I enjoy writing flash fiction and short stories. Attempting to write a story with a beginning a middle and an end in exactly 100 words, is a real challenge. Every word must pull its weight, helping to develop the setting, mood, plot, character arc and everything else that makes a story successful. Concise, compact writing is the order of the day.

Like William, I use my daily flash fiction to try new things, explore the art of storytelling, test genres and have fun. I take the germ of the idea, write freely, then edit, edit, edit. I spend more time editing than I do writing the piece. Once my warm-up flash fiction is complete, I can start the days writing goals.

How do you structure your writing day?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I remember laying in the grass with deep darkness painting the sky. Millions and trillions of lights stud the canopy. I oriented the heaven’s guidebook above my head and located Ursa Major. There I identify the Big Dipper. Using the bowl’s pointer stars, I trace their alignment to the North Star, Polaris, at the end of the Little Dipper’s handle. It is a pulsing yellow supergiant, and while its intensity varies, I can locate its position with ease.

Letting the stars point me in the right direction, I turn to find Cassiopeia, Perseus, Pegasus, Lyra, Hercules and Draco snaking its way between the bears. The fall and winter skies are my favorite. Orion hunts just outside my bedroom window, he and his dogs Canis Major and Minor stand guard keeping me safe. Now I live in a large metropolitan region, where bright light obstructs the view of celestial objects. I sense their presence even if I rarely see them. I have lost the lesser-known stars as they fade, masked by the glare.

Tonight, I wonder if my inability to see every star in the sky limits my options and prevents me from seeing the whole array of opportunities. Do the limited choices force me to choose?  Compel me to act? Light pollution has blotted out dim alternatives and the pool of possibilities is smaller.

Orion’s call is plain and strong, I trust he has my back. He protects me, guarding me, as I ignore everything else and focus on my North Star. When morning sunlight streams through my window, my path forward is unmistakable.

Are you following your true North?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

I love being in the spray, speeding across the lake’s surface with waves crashing into the hull. The boat slams into the trough, bouncing hard, water sprays, the motor turns, and the propeller spins driving us forward. I am anxious, exhilarated, and aware of the dangers lurking in each swell.  If we capsize, chances are, I will drown because I cannot swim. I don’t let it stop me. I take precautions.

Sailing fascinates me.  It is intuitive that sailboats, with the wind at their backs, can easily reach their destination.  But how do they return, when it blows straight at them? Shooting into the wind is a misnomer which requires physics. You place the boat’s centerline at an angle to the wind, catching the sail, while the wind’s force and the water act on the keel to send the boat racing forward diagonally to the desired harbor. Alternating from a port tack to a starboard tack sends the vessel in a zig-zag course home.

I see similarities in reaching my goals. Some days I run with the wind, moving faster than the gale with little effort. Then the breeze changes and my progress demands tacking and jibing to advance toward my target. I could blame the air currents for my shortfall, or I can work with what I have, set my course, and adjust my sails.

How are you doing on your goals?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer

Labor Day Weekend is a pivotal marker. It delineates the end of summer, the return to school, shorter days, cooler nights, and it reminds us we must buckle down and get to work… tomorrow. For now, we revel in our last hurrah.

One more splash at the water park, a BBQ and lawn games with friends and family. We enjoy a parade, a final open-air play, or concert followed by fireworks and ice cream. We watch little ones fall asleep in the car’s back seat as we brave the traffic jam and slowly make our way home.

What are your Labor Day Rituals?

_________________________________________

Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer