A few days ago Susan at comingeast wrote a blog commenting that she had read an article that nobody wanted to read another blog about writing. Well, perhaps not, but it’s Wednesday and I have to leave soon and wanted to share some thoughts with you.
Some years ago I bought this kit and as so often happens it mouldered away in a bookcase for ages and only came to the fore when I recently cleared a lot of books to give to the hospice shop.
This is an interesting and unusual kit in that it not only has a book with Prompts and Practices for each day of the year, it also has a series of cards giving great advice. Those on the top of the pile today are:
- Don’t judge your writing
- Let go of expectations
- Trust your pen and
- Pay attention
Today is November 2 and the prompt for today is “I dreamed..”
So – I dreamed I was in a different place. A place I had never visited. The old house was quite scary. It creaked and rattled and I was all alone in it.
But I wasn’t alone. I could hear something breathing heavily and footsteps seemed to be coming towards me. I didn’t know the house so had no idea where he/she/it was coming from or where I could go to hide. There appeared to be no lights in the house but there suddenly appeared a candle on a table that hadn’t been there before.
My heart was beating rapidly as I picked up the candle and made my way towards a door. This door opened into a long, dark hallway lit only by my feeble candle which in turn threw shadows of unknown things onto the walls.
I could still hear whoever/whatever was in the house and now it seemed to be following me. Where to go from here? Forward along the hallway or back the way I had come? But where was the person/thing? I had to get away but how and to where? Questions, questions but no answers.
And then I felt something pushing close to me and breathing in my face. I was really scared and jerked awake to be faced by my faithful companion Lotte, who must have been disturbed by my moving around while dreaming. I was pleased to be awakened and out of that scary place. I guess all the talk of Halloween and its attendant ghost stories had stayed in my mind and resurfaced in this dream.
“From ghoulies and ghosties
and long leggettie beasties
and things that go bump in the night
Good Lord deliver us”.
Old Scottish prayer sometimes
attributed to Robert Burns
Related articles
- A Walk Around Brooklyn (growingyoungereachday.wordpress.com)
- And It’s Raining (growingyoungereachday.wordpress.com)
- Happy Halloween (awinsomejourney.wordpress.com)
Thank you Judith for a good read and some good writing advice.
LikeLike
Thank you for the comment. It’s amazing what we find lurking in bookcases or cupboards. 😀
LikeLike
Well, I know I’m certainly not sick of blogs about writing. Then again, considering that’s the whole point of my blog, I’m pretty biased.
That kit sounds like a lot of fun! I love prompts; I actually have piles of notebooks just filled with random prompts taken from various book lines, magazine articles, advertisement, and basically anything with words or pictures. Not to mention the cards! “Don’t judge your work” and “Trust your pen” are great little snippets!
And I liked your own writerly snippet there; there’s a great atmosphere that easily had me forgetting that it was a prompt about a dream to begin with.
LikeLike
Thank you so much. The prompts are good and I shall use them from time to time, so watch this space!
LikeLike
Great writing kit. Thanks for sharing, Judith.
LikeLike
Thanks susan. Hope your marathon writing task is coming along well. 😀
LikeLike
Good writing. You took me right into that dark hallway with you.
LikeLike
thank you friend. It was so very real. 🙂
LikeLike
Sorry to hear about your dream–or nightmare. Glad Lotte came to save the day. I used to have nightmares about my parents’ basement–after moving 400 miles away from it! Haven’t had one of those in a long time. Your writing kit looks tempting, I may have to see if I can find something like that here.
LikeLike
I am sure that I bought the kit through Amazon. They probably still have it. 🙂
LikeLike
I liked what you did with the writing prompt. I like a variety of blogs, so writing ones don’t bother me at all! (Maybe I just think that because I do some posts about writing, too.)
LikeLike
I am always interested to read what others write whether about writing or whatever too. 😀
LikeLike
Good read. Write on!
LikeLike
Thanks Nancy. 😀
LikeLike
I love your little story, especially how it ended! 🙂
That’s sounds like a great book, too!
LikeLike
Well now I have dug it out again I shall have to use it. 🙂
LikeLike
A Writer’s kit, that is so cool. That is just what I need. Everything that I had been writing were all from scratch and self learning. Wonderful tips that will be so useful. As for your dream, that is spooky. Sometimes I would dream too and I swear I thought they were so real…and scary! Beautiful thoughts as always. have a blessed day my friend….
LikeLike
As I said to Patti above, I am sure I bought the kit through Amazon. I think that now it has surfaced again I shall use it. Thanks for the comment and for your blessings. 🙂
LikeLike
I like reading blog posts about writing. So there, snooty article that Susan read.
LikeLike
I wonder what possesses people to write derogatory things in blogs. I love reading all my blogging friends’ blogs whether on writing or anything else. 🙂
LikeLike
I know you like quotes and there’s a quote from Thumper in the Disney film Bambi which fits perfectly here …
“If you can’t say something nice then don’t say nothing at all ”
I am a very firm beleiver in this one. 🙂
LikeLike
oh that kit looks wonderful and look what that prompt birthed!
LikeLike
Oh but I tidied up before I left here yesterday and don’t know where I ‘filed’ it. 🙂
LikeLike
Pingback: Another Post on Writing | I choose how I will spend the rest of my life
Pingback: Today’s Shower | I choose how I will spend the rest of my life
Pingback: A Daily Life
Pingback: Writing 101 – Commit to a writing process | I choose how I will spend the rest of my life