Assignment three: Beach moments

So far, the writing prompts have been general in nature; this time however, I am giving you the beginning of a story. Take it and run! Make it yours, and see where it takes you.

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The sun sets. I pant, bent over propped on my knees. My back heaves up. Down. Up. Down. I rise, straighten my back and take in the last rays in the cloud-splotched sky. I turn; I know in my stomach that I have not gotten away. I have to keep on going. But I feel I can’t go on anymore; I want to die.

I give in for a moment, close my eyes. The sand beneath my toes is the only good thing in the entire universe right now. If only I could be a grain of sand, any grain of sand, a grain of sand touched by the setting sun everyday, turned golden and warm for a moment.

Did I hear a twig crack? Why can't I have some rest?

I turn, gasp, my instincts engage...

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Due Nov 15.

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Mini Assignment: describing place

"White chickens, red wheelbarrow, the plums that were in the ice box, so sweet so cold." William Carlos Williams

Such imagery with so little effort.
Think about a place, could be where you are now, could be imaginary, could be someplace you want to go/be, or could be someplace you've gone to.

Now see if you can capture it in a similar way, short and sweet, like William Carlos Williams

Here is another blog that talks about describing place--I haven't checked it out fully yet, but from my fleeting first glance, it looks like it could be an interesting resource.

http://www.writeshop.com/blog/
http://www.writeshop.com/blog/2010/02/23/choosing-vocabulary-to-describe-a-place/

Assignment two: a résumé for you and stuck in an elevator

It is not a challenge of thinking of something, of coming up with the next assignment... the hard part is deciding what not to pick. So many possibilities end up making this a process of elimination, more akin to chipping away at stone or wood to reveal the sculpture within.

So I have TWO assignment for our second assignment!
And the first isn't even "due" yet! I am just so antsy to keep writing; aren't you?

So here they are:

• Construct a one page (front only) résumé for an imaginary employer who wants to take note of all the things you wish employers did value. Construct inventive and creative headings, titles, categories, etc. This résumé is for YOU. Instead of trying to anticipate what someone else might want... figure out what you want - what you value in yourself - and write about it.
• Next, write a story (was 1,000 words too long? not long enough? You can break all the rules in this creative writing class, you know, as long as we remain respectful to one another) in which you are trapped in an elevator with one(?) other person [maybe two other people?] ---well dang, I think I could craft an entire creative writing semester with variations on elevator entrapment scenarios--- I will just leave it open... since I cannot make up my mind. You are trapped in an elevator. Make it boring and about nothing, like real life. Make it stressful, like real life. Make it funny, like real life. Make it a scene in an adventure novel, maybe Jane Bond instead of James, less like real life. Whatever. Just be creative, right?

Hope everyone is having fun. I am.
Due date, let's say November 6th.

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Assignment one: a difficult loud silence

I am giddy with hope and worry. This is the first, but how many will there be - I hope many more to come.

SO - if you have any good ideas on ways to organize, structure or coordinate this via blog, then please do not hesitate to offer me your ideas. Some might be reflective. Some might be short stories, some longer stories, some could be poetry, some might be fantastical, fictionalized history, biographical, autobiographical, about your environment... etc. I will try and organize them as best I can... but for now, I have no clue.

I am guessing it will just have to evolve. Because I have no idea how it should be... maybe that is the way God felt in the beginning... that is if there is one.

For the assignments themselves, sometimes I will suggest a page length. Sometime I will leave it open. Sometimes I will suggest a style or from a certain point of view... etc. If you want to deviate, I am excited to support your creativity, but sometimes writing along certain guidelines might foster better discussion if we have writing that is comparable. This may not hold true always, but sometimes, and for now, I have no way of knowing when those times occur or look like, etc.

But onto writing:

In about 1000 words, write a story about a loud silence that is difficult.

Hope that is specific enough and open enough.

Due Date: October 25

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