9/11 Memorial

9/11 Memorial, a photo by Saucy Salad on Flickr.

This is for remembrance.

Are you old enough to remember?

If not, what do you know and how do you feel?

Pause and Reflect. . .

Writing Prompts Inspired by Mary Oliver

Blackwater Pond - Spring time, a photo by Mark Griffith on Flickr.

Happy Birthday to the amazing American poet Mary Oliver!


In honor of her birthday, I would like you to read the featured poem on Writer's Almanac today. It is called "In Blackwater Woods."  Our creative writing prompts for  today will be inspired by her poem.

(Note to Educators:  I have included study questions (at the bottom of the post) for the poem.  Please, if you use them, drop me a note and let me know how it went.  Thank you!)


Free-Write for 5 minutes: Write about something (or someone) that you had to let go of that was very difficult for you.


Poetry and Essay Writing Prompts:  After you free-write, spin those ideas into a poem or a short essay.


Fiction Writing Practice: Write a short scene with two characters by a pond. They can be human or nonhuman.

Study Questions for Mary Oliver’s Poem “ In Blackwater Woods”

1.  How does the poet draw you into the poem?  Is it effective for you?  If yes, why do you think so?
2.  How many stanzas are in this poem?  How many lines are in each stanza?

      3  How many adjectives are in the poem?  What are they?

        4.  How many “ly” adverbs are in the poem? 

      5.  What specific words does the poet use to give us a candle-like image without saying the word "candle”?

      6.  How does the poet use personification?
      7.  How does the the poet use repetition in this poem?  Do you think it is effective?  Why or why not?

      8.  Please write down a phrase or two from this poem that you liked.  Discuss why you think those lines stood out for you. 

      9.  Were there any parts of the poem that you did not like?  Discuss.
     10.  The ending direction of this poem is a straightforward message, which is to let go of mortal things in order “to live in this world.”  Do you agree or disagree?  Why or why not?  Reflect on this question in a short paragraph.

  

We Didn't Start the Fire Writing Prompts

I love this song by Billy Joel.  It is a long list of people and things that show our country's history and culture over the span of quite a few years.

For today's creative writing prompts, here are choices.  But first, enjoy the video.

1.  For Poetry:

Try making a new verse for this song using a list of things from the last year.  Make it rhyme.

OR put a verse together that is simply things from your own life.

For example, if it were me, some images that are in my surroundings that I might use are:

The 7 Dwarfs on the coffee table
bubble gum machine on my desk
the dead squirrel in my son's pool
Lemon Queen Sunflowers
Turtle ice-cream

So, first just make the list.  Then shape it and play with it to make it rhyme. It's just a fun exercise, and as always, I would love to read whatever you come up with, so please comment.


2.  For everything:  Pick one of the images from the video and use the subject in a story, essay or poem.

Crossword Puzzle Writing Prompts

                                                  LIMES By Smabs Sputzer


Here is an idea you can use for a writing prompt anytime. Find words in crossword puzzles.

Since it is the New York Times' crossword editor's birthday --- Happy Birthday, Will Shortz!  ----- , in his honor I have picked words from a New York Times crossword puzzle for your creative writing prompts.  The words are below.  Pick 5-8 of them to use in a poem, story or scene.  OR pick one that prompts a memory and write a little bit of creative nonfiction.

Here are your words:

Limes, hissy fit, overtures, cartoons, ripest, hiatus, netted,
suede, flame, taken, royal, onyx, used, seance, swooned, sanity

Dorothy Parker Writing Prompts

Dorothy Parker Writing Prompts

Happy Birthday to Dorothy Parker! 

Dorothy Parker (August 22, 1893 – June 7, 1967) was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wisecracks and wit.  You can read some of her poems and more about her here.

Below are creative writing prompts for fiction, play writing, and poetry.  ENJOY!  Feel free to post anything you come up with.  

Fiction Writing & Play Writing Practice:  Dorothy Parker is the one who wrote: 

Men seldom make passes
At girls who wear glasses.

Below is a picture of a cute girl with glasses in a vineyard.  Write a scene where someone makes a pass at her.  Keep your setting in the vineyard.  Keep in mind she is stealing this grape.

anna and the grape 

 Anna snacks on a stolen grape from a vineyard in province b

 

y austinevan

Creative Writing Prompt for Poetry:  In honor of Dorothy Parker's birthday, please read the two short poems below, and create a little witty poem of your own.


Drink and dance and laugh and lie,
Love, the reeling midnight through,
For tomorrow we shall die!
(But, alas, we never do.)
"The Flaw in Paganism" in Death and Taxes (1931)

Observation

If I didn't care for fun and such,

I'd probably amount to much.

But I shall stay the way I am,

Because I do not give a damn.

First printed in New York World, (16 August 1925)

Orville Wright's Birthday Writing Prompt

"We were lucky enough to grow up in an environment where there was always much encouragement to children to pursue intellectual interests; to investigate whatever aroused curiosity."  -Orville Wright

Today it is Orville Wright's birthday.  He and his brother Wilbur launched the first successful flight of a "flying machine" in 1903.  His quote above is about his childhood and curiosity.

Do you remember making inventions when you were a child?  What did you learn from exploring curiosity?

For your creative writing prompt today, free-write for 10 minutes about your memories of your childhood curiosity.

After your free-write, take the subject and develop a short creative nonfiction piece, or a short story based on the theme, or a poem.  

Writing Prompts with Paper Stars

Stars, a photo by credo_vsegda on Flickr.

Hello, Creative Writers!

Though I am usually not a big fan of one word writing prompts, I am not opposed to trying something new. There is a word I have been reflecting on all week, so I am offering it up to you as a springboard for inspiration.

Write for 10 minutes (form of your choice) on what comes to you from this word:

BELIEVE!


Happy Writing! I hope you are all enjoying your summer!