There have been times when I’ve felt a need, a hunger to write, just to get something down on the page. It didn’t matter what, and so I would pick up a pen, open the notebook, and start writing.
Three months ago I was having one of those days. You know the kind, when frustrations number more than the breaths you take. Well, sitting there in the coffeeshop, I started writing and a story emerged. I didn’t expect it, didn’t know where it would take me, but I kept writing.
First there was lightning. Okay, that’s cool. So what happened then? There was a girl, running, trying to get rid of something. She wanted to bury it. Interesting. What did she have? A necklace. But it wasn’t an ordinary necklace. I wasn’t sure why yet, but I went with it, eventually getting to the point where the girl is struck by lightning and the necklace was fused to her skin, becoming part of her.
Wow. I’d never even thought of it before, and yet an entire story opened before me. Three weeks later, I had written a 50,000-word book with plans for two more.
And it started one night when I was so frustrated I would have screamed had I not had a pen and some paper handy.
———
Now, I want you to grab a pen and some paper or a notebook. (If you can write on a computer without going back to edit, that’s fine too.) Then start writing. Don’t think first. Just write.
Then, once you’ve got it all out of your system and the story ends or you have to stop to take a breath, I want you to come back here and tell us what happened.
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3 Comments so far
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I love it when writing pours out like that. I just have trouble sticking with it to finish it off and polish it. I think that’s where my lack of skills really shows.
[Reply]
By Tiffany on 06.30.09 7:50 am | Permalink
I absolutely adore writing like this!!!
Reminds me of when my profs and hs teachers used to make us do ‘stream of consciousness’ exercises in class.
The craziest stuff always came out. It’s partially why I like writing late at night. It seems my subconscious takes over and writes for me. Like something else is writing through me.
It’s the best.
And 50k!!
Rock on, girlie!!! yay =)
[Reply]
By Eden Tyler on 06.30.09 12:25 pm | Permalink
I do this at least once a week. I just write. Some great things have come from it.
And I’d have to say, I am so glad you did this, because I love what came from your girl needing to rid herself of The Jasmine Necklace.
[Reply]
By Sarah on 07.01.09 6:54 pm | Permalink
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