to-do list

Writing Prompts for January 2014

Snow and IceHappy New Year!

Like many of you, I’m making my to-do list for 2014. If yours is still a work-in-progress, here are a couple of blogs that suggest refreshing strategies for setting your 2014 goals.

The first is by James Clear, who states, “What I’m starting to realize, however, is that when it comes to actually getting things done and making progress in the areas that are important to you, there is a much better way to do things. It all comes down to the difference between goals and systems.” To read Clear’s blog, “Forget Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead”, click here.

The other blog that changed my to-do list focus was this one from Kristi Holl, “A Writer’s Happy New Year.” In it she says, “I took another look at my 2014 goals. There wasn’t one single fun thing on the single-spaced, two-page list.” If your list looks like hers, click here for ways to put fun and renewal in your 2014 to-do list.

I found both of those blogs helped me focus my goals for 2014. Stuff happens, and I know that there will be a lot of unexpected bumps along the way to December 31, 2014. I’m hoping that working on creating a workable system for my writing and making sure that I also book some breathing time into my life along the way will make 2014 a positive writing year. I wish you a wonderful writing year, too.

To get things started, here are the prompts for this month.

1. Use one, some or all of these words in a story or poem.

  • table, clock, cold, blue, sharp, brush
  • dress, late, light, silver, touch, ring

2. Try one of these opening sentences.

  • Did he just wink at me?
  • Claire slid the ring off her finger.
  • I used to think Jack worried too much.
  • Never meet your best friend in a graveyard.
  • I wondered why she’d left the TV on so loud.
  • A siren wailed in the night.

3. Can you think of a story or poem for one of these titles?

Wrapping Paper, Diary of a Break-Up, Labour of Love, At the River’s Edge, Blue is for Boys, The Time Tree, Light’s Haven

4. Here are some snippets of dialogue. What scene can you create for the speakers?

  • Who is that girl?
  • That one?
  • Yes.
  • You must be the only one that doesn’t know.
  • I can’t believe he gave that to her.
  • I can’t believe she took it.
  • What happened to me?
  • What’s the last thing you remember?
  • Oh. Crap.

Hope you have a fantastic start to 2014!

Joywriting and the To-Do List

After finishing a busy end-of-semester week very tired and with little energy or ambition, I faced the weekend with no other goals than to relax, watch the Players’ Championship and indulge in some DVDs with the family. The weather cooperated by being too cold, rainy and windy to do much else. My goal, which I admit was not set too high, was achieved and now I am working on the coming week’s To-Do list.

I have 18 items on my list so far, and I know that more will be added as my first, real, school’s-out week progresses. But there’s one thing missing. Joywriting. This word was coined by the son of my friend, Jean Mills. To quote her blog Joywriting 101, “it’s when you turn your attention to the project that is calling your name, the fun project, the one that allows you to escape this world and enter the imaginary one that only you inhabit.”

Last week, I came across another blog at Writer Unboxed by guest blogger, Heather Reid. She urged writers to “write for the sheer joy of it.” Her words plus the memory of Jean’s blog were enough to make me look at the To-Do list again.

The problem with my list is that it covers chores, writing jobs, and commitments for the entire week—every one of which I will put before joywriting. This morning, I’m going to actually add it to the list and get out the calendar and carve out some joywriting time this week.

Do you have strategies for keeping joywriting in your life? I’d love to learn how you make it work.

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