Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Writing with Rox Weekly Prompt—Prompts-to-go!

Don't you love summer? In high school a friend of mine mentioned that summer is a dreamy series of sunups and sundowns occasionally bisected by family obligations. She was wise beyond her years because this quote soothes me every summer, especially on those mega scattered days when I have three feet out the door, body still on the bike, mind who knows where, perhaps still trying to answer Jude's yesterday question: "Mama, how did I get in your tummy?"

What? How does this occur to him this second? We just had Dairy Queens. We're feeling peaceful, not curious.

"What's so funny?" he wants to know.

"Well...hmmm. Are you really asking me that now? Driving home from camping at 10 pm?"

"Yeah. How I got in your tummy?"

Indeed he is.

"Well... Here's the simple answer: What do we always talk about?"

"What talk about?" he says in his Yoda cadence, also wise behind his years, yet sandwiched between duffle bags and tents in the back, his earth and ice cream smudged face affirms his  five year old innocence.

"What do we always talk about Jude? Every night? What's everywhere all the time?"

Thinking... "Love."

"Right. And we'll have the rest of the conversation when you're... fifteen?"








Like most of you, I've been out of the Matrix for a while! Of course I've been doing some writing so I'm going to list some of the cool prompts that came up while writing solo, with groups, classes, the writing retreat, in my heart...



...            But first, a few very cool things to share: 1) My mentor/friend/hero Cary Tennis who writes the Since You Asked column for salon.com whom I refer to regularly in classes, life, writing, etc, is now hosting online classes and virtual ones too. I think you ought drop in or visit, etc, but for sure you want to know who this very amazing human and writer is if you do not already!


2) Swami Veda deserves lotus flowers. (I saw these pink beauties while at Bhaktifest in Madison Wisconsin last month...)  I went to hear him speak at The Meditation Center a few weeks ago and he said the most amazing thing; "The gateway to infinity is in between the spaces between words." He mentioned that on one single page there is infinite space between each word. Of course he was referring to the pause between each inhalation and exhalation, yet this is exactly what I find to be true of Intuitive Writing, or any writing for that matter, when we allow ourselves to drop in, be present, linger with what is right here, right now.

...                ...                                         ...

And now... PROMPTS for thee........


... Choose any word (say, "Jungle,)" and pause. Linger. Go deeper. What comes up in the universe of that word? In the space between it and the next?

...Were you ever blown away by flowers? Ever see a flower you didn't know existed before? Story?

...How did you learn about the birds and the bees? And/or how you got in your mama's tummy?

...What is summer to you? (A series of sunups and sundowns?)

...On my birthday, I wrote a List Poem in the morning entitled: Things I Want to Do on My 42nd Birthday.

...What's cracked you up in the past week? Day? What made you smile?

...What were the happy sounds of your childhood summer?

...Write the epilogue to your life.

...The prologue...

...Like satire? Try listing a few "made up" writing classes you might find in a writing catalogue. Think way out there: a few we came up with are new age writing, writing for mechanics, anal writing (writing for anals), etc...

... What scenes in life would you like to live over again? Choose one and write it out. Or choose as many as you'd like!


And that's just a few! Remember to share if you'd like—here, there, anywhere—and remember that if you get stuck, just keep returning to the lead in prompt. Also, remember you are writing first and foremost for YOU; if you choose to share, edit, etc, do that later. First, just write. And... if you continue to receive these prompts and feel not so motivated to write, etc, it could be because you do not have a witness for these words and stories. Part of why we write is to share, witness, be witnessed... if you'd like to go a bit deeper into your writing journey, please consider writing in community! I have several groups and classes going all the time as well as one on ones, writing parties, special groups custom made, etc etc. Check out the calendar on this blog or on the corkboard at www.writingwithrox.com for more details. Anywhichotherway... hope to write with you sooooooon! 


S   P        a             c                   e      .            Til next sunup, Rox xoxo






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