Question for y'all on this, our sacred #workshopwednesday. What do you like out of a writing prompt? What makes for a good one, and what makes for a bad one?
For me it's all about the concept of "productive constraint"--starting from nothing is hard, so narrowing things down to the point of forcing creativity is the whole point, right? But how narrow is too narrow to work, and how broad is too broad? A lot of prompt exercises miss that sweet spot for me, so when one hits it, it's *chefs kiss.*
How about yinz? What else catches your eye about a good prompt? What annoys you? Tell me what makes prompt perfection, and what hits your prompt peeves!
These were the cats when we first got them. Note that while they look tiny, we adopted these lil beans when they were already adults--just sad, malnourished adults. They're good now! They're full of energy and kibble and high nonsense drive, and they've come really far. Sometimes it just takes some nourishing.
For this #workshopwednesday, I'm asking--what nourishes you as a writer? What helps you grow? What pushes you further, motivates you, helps you feel safe enough to thrive?
Since we're about ONE MONTH OUT from our next Feedback, here's a look at an absolutely awesome reading by Liza!
Don't forget to come to the next one on June 1 <3 /share/1Cs5GJHCf4/
Buddy is in his Feelings Box.
This is the box where Buddy goes when he is overwhelmed.
I, too, am overwhelmed.
Therefore, this #workshopwednesday, no prompt--just talk to me about writing! talk to me about words!
For #workshopwednesday, even though it doesn't look like it, Buddy here is doing something very important for his writing practice. That's right, he is SITTING WITH HIS DISCOMFORT. (Seriously, look at how this monster is sitting. What is his body? Why? I have so many questions.) I write primarily personal stuff--CNF in the form of essays or hybridized work that explores my own experiences, which very much forces me to sit with my discomfort. Explore my traumas. Dig deeper. But you have do do that with fiction and poetry, too--any writing practice is all about those deep, buried emotions .How do YOU access them without burnout?
Friends, Diva sometimes puts herself in what we call "time out." This is a behavior we have observed for some time now. She lays down and faces the wall and WILL NOT BE DISTURBED. And you know what? Relatable. I can't always be writing. On this, our sacred #workshopwednesday, let's talk about the ways we unwind and give ourselves space--because you know what, that's writing too, damn it. For me? Dumb TV, a fall-into-it book, a long shower, a hot cup of tea. Sometimes multiples if I'm really feeling too much.
