From Sonya’s 3LineTales at Only100Words.
You can find the original prompt here. Thank you, Sonya
Photo by Prescott Horn via Unsplash
Lilith invited the serpent to coil around her legs, encouraged his undulating form to embrace her waist and hiss secrets into her ear.
Neither angels nor demons could dissuade her from the truth in her soul.
Fierce independence was the unpopular narrative, and she wore their scorn with pride
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Title: Fountain of Youth
Source: 100 Word Wednesday: Week 137
Word count: 100 words
Image by Cyranny
Christopher was an ordinary boy who lived in an otherwise ordinary neighborhood. Like most little boys he loved playing outdoors and discovering secret gardens, talking animals, and harrowing adventures. His mother indulged his interests and read him bedtime stories. One storybook developed the telltale signs of the favored status, but that story couldn’t contain his imagination. He created his own fantastical stories about a boy named Chris and his giant tortoise named Bulldozer.
Nestled into his otherwise unremarkable neighborhood, sat a fountain. It drew the curious who always read the plaque. To my darling Christopher, who never outgrew his dreams.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
I had an English teacher who taught grammar with song lyrics. She used printed copies and had the class parse the stanzas while the songs played in the classroom. Grammar was never my favorite subject but identifying parts of speech to popular tunes was not unpleasant.
There are many studies which suggest listening to music aids divergent thinking. It is a technique which uses free-flowing thoughts to generate ideas and solutions in a short time. One study reported that replaying a song multiple times blocks mind wandering and increases focus. Other benefits include reducing stress, improving sleep, reducing symptoms of depression, and raising IQ and academic performance in young children.
With that impressive list, I figured it was worth doing a few experiments. So, I queued my playlists and hit repeat as I composed stories. The results surprised me. While not scientific, I noticed words and thoughts seem to flow better, social media is less distracting and my productivity per session has increased. I have even experienced a phenomenon where the lyrics provided the exact word my mind is seeking.
While I’ve not determined if my stress levels are lower, the ability to get more accomplished in my scheduled writing sessions makes me a happy camper.
Do songs inspire your writing?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Today Is Day 255 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.
Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 254 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 255 Report and let us know how you did.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Title: Rarefied Society
Source: Friday Fictioneers sponsored by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple
Word count: 100 words
PHOTO PROMPT © CEAyr
James caressed and cradled the book against his chest. It had taken months to locate. Local libraries no longer hunted and delivered your desired tomes. They were relics, dismantled by the Device and digital data proliferation. The Quest was difficult, part of the grueling initiation process qualifying worthy inductees for the Ambassadors Club.
He unfolded blue spectacles and positioned them above page forty-five. He played with the focal length until it snapped into focus. The lenses illuminated the glorious words between the words. With his heart pounding in his ears, James began the laborious task of transcribing his next clue.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci represent two outstanding creative minds. Masters, geniuses, prolific renaissance men, they were also famous for abandoning their work, leaving supposed greater masterpieces unfinished. A pair of monumental frescos commissioned for the great hall of Florence’s Palazzo Vecchio are prime examples. Leonardo’s The Battle of Anghiari and Michelangelo’s Battle of Cascina were started in 1504 and abandoned a year later. They never completed the frescos.
Every writer, architect, painter, and entrepreneur experiences failure. Failing teaches us, even if the lesson is how not to create. The title Master implies we finish what we start. Finishing, calling a piece complete, might be more difficult than admitting defeat. Creating masterful art is not for mortals or weaklings. Anything crafted by humans will be flawed. Some critics argue flaws accentuate beauty. Flawless execution, whatever that is, they say leaves the viewer bored.
How do we decide were incomplete ends and masterful imperfection begins? How many drafts do you endure before a story is polished? When do we edit the unique voice and soul from our novel? There is no easy answer and passing time compounds the difficulties. Your best work from years ago, can feel worse than your first draft today.
When is your work done?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Today Is Day 254 of the 2019 Daily Writing Challenge.
Did you write yesterday? Let us know your Day 253 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 254 Report and let us know how you did.
_________________________________________
Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Title: Accidental Friends
Source: 100 Word Wednesday: Week 136
Word count: 100 words
Image by Cyranny
It materialized, and I had missed her. Again. I said ‘her’ although it could be a man. My gut confirmed it was her. Why did she torment me? Why did I obsess?
Her story grew in my mind. With the consistency of each sunrise, her bicycle arrived, parked at my door by one o’clock and by three it was gone. She was meeting her lover; she was a spy stalking her mark. She was my aberration, my ghost, my diversion.
Then her bicycle wasn’t there. Weeks passed. I feared she wouldn’t return. Months later, I cried for my lost friend.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Title: Gritty Gray Hope
Source: Flash Fiction Challenge
Prompt: Write a story that shows true grit.
Word count: 99 words
Photo by Matt Hoffman on Unsplash
Walking the city streets, I choke on the summer heat as it boils the simmering stench. Gray skies descend, reflecting the hell rising all around me. Everything lays dead or dying, and the devils threaten to consume the little I have left. This is my creation.
Time killed the last honest man. There is no way to wash away the rain. My black hole life ensures I cannot move past this singularity.
A warm wind blows, prying the cold, damp dread from my heart. I grit my teeth, grasp a sliver of hope and dare to reinvent my future.
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
Keys fascinate me. A bolted door piques my curiosity and my imagination creates untold treasures. I don’t understand the logic of hiding them from prying eyes. Shrouded in darkness, sealed tight, the owners ban even themselves from enjoying the beauty of the pieces.
People hold strong feelings and valid reasons for bolting their homes or leaving them unlocked. Ironclad defenses prevent theft some say, while others profess criminals will find an entry, by picking a lock or breaking a window. Locks only deter the honest.
Contrary to popular belief, having wide-open doors is not just a brash phenomenon unique to rural homeowners. One thirty-year New York City resident admitted never locking her apartment. Another individual stated they didn’t have a key. Founded or imagined fear is a great motivator.
I treat security a bit casually. I like when friends stop and let themselves in without knocking or ringing a bell. It symbolizes home and conveys trust and love. That feeling is more important than the possibility of losing precious possessions. You can replace material items.
I feel the same about concealing talents and passions. It makes me sad when someone says “Oh, I have always wanted to do that, but I can’t.” They have locked away a passion and prevented their authentic, inner gifts from shining. They rob themselves of joy and deny everyone the pleasure of connecting with the charm of their genius.
What dreams have you locked away?
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Keep on writing.
Jo Hawk The Writer
