Category Archives: writing prompts and exercises

It’s All In The Metaphor

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rose as metaphor

Love is…

I found Jane Hirshfield’s delicious lesson on The Art of the Metaphor, together with the animation by Ben Pearce, really brought home the immediacy and physicality a metaphor can have. Very inspiring. The door image at the end is fantastic and so evocative that I started writing on the spot. No brilliant metaphors at my fingertips, sadly. But I did find some great metaphors by famous authors here.

Do you think one has to work at creating a terrific metaphor? Or does it arrive on a thunderbolt of inspiration?

Have you tried using a metaphor – for example, one from the link above –  as a prompt for a writing exercise? How about Bob Dylan’s “Chaos is a friend of mine”? Imagine yourself arm in arm or drinking beer or on a road trip with your friend Chaos, I mean Charles, or setting him up with a date, or waiting for him to turn up at your wedding as best man…

Breathing to Write 2 – Writing Prompt

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Here is the second in my series of movement/breathing/writing exercises.

First the breathing exercise:

  • sitting with your spine tall and away from the back of your chair, and your feet on the floor. Close your eyes. Put your right hand on the right side of your ribcage, left hand on left side. When you breathe in, you should feel your palms move away from each other, and when you breathe out, they come towards each other. Breathe quietly, focusing on this movement. After a while, try breathing only into your right side….only into your left side.
  • If you feel uncomfortable or dizzy when holding your breath in this second exercise, stop and breathe normally. If 4 counts feels too much, try 3. Breathe in for 4 counts (in, 2, 3, 4); Hold for 4 counts (hold, 2, 3, 4); Breathe out for 4 counts (out, 2, 3, 4); Hold for 4 counts (hold, 2, 3, 4). Repeat for a couple of cycles, then breathe normally.

Now the writing:

  • Select one of the following:

in the same breath

with bated breath

breathing down his neck

catching her breath

taking a deep breath

out of breath

holding her breath

under his breath

  • Writing from the prompt you’ve chosen, describe in detail where your character is, what is around him or her. What is the light like? Is it hot or cold? What can the character hear? Who are they with, or are they alone? Is anyone else there that they are not aware of? If so, where is that person in relationship to your character? Let the story emerge gradually.

How did this work for you? I’d love to know. Please let me know in the Comments box below.

 

Breathing to Write – writing prompt

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bubbling stream and iciclesAs always with my workshops, I started last week’s session for the Montreal Branch of Canadian Authors Association with some somatic exercises. I enjoy how the exercises energize and relax, and especially how they shift attention from the ever-present lists of ‘must-do’, ‘mustn’t forget’ and ‘what time is it?’ of everyday life to the here and now of simply being in the moment – perfect preparation for writing.

Today I thought I’d use one of my favorite somatic exercises as a writing prompt. Continue reading →