Title: Timed Choreography
Source: Weekend Writing Prompt # 155 – Tune
Objective: Write a poem or piece of prose in exactly 10 words
Photo by gustavo Campos on Unsplash
He whistled a vivacious tune while his pit crew raced.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Sunday mornings promise hope. Some view Sundays as just another day. They wake to an alarm, grind out work, catch up, send emails, and prepare to hit Monday madness full speed ahead. Others take a different tactic, sleeping late, making pancakes with family, doing laundry, chatting with friends, sharing the one real homemade dinner of the week, and bemoaning the inevitable prospect of a new week.
For me, Sunday is the day everything changes. Waking before dawn there is no reason to hurry. Instead of checking my phone, I check in with my body. How do I feel? And I wait for the answer. In the silence, I discover surprising revelations. Each movement is deliberate as I rise, make my coffee, and head outside to a brand new world. The quiet grants me space to read, and I sip from my cup, enjoying a serene transition to life.
In my garden, tight flower buds slowly unfurl their petals and turn exuberant faces toward the rising sun. Fresh flowers are an indulgence. They all find a place in my heart. Crocus, tulips, peonies, lilacs, forsythia, and Lily of the Valley are seasonal favorites of Spring. They lift my spirits and offer reminders of special moments. The intense fragrance of a rose can invoke sweet memories of a gentle smile, and I respond in kind.
Today renews possibilities, fills my soul with fuel for action, and restores hope.
What is your perfect Sunday?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Writing is like driving at night in the fog.
You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
– E. L. Doctorow
Today is Day 124 of the 2020 Daily Writing Challenge.
Did you write yesterday? We get knocked down sometimes. Current events have done an excellent job of destroying normal. There is a silver lining. These times have granted us an opportunity to reexamine life, priorities, and what happiness really means. I am determined, and I refuse to stay stuck in a mess. Today, I stand up, regroup, reset my intentions, and recommit to attaining my dreams.
An ongoing topic of exploration is Cal Newport’s concept of deep work, “the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.” Newport advocates approaching and completing challenging tasks by eliminating distractions, committing to block scheduling, and adhering to your intentions.
What are your intentions? Unlike goals that concentrate on achievement, intentions emphasize awareness. They are essential elements necessary to effect lasting change and establishing meaningful habits. Acting intentionally probes the root of your “why.” Examples of an intention may include creating space for writing and creativity. Do you hope to bring light to others, develop your skills, or gain strength? Perhaps your aim is to commit yourself to hard work and following through, regardless of the outcome. Does your purpose require you to face your fear and resolve to move forward, anyway?
Will identifying your intentions and reviewing them daily help you find your voice? Does it compel you to open your laptop or a notebook, grab a pen, and record the words and stories that are begging to be told?
Try it and let us know how you did in the comments below.
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
The blank page intimidates some writers. They claim they feel the pressure of needing to produce perfection in the first draft. Others insist they are waiting for inspiration from their divine muse. The underlying issue might be less ephemeral, and easier to solve.
Salespeople know the axiom that says a confused mind will not buy. Faced with multiple choices, a customer’s knee jerk reaction is “no.” Extensive options, confusion, and uncertainty are ingredients in the recipe called Disaster. Seeking to avoid the risk of making a mistake, we walk away. The lesson for anyone in sales is to present minimal selections, straightforward explanations, and foregone conclusions. When the decision is obvious, humans act. We want clarity and simple answers.
Why wouldn’t the same principle apply to authors? A writer’s imagination teams with an immense selection of stories they want to tell. Confronted with unlimited possibilities, we can’t decide. Inaction and lack of productivity is the logical result of an author without a solid strategy. Before I open my document, I devise a plan, zeroing in on my writing goals. My marching orders are precise, limited in scope, and assume a definite end. By limiting options, the universe opens. I get excited and look forward to discovering what I can create from bits and bobs and small ideas. The results always amaze me, and they fuel my desire to continue writing.
What will you create today?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Writing is like driving at night in the fog.
You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
– E. L. Doctorow
Today is Day 123 of the 2020 Daily Writing Challenge.
Did you write yesterday? We get knocked down sometimes. Current events have done an excellent job of destroying normal. There is a silver lining. These times have granted us an opportunity to reexamine life, priorities, and what happiness really means. I am determined, and I refuse to stay stuck in a mess. Today, I stand up, regroup, reset my intentions, and recommit to attaining my dreams.
An ongoing topic of exploration is Cal Newport’s concept of deep work, “the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.” Newport advocates approaching and completing challenging tasks by eliminating distractions, committing to block scheduling, and adhering to your intentions.
What are your intentions? Unlike goals that concentrate on achievement, intentions emphasize awareness. They are essential elements necessary to effect lasting change and establishing meaningful habits. Acting intentionally probes the root of your “why.” Examples of an intention may include creating space for writing and creativity. Do you hope to bring light to others, develop your skills, or gain strength? Perhaps your aim is to commit yourself to hard work and following through, regardless of the outcome. Does your purpose require you to face your fear and resolve to move forward, anyway?
Will identifying your intentions and reviewing them daily help you find your voice? Does it compel you to open your laptop or a notebook, grab a pen, and record the words and stories that are begging to be told?
Try it and let us know how you did in the comments below.
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Today the calendar announces the start of a new month, and a chance to begin again. There is no one looking over my shoulder, checking to make sure I finish my assignments and complete my goals. My successes and shortcomings rest on my shoulders. I am the boss, the worker bee, the strategic analyst, the creative director, the janitor, and the person who gets the morning coffee for the group.
I scheduled the team’s monthly review meeting, where we congratulated ourselves for hard-won victories, identify places where we fell short and devise future strategies. We examine the numbers, agree on plan modifications, and narrow the month’s focus. There will be a pep talk followed by high fives. We adjourn the meeting. I stack the various hats in the corner and get to work.
What goals have you set for yourself?
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Writing is like driving at night in the fog.
You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
– E. L. Doctorow
Today is Day 122 of the 2020 Daily Writing Challenge.
Happy May Day. Did you write yesterday? Have you completed 5/12 of your annual writing goal? My expectations have undergone drastic revisions. My January forecast bears scant resemblance to my present updated projections. There is no shame or blame to assign if COVID-19 knocked you off track, decimated your schedule, and messed with your mind. Hopefully, you have wrestled the “unpredictable” and devised a plan to navigate uncharted waters while continuing to move forward.
May has always heralded a season of festivities, and I have no intention of canceling them this year. I love gathering flowers and spring greenery to decorate a lovely May Day basket. The tradition dates to medieval England which they called “Bringing in the May.” Another English custom is dancing around a Maypole festooned with bright-colored ribbons, floral garlands, and feelings of joy. I might indulge in a piece of May Day cake. Who can say “no” to cake?
Other celebrations include Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day. Sadly, they postponed the 146th Kentucky Derby, the Run for the Roses, the primary outlet for our fascination with everything hats, horses, and Mint Juleps, until September. In defiance, or maybe its solidarity, my plan to sip a Mint Julep while wearing a pert little fascinator remains on my calendar. We round out the month with more somber ceremonies for Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day.
Whether your creative endeavors focus on brighter days, long-lived traditions, or honoring those who served, I hope you find meaning this month. That is reason enough to celebrate.
Try it and let us know how you did in the comments below.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
I can feel it coming, a monumental shift floats in the night air. The season of suffering, fragmented concentration, reduced productivity, and the resulting irritability, fatigue, and sheer exhaustion are waning. Deep sleep and meditation impart their restorative powers. Rain washes away the grime, promising brighter days. Our hearts knew the situation was temporary, and the best strategy is to ride the rollercoaster — to go with the flow.
At first, the sound is faint, feeling more like a dream than anything tangible. I tumble from my bed, shower, and put on pretty clothes that make me feel human. The beat is slow, but it holds hope and unanswered possibilities. My morning coffee helps me open my eyes, and I focus on the tasks I need to complete. The pulsation strengthens, and the intensity grows.
I access my document, reread yesterday’s smattering of words, and hold my breath. I lean into what terrifies me. My fingers gravitate to the home keys, and they bang sentences into existence. Faltering steps gradually find solid footing, and emotions amp up to levels I had almost forgotten. I have climbed from the pits. The sun shines, the music swells, drums kick out an unrelenting cadence, and the story flows effortlessly onto the page. My wayward friend Mr. Mojo has returned.
“We are back in the Groove, Kid.”
How do survive the low points in your writing?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Writing is like driving at night in the fog.
You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.
– E. L. Doctorow
Today is Day 121 of the 2020 Daily Writing Challenge.
Did you write yesterday? We are living in an upside-down world. The hustle and bustle of daily commutes, the never-ending parade of constant stress, unreasonable demands, over-hyped experiences, and thrilling activities competing for your time, attention, and energy—evaporated. Self-isolation, social distancing, work from home, eLearning, family time, and dog walking, are the newest must-do exercises. No one would blame you if you are feeling directionless in your suddenly open schedule.
Abrupt changes can induce anxiety, but what if you considered this an opportunity to cultivate deep working habits? Deep work is a concept defined by Cal Newport, associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University and self-help author. He defines deep work as “the ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task.” The concept involves complete immersion in the task. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi would call it “flow.”
Newport advocates approaching and completing challenging tasks by eliminating distractions, committing to block scheduling, and adhering to your intentions. Will applying this strategy help you find your voice, open your laptop or a notebook, grab a pen, and record the words and stories that are begging to be told?
Try it and let us know how you did in the comments below.
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Humans like to push the envelope, fight in the arena, blaze new trails, and test the limits of known possibilities. Every individual has a unique set of tolerable risks and different definitions of danger. Not all mountaineers want to climb Mount Everest, some prefer to base jump from a two-thousand-foot cliff. If we are lucky, we attain a precise balance of risk versus reward. In accessing our tolerance, we consider the special skills we possess, the advantages we have honed with practice, and we define our compelling reason.
There are a thousand reasons to quit, to snuggle into a safe place, and hide. But quitting is easy and doesn’t fulfill the soul. To succeed, you must dig deep, identify your main purpose, your motivation to groom your mental, and fortify your physical strength. Resolve pushes you to discover the unknown. When others would stop, determination keeps you going.
What pushes you to create your story?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Jo Hawk 