Thursday, June 6, 2013

 Mile 12 – WRITING EXERCISES
A tip a day to keep the rejections away 

 Yesterday we discussed the benefits of yoga and walking.
Today, class, it's time for some writing exercises!
No, really it won't be that bad.  I promise.  Because I'm giving you total freedom here.  It's not like the one art class I took in college, where I thought I'd finally learn how to be an artist...but, no, I just drew my finger about five times.  I should've just taken choir, like all the other music geeks.  Instead I wanted to be "cool drawing chick"--but that was not in the cards, my friend.
 
Here's your assignment:  write something DIFFERENT than your current WIP.  At least for an hour.  If you're writing a book, write an article.  Maybe you can get it published and thereby pad your query. 


"Dear, if you're gonna pad your bra with Kleenex, take them out of the box first."

Or you can write a poem.  No, it doesn't have to be about love.  How about something you hate?  Writing poetry can be very therapeutic.  I have several poems I won't share with the rest of the world on the subject of my mother's ten year decline from Alzheimer's.  You don't have to show your poem to anyone.  Sometimes writing can and should be just for the writer.  If it's bad, you can just hit "delete".  Or even better, print it off and burn it down in a fire pit--very dramatic!



If you write nonfiction, try a little fiction.  Or the other way around.  Write about a childhood memory--you never know where it will take you.  The years add perspective--you may find you feel differently about an event than you did while living through it, or you might have more sympathy for someone else you used to simply hate.

Just try it.  Step out of your comfort zone.

Who knows?  Maybe you'll learn something.

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