." Alfred North Whitehead

Exercise: I REALLY DON'T DESERVE THIS, BUT…

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 07:38:14 -0500

I REALLY DON'T DESERVE THIS, BUT…

Here's an exercise that will help you write the best piece of your career.  Ready?

Okay, here's the bones of this exercise (you'll put the meat on while doing it).

First, sit back, relax, and imagine that some time has passed.  You've just gotten the early release of a future anthology or collection containing your best piece (perhaps it's the anniversary release of your works?:-)  In other words, you've become the writer you want to be, and your work has become a part of the public consciousness, and one of your best works has been selected for this.

Now, you flip to your piece, and just before it, there's an introduction written by your favorite author, critic, reviewer of your work, someone who understands your writing and your approach and knows how to tell people what they are about to enjoy, how to lead them into your work so that they get the most possible from it.

Who is that writer?  Who put together that introduction? 

If your work is a novel, the introduction may be several pages long, a short story or poem may have a somewhat shorter introduction.  But what are the key points to that introduction?  What does it point out about your writing?

Stop here, and write down the main points of the introduction.  If you want to, give us the lead sentence, or perhaps the final ringing summary that leads into your work.

Look it over.  Did they miss anything critical about your work?  When you write the letter thanking them for the introduction, what are you going to say?

Go ahead and bask in enjoying that introduction for a few minutes.  Think about how well-deserved it is, how it leads your readers to your work, where this work fits into the rest of your writing.

Then, if you're ready, do the second part of this exercise.  Sit down and write the piece (the poem, short story, essay, novel, or whatever) that they are going to introduce!

EXERCISE: Looking Ahead One Year

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

original posting: Wed, 26 Dec 2001 22:54:00 -0500

All write!

First, let's assume that one has donned the infinitely slippery robe of the time traveler, and parted the curtain of time, achieving a foothold on the far shore, one year ahead.

Or, of course, you could just wait a year, and there you are again!

Anyway, let's say (for the sake of the argument) that it is next year, about this time.  Got it?

Now, in thinking back, what were the resolutions, habits, turning points, and other wonderfalls that made this year the great year it was in your writing?  What happened?  Tell us (write us a scene) about the disappointments and the glories, the muses and their hot breath.

Flashbacks galore!

Second, of course, let's ask that perennial favorite:  what are your writing resolutions this year?  What do you expect to do to make your writing sing this year?

And, locally, let me ask what you expect to do on this list?  Are you going to SUB:, CRIT:, TECH:, EXER:, WOW:, INT: or FILL:?  What kind of submissions are you going to SUB:?  How do you CRIT: safely and sanely?  What tidbits of TECH:nique do you want to share?  Did your fingers get the EXERCISE: they need?

News of the World Of Writing?  WOW:!

And if the multi-author world of writing gets to you, there's interactives to plot and foil.

Or, by your leave, we may have a bit of fill: some words and thoughts wrapped for the fun of it.

Anyway -- what are your three resolutions for writing this year?

(Okay, you want more than three?  Make them good!)

Do your resolutions match your one year projection?