2019 Daily Writing Challenge September 18

2019 Daily Writing Challenge Day 260

Today Is Day 261 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.

Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 260 word count in the comments.

———————

What is the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge? It is simple: Write something every day.

Write a little, write a lot. Just write. You have all day.

It doesn’t matter if you write 5 words, 5,000 words or something in between. The idea is to establish a daily writing habit. If you miss a day, don’t worry. Write today and report tomorrow on your success.

A great journey begins with one step. A great writing habit begins with one word. Go!

Check back tomorrow for the Day 261 Report and let us know how you did.

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Creating Adventures from Thin Air – Daily Quote

the-focus-and-the-concentration-and-the-attention-to-detail-that-flying-takes-is-a-kind-of-meditation.-i-find-it-restful-and-engaging-and-other-things-slip-away.-harrison-ford.

A red-tailed hawk visits my house. I often notice him soaring overhead on cloudless afternoons. I admired him as he catches air currents and drifts in slow circles. One day I arrived home to find him resting on my garage roof.  I stepped from my car and we regarded each other for a long time.

He has perched on the gas grill on the patio, in the maple tree outside my window and the white fence post on the property line. Other days he does a fly-by, swooping past my windows to let me know he is watching. He is a serious fellow, but I enjoy our talks. Our discussions are not lengthy, but nothing interrupts them. He occupies my undivided attention.

Writing is like speaking with the hawk. It consumes my thoughts. It demands focus and concentration, the ability to see the adventure as it stretches to the horizon and each word that leads the reader down the chosen path. On bright afternoons the words slip from my mind, flowing through my fingers and onto the page. The story twists, turning in novel directions it sucks me in until it is the only thing that matters. These are my favorite times.

Where do you discover your inspiration?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

https://ko-fi.com/johawkthewriter#

The Greatest Gift – Flash Fiction Challenge

Title: The Greatest Gift
Source:  Flash Fiction Challenge
Prompt: Write a story that includes the greatest gift.
Word count:  99 words

As the day approaches, my anticipation increases. Doubt wrings conviction from my heart while my head constructs lists designed to weigh each decision’s consequences.

My worry consumes me, and my mother sends me to visit the shrine. The Omikuji will predict my future, she says.

Thousands of paper strips tied to pine rods dominate the temple grounds. I fear the multitude of curses and bad fortunes others have tried to leave behind. Still, I make my donation and follow ancient customs. Trembling hands clutch the paper. I read my destiny and press the god’s great blessing into my soul.

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

https://ko-fi.com/johawkthewriter#

The Warrior’s Path – #MenageMonday

Source: Dreamstime

Jeremy stopped looking for easy answers. There weren’t any. Not for him. Maybe the shaman had a point. His life would be less difficult if he didn’t fight.

“Fighting is a way,” he told him. The wise man smiled and nodded.

It is what brought him here tonight, his latest fight. The latest obstacle standing between him and success was fifty feet of bridge. Simple. Except the damn harvest moon illuminated the world brighter than a cloudless day at high noon.

Cables groaned and the planks spanning the abyss twisted, swaying in the wind. He couldn’t see them, but they were there. Eleven o’clock, at the ridge’s cleft where the tree line provided protection yet afforded a clear shot. It was the site he’d chose. Easy as shooting fish in a barrel.

“Why are we waiting?” his second asked.

“I figure we’ve got about a twenty-five percent chance of making it to the other side.”

“Better than zero.”

“I promised to keep you alive.”

“No, you said you would try. These last weeks, we’ve had more freedom than we’ve ever known. You’ve gotten us this far. Considering where we started, we have already won.” The faces behind him smiled and nodded.

Jeremy let his breath explode through his lips.

“We should wait.”

“We should let the devil dogs catch us?” An angel’s face confronted Jeremy.

“We knew the risks and made our choices. It is our only way. The question is… Are you ready?” she asked. Jeremy smiled and nodded.

__________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

https://ko-fi.com/johawkthewriter#

A Love, Hate Relationship with Editing – Daily Quote

the-process-of-editing-is-what-i-enjoy-most-putting-the-pieces-together-and-making-sense-out-of-them.-christian-marclay

I am not ready to join Christian and say editing is my favorite part, but I appreciate the results. Words and thoughts flow smoothly from idea to idea. There are no excess words, no bumps jarring the reader’s enjoyment of the piece.

Those jarring bumps are my pet peeves. It is like driving a convertible on the open road, the wind blowing your hair, sun shining on a brilliant blue summer’s day and BLAM you hit a pothole. You’re immediately snapped from your reverie and left wondering if you’ve bent a rim. Editing fills those nasty potholes and any distractions, so you can enjoy the scenery, and live in the moment.

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

https://ko-fi.com/johawkthewriter#

2019 Daily Writing Challenge September 17

2019 Daily Writing Challenge Day 259

Today Is Day 260 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.

Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 259 word count in the comments.

———————

What is the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge? It is simple: Write something every day.

Write a little, write a lot. Just write. You have all day.

It doesn’t matter if you write 5 words, 5,000 words or something in between. The idea is to establish a daily writing habit. If you miss a day, don’t worry. Write today and report tomorrow on your success.

A great journey begins with one step. A great writing habit begins with one word. Go!

Check back tomorrow for the Day 260 Report and let us know how you did.

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Tricked into A Productive Day – Daily Quote

i-write-simply-because-i-hear-voices-of-people-in-my-head-who-wont-give-me-peace-until-i-convey-their-stories-to-the-rest-of-the-world.-seriously.-theyve-always-been-with-me.-while-other

Leave it to the chattering voices droning in my head. They destroyed a wonderful plan, a plan filled with rest, relaxation and fun. No writing, no lists, no alarm clocks, no worries. Morning coffee, a deep breath, the voices saw an opening and jumped.

“Hello?” they said. “You’ve had your coffee?  Awake? Feeling rested?  You’re always saying you’re busy, you don’t have time. We see you’re not busy right now. Is it a good time? Nothing major. A few words perhaps?”

Can you say “Guilt” with a capital “G”? Well played voices. How can I say no? Yeah, okay, a few words. They are a sneaky bunch, you must watch them, anticipate their subterfuge. A few words, then a few words more, became filled pages. Devious, they are. They artfully derailed my plans, advanced their agendas, and made sure I had a fun day.

Do your voices interrupt your plans?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

https://ko-fi.com/johawkthewriter#

2019 Daily Writing Challenge September 16

2019 Daily Writing Challenge Day 258

Today Is Day 259 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.

Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 258 word count in the comments.

———————

What is the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge? It is simple: Write something every day.

Write a little, write a lot. Just write. You have all day.

It doesn’t matter if you write 5 words, 5,000 words or something in between. The idea is to establish a daily writing habit. If you miss a day, don’t worry. Write today and report tomorrow on your success.

A great journey begins with one step. A great writing habit begins with one word. Go!

Check back tomorrow for the Day 259 Report and let us know how you did.

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

The Magical Kingdom of Fairy Tales – Daily Quote

obsessed-by-a-fairy-tale-we-spend-our-lives-searching-for-a-magic-door-and-a-lost-kingdom-of-peace.-eugene-oneill.

My childhood included a steady diet of fairy tales. I remember a thick volume of The Brothers Grimm Complete Fairy Tales Collection, and another of Aesop’s Fables. They fueled my love of reading and introduced me to the mystical power words possess to whisk me to fantastical, far-away lands. Devouring those books, I graduated to The Secret Garden, The Chronicles of Narnia and The Hobbit. In high school, The Iliad and The Odyssey curated my foray into Greek Mythology, while The Once and Future King left me spellbound.

I am under no illusions that Prince Charming is racing to my rescue, and to this day, no magical forest animals have materialized to help clean the house or create a couture ballgown. The darker aspects of “Once upon a time,” is common adult knowledge. Yet, I search for not just one fantasy story, but an entire series. Fantasy offers a refuge from life’s stress, they let me root for the hero and condemn the villain.

At their best, they explore real-life issues and provide a platform for discussions, while they entertain. They offer universal lessons and make us reflect on ways to improve our world.

What stories influence your reading choices?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

https://ko-fi.com/johawkthewriter#

2019 Daily Writing Challenge September 15

2019 Daily Writing Challenge Day 257

Today Is Day 258 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.

Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 257 word count in the comments.

———————

What is the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge? It is simple: Write something every day.

Write a little, write a lot. Just write. You have all day.

It doesn’t matter if you write 5 words, 5,000 words or something in between. The idea is to establish a daily writing habit. If you miss a day, don’t worry. Write today and report tomorrow on your success.

A great journey begins with one step. A great writing habit begins with one word. Go!

Check back tomorrow for the Day 258 Report and let us know how you did.

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer