Can you Imagine?

From the MorgueFile

Writing Wednesdays: Imagination

I figured I'd stick with the fish bowl theme for another day.  Fish sure can be nifty!  This is my work-desk buddy, Capt. America.

Last week we talked about description and how much is too much, but perhaps we should have discussed imagination first.  You can't describe, as a writer, what you can't imagine.  Being in the imaginary story business, we obviously have to imagine for their to be a story.  The most common question writers get asked is "Where do you get your ideas from?"  And the most common response seems to be "From everywhere."

So, where do YOUR ideas come from? 

Fishbowls and Freedoms

From the MorgueFile

Moto-Monday:  Fishbowls and Freedoms

A fish-eye lens can add an interesting perspective to an object. It usually warps it a bit past reality, but shows an expanse and breadth of scope you wouldn't have gotten in another way. Funny, it seems to work just the opposite "out" in the "real" world.

When I'm riding for hours a day and maybe even for many days in a row, part of my mind does a lot of wandering and thinking, asking strange questions and wondering about different things. (Ok, I sing in my head sometimes too, but that's another discussion.)

Witch Hunt

Instagram inspiration from @Jeera

Flash Fiction Friday:  Witch Hunt

By PR Henriksen

The men were panting heavily, just inside the tavern's door. All three of them look liked they'd had quite a run, chests heaving, bellies bouncing.

"Did you" ..breath "see a black cat" ..breath "run in here" ..breath "a minute ago?"

Two dozen women looked up, some expressions showed pity, others looked exasperated, and still others looked mildly amused. The woman closest to the door was the owner, Ms. Mabel Barrett. She causally tucked a long, red curl behind her right ear, almost as if she was trying to pay attention to them.  She smiled slowly and waved her hand around the expanse of her establishment.  Her smile grew as she watched the men's eyes look around and spot almost a dozen cats in easy eye-shot, eight of which were black. Every one of them sat next to a woman who casually stroked it.

Imaginative Description

From the MorgueFile

Writing Wednesday/Thoughtful Thursday

"Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the readers. "  Stephen King

It's our job to paint a picture, get the reader to suspend their disbelief, and take to them on the journey, right? I say, if we are good, then it is. 

We create the world, the characters, and the story. It is ours until we give it to the reader. Then if we did our jobs right, it becomes their story. It permeates them, fills them up, drains them out, and then reassembles reality, all in their heads. 

Moto-MONDAY..... Ahhhh, Monday's

Ok, this pretty much sums up my weekend and day today.... At least as far as motorcycle riding goes (I did get a new foster yorkie-girl that really needed a safe, loving place to crash for a while).

I fell badly last Wednesday, and sprained most of the right side of my body. So, I've spent quality time with ice-packs and a lounge chair. That means that for two of the best riding days last week, I didn't get a ride. And today, along rest of this week, is to be filled (buckets brimming) with rain and thundershowers. 

Momma's Girls Gone Wild!

Flash Fiction Friday - Momma's Girls Gone Wild!

Ok, I did get a story written, using the actual prompt I listed last week. But alas, with getting hurt, I haven't had sufficient time to polish it.

So, I am going to double the ante.  I will post the story next week, plus a follow-up comic for the Momma's Girl Expose, by Miss Pepper. 

This also gives you time to explore and finish any thoughts you've had on this prompt. Even a 6 word or 2 sentence story would be awesome if you'll share. You can share this week or next.  (Mine is looking closer to the 1000 word mark right now.)

Until then, keep your wild ideas flowing through your fingers and have a great weekend! 

Is There Such a Thing as a Perpetual Creative Well?

Dogs are so smart!

This week Writing Wednesday has become Thoughtful Thursday (due to internet connectivity issues and being klutzy enough to sprain the right side of my body while attempting to hike with Momma’s Girls).

Is there such a thing as a perpetual creative well?

We talk craft on Wednesdays, but I'm still a rookie. So it's mostly my own experience and a lot of thinking, practice, and study. Yes, I still study the craft. I want to be a pro, and pros always stay on top of their craft. I think the right and best answers can be different for each one of us. I've also found that different methods and techniques work at different times and with different projects but those can change as well. This brings me to the well. Now, I'm thinking creative well right here, but wishing well might be just as good for writers.

Dust off and Polish up Your Dreams

It's Moto-Monday! Welcome.

 

Warming up to head out to work.

The sun was gracious enough to let us shine with her.

It’s often hard to know what to write about on any given day.  Sometimes there is no ready thought, and sometimes there are many thoughts and thoughts that lead into many others.  I should be smart and write them all down so I have a “go to” list when I need one.  Today, I’m going to show off this weekend’s hard work (before it gets all covered and dusty from the road construction by work later today).  Then we’re going to chat for a couple of minutes about hard work, brushing the dust off your dreams, and giving them a bit of polish.

Vending Machine Voodoo

Flash Fiction Friday:  Vending Machine Voodoo

By PR Henriksen

That damn vending machine! I felt like it was holding my life hostage. It hadn't been just a "one off". It was becoming my destiny. For a couple of weeks now, it had been forecasting my life. Now it had me. Slowly I rolled the new Coke bottle over in my hand. It said "Share with Derek." I didn't even know a Derek.

Writing from the Middle and the Kill Zone

Photo Free for use from Morgue File

Writing Wednesdays

By PR Henriksen

Ok, I get to introduce you to a couple of my favorite things today.

First up- author James Scott Bell.  Not only does he write, but he writes and teaches about the craft of writing too. He recently put out an e-book gem that will get you thinking about how you put your story together called "Write Your Novel From the Middle".  In this book he introduces the worth of starting in the middle. Not like beginning your story in the middle of the action, but actually working your story from the middle out to each side.

A Motorcycle Buffet 2

To begin the new Moto-Monday Tradition, I thought I would reflect upon one of the blog's all time favorite and most looked at articles: A Motorcycle Buffet. (Or, A little bit of moto-every and anything.)

Come riding season I always think about gear. Do I have gear that needs to be replaced? Is there new, awesome, hi-tech gear that I must try? Is there something that just has to be on the road with me? Well, I found a couple of items that were too awesome not to mention:

(*Note: These pictures are not mine, they are from the sites as listed. PRH)

Need an awesome new lid?

Check out Cool Pile’s write up.

Flash Fiction Friday: Momma's Girls #52 - World Cup Awesome!

Today's Flash Fiction is a comic, for World Cup 2014. Go ahead, try to tell me a comic isn't a form of flash fiction. :D

Ok, I've been trying to think of how to balance content and interest on here since I decided everything didn't have to be motorcycles only (wow, lightning may come down from the sky and strike me down on my way home, on my motorcycle today)... I'm thinking:

• Flash Fiction Fridays 
• Moto/Motor Monday
• Writing Wednesdays (maybe Wacky Wednesdays - although they might be the same thing)

What do you think?

So, today is our First Flash Fiction Friday.  Flash/Short fiction is an art form. I used to check out new sci-fi/fantasy authors by picking up a magazine like Asimov and reading some short story work.  If I found an author or style I liked, I would look up their longer works.  In my experience authors who can write good short fiction write good longer fiction, but the converse is not always true.  Some novelists really suck at shorter works.  There really is an art to it.