May 20, 2014
I enjoy many things about CCWW, but if had to pick one
favorite part, it would be writing to prompts.
Here’s why.
A Sense of Discovery
I love writing to prompts because they provide a sense of
wonder. I might have images or thoughts in mind when I first read the prompt,
but when I write, my piece morphs into something unexpected.
Last year, for example, we had a prompt about a hardware
store. I loved hearing the different directions writers took their pieces. I
started a story about a woman returning to a small town. She visits the
hardware store and reconnects with a friend from her youth. I ended up
continuing the story for several weeks. Who knows? I may turn the piece into
something longer.
A File Full of
Writing
Writing to prompts challenges me to produce something fresh
each week. When I look back in the CCWW file on my computer, I’m delighted by
how many pieces (even if they’re rough drafts or short pieces) I collect there
during our six-week sessions.
I have included several CCWW prompt-based pieces in queries
or portfolios. Just last month, I updated my portfolio before meeting a
potential client. Several pieces I included started as responses to CCWW-based
prompts.
A Chance to
Experiment
Writing to prompts allows me to try my wings with new ideas
and different genres. I have a hard time deciding which genre of writing I like
best. I love them all-poetry, drama, non-fiction and fiction. I also love
learning about each genre through writing because for me, the act of writing
helps me clarify my thinking.
This past year, I wrote quite a bit of poetry based on CCWW prompts.
For me, poetry is fast and deep. It offers both writer and reader an emotional
hit. There’s freedom in poetry, too. Fixed form or free verse? Rhyming or not?
Humorous or sorrowful? I love the chance prompts give me to mix and remix over
and over.
What about You?
Do you enjoy writing
to prompts? Why or why not?
Have you shared any of
your CCWW prompt-based pieces anywhere else?
What prompts have you
enjoyed most?
Do you have
suggestions for prompts in the future?
We’d love to hear from you! Please comment below or shoot me
an e-mail.
Have a great week.
~Nancy
I, for one, do enjoy the writing prompts. They challenge me to write about something that I probably would have never written about otherwise.
ReplyDeleteMany writing club members when writing to the prompts try to take the prompt somewhere very unexpected. It is always fun to hear the different takes on the same prompt.