Writing 101, Day Eleven: Update your readers over a cup of coffee

Posted on November 17, 2015 by Gun Roswell

Writing 101, Day Eleven: Update your readers over a cup of coffee

No matter what type of blog you have, it’s sometimes necessary to post updates: from project news to personal messages about what’s going on in your life. One creative approach to an update post is a “virtual coffee date,” as seen on Kate Goes Global, which is like catching up with an old friend over a cup of coffee.

In her post, Kate begins each paragraph with If we were having coffee right now… and then adds a detail. You can share any details you’d like and include as many as you want, as long as you begin each with If we were having coffee right now… (or a variation of this phrase, as seen on Girl with the Red Hair).

It’s a simple idea, but offers a bit more structure to your post — and is a lot more fun. So today, write an update post in the form of a virtual coffee date.

If this post isn’t fitting for your blog or not your style, here’s your alternative: use a coffee shop as your inspiration.

Set your poem or short story in a cafe:
Not a fan of coffee shops? Tell us about a place or type of setting where you like to meet and socialize with friends or loved ones.
Love or hate coffee? Tell us why.

“I like coffee because it gives me the illusion that I might be awake” Lewis Black

Writing 101, Day Eleven: Update your readers over a cup of coffee

Monday, Paris
An outside Cafe
On Champs Elysées

Watching the passersby
With spirits held up high
No hurries, no sighs
Life still moving along
People carrying on
The worries almost gone

Enjoying my cup of coffee
This time I chose a latte
“When in France,
Do as the French do”
And a croissant with toffee
To complete the story

Just another day
On my stay
In the city of Paris

Friday, the 13th

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Gun Roswell

In honour of the month of November and Friday the 13th
Free flow poetry mix
&
Writing 101, Day Ten

Find a spot where you can sit and observe for at least 20 minutes: a bench at a park, shopping mall, or museum; from inside your car in a parking lot; or even a place close to home, like your front porch. Ideally, it’s a location where you can watch action and interaction in a setting (between people, wildlife, weather, etc.).

“Happy Friday the 13th. Satan texted me saying watch my back…With a winky face.”

Friday, the 13th

The tale told below
Was it based on a true story?
Or just pure fiction?

That, my dear reader
Is for the writer to know
And for you to enjoy!
As I arrived in the office, the place seemed more quiet than usual. At least this early in the morning. Sitting in my seat, pondering, where everyone else were.

No emails, no calls
No contacts at all
Had I mistaken?
Or too early awoken?
Was this a wrong day?
A Saturday, a Sunday?

Thinking about it, the traffic had been oddly light.
Even though it had been early morning time.

After a few hours of waiting in solitude, people I had never seen, entered the room.
Talking in strange languages, sounding like a record been played back the wrong way.
I was observing them. They did not seem to notice me.

Passing me by
Wondering why
Seemed like a dream
So unreal did it seem

I tried to greet one of them. I kept repeating
Hello, hello, HELLO!

But unnoticed
Even by the closest
Visitor did I go

Getting irritated, I did no longer hesitate.
Jumped in front of the nearest stranger.
I did not feel I was in any danger.
Waved my arms and shouted.
Like a mad person undoubted
.
But nothing, no nothing stirred the strangers.
As if I wasn’t even there…

Maybe, just maybe
I had turned invisible
Or maybe,
It was all, just a dream

After all
It was Friday the 13th!

Writing 101, Day Ten: Let the scene write itself

Posted on November 15, 2015 by Gun Roswell

Writing 101, Day Ten: Let the scene write itself

You can write your post “on location,” on your laptop or your phone, so the details are fresh in your mind. Or, you can take notes first in a notebook, then draft the scene later at home. If you’re not sure which direction to go, here are some ideas:

Write a poem based on what you see, like this sonnet on plastic and pollution by Malcolm Guite.

Create a short story with dialogue based on exchanges you overhear between two people.
Draft a meditation on life inspired by nature surrounding you.
Shape a story or personal essay around an object, sign, or something else within your setting.

Don’t be afraid to take risks! Your response can be purely nonfiction and be an exact report of what you see, or a piece of creative nonfiction that uses storytelling elements (like point of view, pacing, and dialogue) to shape a more dramatic narrative.

“The road to hell is paved with works-in-progress” Philip Roth

Writing 101, Day Ten: Let the scene write itself

Writing non fiction
Causes me lots of friction
I am torn between real life
And the safety of fantasy
The internal strife
Living a daydream
Or surrendering to reality
Quite simple it would seam
If I only gave the permission
To write a simple edition
Of something non fiction
Without too much contradiction
Maybe a learning curve
My thoughts to unnerve

Related post:
Friday, the 13th

Be careful what you wish for! (Repost for Writing 101)

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Gun Roswell

“Not today Satan! Not today.” Bianca Del Rio

Be careful what you wish for!

Not another rejection! I was getting sick and tired of working my respective derriere off and for what? For nothing, thank you very much. No matter what I wrote, how I wrote or how many submissions I sent in, all my work got rejected.

“I would make a deal with the devil if I would finally get a chance!” I shouted out loud in the empty room.

The lights flickered and all got dark.

“Oh hell, not another power outage again!” I tried to feel my way in the darkness, but as I moved around, I realized I wasn’t bumping into any kind of obstacles, like the furniture or scattered stuff lying on the floor in my room.

Then I could see a bright spot in the distance. By instinct I started walking towards the light. When I reached the light, I noticed I had actually been transported to some place completely different. The surroundings reminded vaguely of some of the cardboard sets from many a sci-fi film I had seen. The place was surrounded by a heavy mist, like someone had gone wild with a smoke machine. Luckily I had taken my asthma medicine earlier.

I walked around and wondered whether I was dreaming or abducted by some funky disco loving aliens.

“Hello! Anyone home?” I shouted.

Then wooshing sound and flash of light and, there she was, standing before me in a catsuit like leathery outfit. She looked at me, clearly assessing who and what I was.

“So you would like to be famous?” She asked me.

“Who are you?” I was a not sure whether this was a dream or I had been set up by Candid Camera.

“Beelzebub.” She answered.

“Come again?” What the f..k? I was thinking this definitely had to be a set up.

She looked at me annoyed.

“You know as in Old Nick, Lucifer, the Tempter, Prince of Darkness? Ring a bell for you?”

I shook my head.

“Satan!” She shouted out loud her voice echoing in the setting.

“Ah!” I finally got it, “What’s with the decoy? Why not come right in front and introduce yourself like “Hi, I am Satan, nice to meet you!” I asked trying to lighten the mood.

She, Satan stared at me and I got a little worried then. My skin was burning a little. For what ever reason, I wasn’t sure.

“I heard you were ready to deal.” Satan stated matter of factually.

“Maybe,” I tried nonchalantly not believing my luck! “What kind of deal did you have in mind?”

“Well I can make you rich and famous and all that entails as.. What was it again you said you were, a writer?”

“Yeah!” So, not all knowing after all, I thought.

“Writer. Yes, well I have several of those, but if that is what you want to be then who am I to argue.” Satan responded, looking at me eyes flaming.

“What exactly would it entail? The deal I mean?” My curiosity was peaked, but this sounded too good of a deal to really be true.

“Well do you think you are any good as a writer now?” Satan asked me.

Motioning my hand in comme ci comme ça -manner. “Meh?”

“Well, despite your short comings, I can make sure what ever word fall from your pen or what is it you humans are using now, keyboard?”

I nodded.

“I can make sure it’s all gold and you will become a renowned writer.”

I was really hooked now.

“What do I have to do?”

Another woosh sounded.

“Simply put on them red slippers and click your heels three times!” Satan pointed at the newly appeared footwear.

I was hesitant, red wasn’t really my colour.

“I don’t know. Can I see that in an other colour?”

I could see Satan’s eyes widen and sure, there was smoke coming out of her ears.

“You dare to contradict me?” She was furious.

Oh, oh. I had angered the devil, not good. I was worried I might loose the deal. And red was fine. I could always accessorize and buy a red bag, maybe a matching hat…

“Fine! Don’t get your knickers in a bunch! I will put the red slippers on, no problem!” I slipped the shoes on one by one and pointed at them: “See! Chill out Satan!”

She grinned wickedly: “Excellent! Now click your heels three times.”

“Seriously?” I asked. I thought I heard that line in a movie some place.

“Do as I damn well say!” Satan clearly had anger management issues.

“OK, I will. Look, I am doing it.”

And with that said, I clicked my heels, one, two, three times. The lights flickered again. Everything went dark.

“Not this again! Been there done that, now bring on the light!” I shouted in despair.

Then the lights came on. I was back in my, room?

It wasn’t my room, not at least the way I left it. It was a huge room with nice furniture and all kinds of gorgeous glittery things around. I looked around in awe. Where was I?

I noticed a newspaper on the table. I went to look to find more clues as to where and why. My heart skipped a beat. The headline stated “Premier for ‘Dancing with the Devil in the pale moonlight’ written by the famous author, Gun Roswell”

I glanced at my feet. And, I was still wearing the red slippers on my feet!

“You have to be careful what you wish for. What you think you want, may be more than you can handle!”

Writing 101, Day Nine: Writing and not writing

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Gun Roswell

Writing 101, Day Nine: Writing and not writing

If you write often or for a living, it’s important to take breaks — to live your life and have new experiences, and to reflect and recharge so you can come back to your desk, ready to hit the keyboard again. Not writing allows you to gain the distance from your words, and thus perspective, which are both needed when it’s time to edit.

Being active every day makes it easier to hear that inner voice.
— Haruki Murakami, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

Write every day, but don’t put your life on hold . . .
— Vincent Mars, “Writing as a Way of Life”

What do you do when you’re not writing? How do you reset and return to this dashboard, refreshed? What do you need in your day-to-day life to maintain balance: Running? Yoga? Gardening? Painting? Cooking?

If you’re not a full-time writer, or if your day is so full of other tasks that you have little time to write, consider these alternative questions: if you could step into a machine that gave you more time, how would you structure your day? What would you write with this extra time?

You have an additional task for the day. Reach out to someone for an interview or collaboration. This person can be a Blogging U. participant, a blogger on WordPress.com or another platform, or anyone else whose work you admire. For planning purposes, this post will run on Day 19.

“It is perfectly okay to write garbage—as long as you edit brilliantly” C. J. Cherryh

Writing 101, Day Nine: Writing and not writing

Working in the coal mine
Daily routine from nine to nine
Pulling twelve hour shifts
Desperately needing a face lift

Waiting for the bell to ring
Then it will be time to sing
Riding in the heavy traffic
Seeing something photographic

Mind finally free to unwind
Thoughts starting to find a rhyme
In through the front door
No time for a quick snore

Laptop booting with a chirp
Gulping food with a quick slurp
Fingers running on the keyboard
Like riding fast on a skateboard

Trying to type as fast as possible
Beating the odds and timetable
The night has fallen dark outside
Trying to complete all tasks with pride

Hearing the clock beep
No time for rest or sleep
Soon an other day breaks
Trying to remain awake

Coffee, coffee, coffee
Finally finished my story
Time for another working day
To earn my keep and get paid

If I only had a time machine
To extend the time between
I would write, write, write
Finally an ending in sight

Tasks long ignored, now complete
Because I did not have to compete
With real life obligations
Chewing up on my patience

For now,
Only in my dreams
Am I really redeemed
And a celebrated writer
One of the mightier

Writing 101, Day Seven: Let social media inspire you

Posted on November 10, 2015 by Gun Roswell

Writing 101, Day Seven: Let social media inspire you

One of the goals of Writing 101 is to tap into new and unexpected places for post ideas. Today, let’s look to Twitter for inspiration. Don’t worry — you don’t need an account to participate in this prompt. Even if Twitter isn’t your thing, you might be surprised that you can find starting points for our own writing in other people’s tweets.

Today, write a response to one of these tweets. Shape your post in any way you choose — agree or disagree with the tweet, or use it as a starting point for a story, personal essay, poem, or something else.

“Procrastination is like a credit card: it’s a lot of fun until you get the bill” Christopher Parker

Writing 101, Day Seven: Let social media inspire you

I can't decide if procrastination kills creativity or is essential to it.

— Grant Snider (@grantdraws) April 28, 2014

“I can’t decide if procrastination kills creativity or is essential to it.”

Dancing, romancing
Laughing, prancing
Completely trancing
Time fast advancing

Panic quickly attacks
There is no turning back
Time was supposed to lack
Or maybe I am a quack

I was supposed to do
An essay, story, poem or a few
If I only had the slightest clue
I would not be feeling blue
Right now

Was I procrastinating?
Maybe just contemplating?
Planning my next writing?
Or simply, just waiting?

A simple prompt enough
Not too a difficult task
But if I must, I must
With these words at last

I am not going to be defeated
And this poem is completed

Related posts:
Some socialmedia bullshit

Writing 101, Day Six: The space to write

Posted on November 9, 2015 by Gun Roswell

Writing 101, Day Six: The space to write

There is only one place to write and that is alone at a typewriter. The writer who has to go into the streets is a writer who does not know the streets. . . . when you leave your typewriter you leave your machine gun and the rats come pouring through.
— Charles Bukowski, Notes of a Dirty Old Man

Where do you write? Do you prefer blogging on your laptop in a coffee shop? Are you productive in a quiet room, door closed, away from civilization? Today, describe the space where you write. Or, if you don’t have a dedicated place, what is your ideal setting? Consider these questions to shape your post:

* What are your writing habits?
* What equipment or supplies do you use to write?
* What do you need and want in a physical space?

This month, we’ll occasionally ask you to do a task in preparation for a future assignment. At the end of this post, direct your readers to your contact page, through which they can send you suggestions on what to write.

“I try to create sympathy for my characters, then turn the monsters loose” Stephen King

Writing 101, Day Six: The space to write

I chose the modified Earth photo, which is a good fit, excellently representing my main modus operandi for writing.

Why?
Simply because, I write everywhere: In the shower (I keep my computer on the vanity just in case I get ideas while showering), on my way to work (mainly ideas, since I am driving), during lunch or a coffee break, while watching television and usually before I fall asleep. The night time is my most active and also most inspirational time. I don’t really need a special place or setup of any kind; I can write almost anywhere, any-which-way and anytime as long as I have my Mac or at least a pen and some paper! I was even writing immediately after waking from my surgery in August from the hospital bed.

For me, writing has never been difficult. I have lots of ideas and am constantly getting new ones. My problem currently is time or lack there of. Working around ten hours a day in the office does not leave too many hours to write during the weekdays. But I write at least a poem a day and then some until the early morning hours. Sleep is overrated anyway 😉 For the inspiration, I only need a picture, a phrase, a prompt, an overheard conversation or some happening during the day.

I usually carry my Mac everywhere and write my ideas on stickies.I also have draft versions of longer stories in Celtx, the application I use for all my writing. On any given day I just start typing, write, write, write, read, delete and rewrite, read again. After I am satisfied the story is done, I will have my beta do the corrective reading. Then it is time for posting, if it is a post. I do have a few long time projects I am working on also.

My Contact Page: Contact

I am who I am (Writing 101, Day Five: Hook ’em with a quote)

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Gun Roswell

Writing 101, Day Five: Hook ’em with a quote

A blank page can be intimidating. Sometimes it’s helpful to use someone else’s words to give you a boost. Today, use a quote or passage from something you’ve read to introduce your post.
The type of quote you choose is up to you. Maybe the passage is something you’d like to comment on, or is one of your favorite quotes. Or maybe you read a great essay the other day, and one of its lines made you think.

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken” Oscar Wilde

I am who I am

I am
What I am
Simply
Just
Because
I want to be

I am a closet writer
I am also intensely hyper
I am some kind of photographer
I am also a videographer
I am fifty year old lady with an attitude
But not without much gratitude

So what if I wear my hair short
So what if I sometimes snort
So what if I wear pink at my age
So what if I feel comfortable on a stage
So what if I wear a shorter than short skirt
So what if I’m a bit of a flirt

Pretty in Pink (Repost for Writing101)

Posted on November 7, 2015 by Gun Roswell

“The colour pink makes everything look pretty”

Pretty in Pink

The colour pink
It’s more than just ink
It may be a chosen lifestyle
Or just some clothes in a pile
Don’t put me on a file
Just because for a while
I chose to wear the colour
Stay out late and holler
Wearing a short skirt
A well earned perk
Naturally, all in pink
And very much in sync
The illusion complete
To everyone send this tweet
“She is off her rocker
Oh what a shocker”
And with that, my job here is done!
And I had so much fun!