Trevor's Writing

Writing prompt #6: Crossroads

No Comments »17th March, 2008; Category: Writing prompts

Time for another writing prompt to help you with your writing.

Crossroads:

Imagine you are out in the country. You are standing where two dirt roads intersect. There are no trees, no shelter of any kind and you cannot even hear a bird calling – except for a lonely, mournful raven in the distance. You cannot see a house or any sort of building.

In the distance you see a cloud of dust. Eventually a bus comes into view. It hisses to a stop right at the intersection. One person alights, and the bus heads off down the road and disappears from view.

Writing idea:

Describe the person:

Is the person a male or female?
What ethnicity?
How old?
How is the person dressed?
What is the person carrying?
Are there any special or noticeable features about the person?

What happens next?

Does the person start walking?
Or does she or he wait for someone else?
Is this person relaxed, confident, anxious or confused?
What is their story?

Now let the character tell his story.

Good writing.

More writing prompts can be found here.

And you can find dozens of short story starters here.

Or you might like to read some of my short stories here.

My brain is overheating

No Comments »15th March, 2008; Category: The Writer's Life

My brain is in melt down mode.

I’m overheating not because I’ve been very busy – well, actually I HAVE been very busy over recent weeks with the studies I am doing.

No – the reason my brain is dribbling out through my ears and eyes (or so it seems) is that we are having a late burst of summer here in South Australia. Actually, according to the calendar it should be autumn (hey – that’s Fall for all my North American friends). But here we are in the worst heat wave in recorded history of our state.

Our state capital city Adelaide has broken all sorts of records over recent days. Today is the thirteenth consecutive day of above 35C (95F) temperatures. The previous record for Adelaide was eight consecutive days in 1934. The Australian record for a capital city was ten days in Perth, Western Australia in 1988 so that one has been broken as well. What is even more depressing is the news that there is no relief in sight until at least Wednesday, so we could end up with 16 consecutive days of extreme heat. Whew.

My wife and I usually go for a walk at 6am every morning. On Thursday it was 30C at 6am with a hot north wind blowing. Most uncomfortable – no wonder I’d woken up saturated in perspiration. After our walk we were so hot we put the air conditioner on to eat breakfast in some sort of comfort. That was a first – and I hope the last time I ever have to do that.

Happy Second Birthday to my Blog

4 Comments »11th March, 2008; Category: Blogs, Events

Oooops!

I forgot.

This blog should have celebrated its second birthday last week. That just indicates I was too busy last week to remember. This blog has now been going for two years and one week.

Wow. Nearly 600 articles, poems and stories later it is still going strong. You can check all my earlier articles, poems and stories by going to the archives or checking out the various categories – see over on the sidebar – hours of interesting reading, as well as hints for writing and short story ideas.

This blog is getting more and more comments (“keep ’em comin’ folks”) and its readership continues to grow every month. As I’ve already stated recently, my blogging will, of necessity, need to take something of a back seat over the next two years as I complete my MA in Creative Writing. On the plus side, I’m getting heaps of writing ideas that I am just bursting to share here. I’m also heavily into some serious poetry writing in one of the units I am studying, so some of those will find their way here sometime too.

In the meantime….

Good writing.

PS: I’d love to receive dozens of “Happy Birthday” comments.Â

Dozens and dozens of them!

Writing prompt #5 – Smelly Socks

2 Comments »9th March, 2008; Category: Master of Arts course, Poetry, Writing for Children, Writing prompts

One of the units I am particularly enjoying doing for my Master of Arts in Creative writing course is called Writing for Children. This is my main area of interest in doing the course. Our lecturer is a local writer who has many published books to her credit, including some award winners.

As a warm-up exercise in a recent workshop, Rosanne asked us to write down the title “Smelly Socks” and then asked us to write for five minutes about anything to do with smelly socks. Several students were asked to read out the results from this activity. Several were quite brilliant.

As far as I was concerned, the words “smelly socks” have a special rhythm to them which immediately suggested a poem for children. Here is the result of five minutes of writing. It’s not great poetry, but I sure had fun writing it – and then reading it to the class.

Smelly Socks

I hate smelly socks.
Smelly, smelly old socks.
They’re worse than a fox
That lives down near the docks,
Smelly, smelly, smelly, socks.

I hate smelly shoes.
Smelly, smelly old shoes.
They’re worse than dog poos
And some terrible stews.
Smelly, smelly, smelly shoes.

I hate smelly cats.
Smelly, smelly old cats.
They’re worse than my hats
And rotting old mats.
Smelly, smelly, smelly cats.

(c) 2008 Trevor W. Hampel

As I said – it’s not great poetry, but I sure had fun.

Writing prompt:

Look around the house. Find a common object. Write about it for five minutes.

This is just a warm-up exercise to get you going on your major writing project for the day. Don’t be too fussy about the end product. Try not to edit or correct as you go – just get the words down. Write solidly for five minutes and then put it aside and get on with the main writing task for the day.

Don’t throw it away – come back to it in a few days and see if there is anything you can do with it. Does it lend itself to a non-fiction article, a poem, an essay or a short story?

Above all – have fun.

Good writing.

First impressions

No Comments »8th March, 2008; Category: Master of Arts course

I have read and heard on many occasions that first impressions are vitally important – and usually lasting. One doesn’t get a second chance to make that first impression. Then more recently I read that most people find that their first impression upon meeting someone is usually fairly accurate. There are exceptions, of course. I have met a few people who didn’t impress me on first meeting, but on getting to know the person I’ve had to review and revise that first impression. Most people deserve a second, third and more chance at showing who they really are.

Then there are those people you really have to work at to work out who they truly are. Most people are far more complex creatures than that first impression.

I’ve been attending Tabor College in Adelaide, South Australia, for three weeks now. That’s why the posting have been less frequent recently. I’m doing my Master of Arts degree in Creative Writing. Tabor College was set up some years ago as a theological college. It has since branched out into teacher education and has gained an exceptionally high degree of reputation in the process. More recently it has incorporated humanities, counselling and several other departments along the way. It is close to being accredited full status as the fourth university in our state.

My first impressions of the staff of the college have been very positive. I have found that the lecturers, tutors and office staff are extremely friendly, helpful and will do anything to help students succeed. Many of them have supplied personal email addresses and phone numbers, insisting that we contact them if we are having any difficulties. The pastoral care of the staff is wonderful. They genuinely want to help and see us succeed.

Even more pleasing has been the realisation that those first impressions were accurate. The care has continued. Staff members are frequently asking how we are getting along with our studies and how can they help. It is a genuine concern for our welfare. I like that.

On a broader scale it would be great if we all treated others in the same way – with a genuine interest in their welfare and a caring, loving attitude towards them. It doesn’t take much effort. It doesn’t take much to change the world, one kind, caring act at a time.