EXERCISE: A Scared Skunk? Keep writing!

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 13 April 2009

Writer's Digest, August 2008, page 14 offers this writing prompt:

"Work the following elements into a single scene: a frightened animal, a civic leader, and a small audience." From the Pocket Muse: Endless Inspiration by Monica Wood.

Take a moment and list 10 animals -- and what frightened them? Then take another moment and list 10 civic leaders. What the heck, one more moment will get you a list of 10 small audiences. Now take a look at them and pick the animal, the leader, and the audience. Feel free to do some random combinations if you want to.

A frightened squirrel, the mayor of a small town, and the daughters of the American Revolution? What happens when they meet? Or what about...

Go ahead, write that scene.

EXERCISE: Money, money, money

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original posting 13 April 2009

Writer's Digest, December 2008, page 59 offered this contest prompt:

"You find an envelope full of money in a parking lot and decide to spend it on adventure." From The Writer's Book of Matches by the staff of fresh boiled peanuts: a literary journal

Looking for adventure in whatever comes our way? Anyway, one envelope of money, found. And then what happened?

You decide. And write.