Write about a quest you've Write about a quest you've undertaken, involving a physical undertaken, involving a physical journey. What were you in search journey. What were you in search of--family connection, relaxation, of--family connection, relaxation, adventure? What did you find? adventure? What did you find? Was it what you expected? Was it what you expected?

Put a character in Hell. Put a character in Hell.

Write about something that happened Write about something that happened near a body of water.near a body of water.

Navigating the DarknessNavigating the Darkness

"...I would raise animals and plants and "...I would raise animals and plants and find joy in their thriving. I would surround find joy in their thriving. I would surround myself with beauty--no matter how myself with beauty--no matter how primitive and artless--objects, colors, primitive and artless--objects, colors, sounds. I would eat and drink well. sounds. I would eat and drink well. ...When the darkness grows denser, I ...When the darkness grows denser, I would penetrate to the very core and would penetrate to the very core and ground, and would not rest until a light ground, and would not rest until a light appeared to me.” Jung appeared to me.” Jung

Write about planting a seed.

Write a scene about a specific experience Write a scene about a specific experience using only sensory imagery to describe using only sensory imagery to describe what happened. For instance, if you're what happened. For instance, if you're writing about being in a car accident, writing about being in a car accident, describe the sounds of the glass describe the sounds of the glass shattering and the crunching metal, the shattering and the crunching metal, the smell of smoke as the airbag deploys… smell of smoke as the airbag deploys… Focus on the moment itself, and on what Focus on the moment itself, and on what you see, smell, hear, and feel. you see, smell, hear, and feel.

Write about a tribal or group quest that you (or your Write about a tribal or group quest that you (or your character) have undergone.character) have undergone.

InheritanceInheritance

Write about something that has been Write about something that has been passed down through your family for passed down through your family for

generations. It can be anything from an generations. It can be anything from an appreciation for music to a healthy appreciation for music to a healthy appetite, or even a political bias. appetite, or even a political bias.

Explore both the positive and negative Explore both the positive and negative implications, exploring how this implications, exploring how this inheritance has shaped you. inheritance has shaped you.

Write about a change in perspective.Write about a change in perspective.

Think of a story that you know by heart--Think of a story that you know by heart--maybe a memory from your childhood, of maybe a memory from your childhood, of finding first love, or of the birth of a child--finding first love, or of the birth of a child--and try to retell it without using typical and try to retell it without using typical chronologically. Start from the end and chronologically. Start from the end and work your way back, or alternate between work your way back, or alternate between scenes of present and past. scenes of present and past.

““For the soul, each instant is always a minute short of judgment. ” For the soul, each instant is always a minute short of judgment. ”

― Gregory Maguire, ― Gregory Maguire, Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the WestWicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West

My Little TownMy Little Town

List 10 details about the town or city in List 10 details about the town or city in which you grew up: the people, the places, which you grew up: the people, the places, the landscape, the memories surrounding the landscape, the memories surrounding them. Where was your favorite place to them. Where was your favorite place to eat? Who were the most interesting eat? Who were the most interesting characters? What did you do with your characters? What did you do with your family and friends? What did the school family and friends? What did the school look like? Where did you go when you look like? Where did you go when you wanted to run away? Write from the detail wanted to run away? Write from the detail that you find most compelling. that you find most compelling.

If Only…If Only…

When I was a teen, I When I was a teen, I wanted more than wanted more than anything to join the anything to join the

Roller Derby. Instead, Roller Derby. Instead, I went to college and I went to college and

did drugs. What did drugs. What desires did you (or desires did you (or

your character) fail to your character) fail to explore?explore?

Showing UpShowing Up

Write about a time, place or situation in Write about a time, place or situation in which you had perfect attendance. which you had perfect attendance.

Write about falling into something.Write about falling into something.

Illustrations from Illustrations from Struwwelpeter: Merry Tales and Funny PicturesStruwwelpeter: Merry Tales and Funny Pictures, by Heinrich Hoffman, by Heinrich Hoffman

An ApologyAn Apology This Is Just To SayThis Is Just To Say by by William Carlos WilliamsWilliam Carlos Williams

I have eaten I have eaten the plums the plums that were in that were in the icebox the icebox

and which and which you were probably you were probably saving saving for breakfast for breakfast

Forgive me Forgive me they were delicious they were delicious so sweet so sweet and so coldand so cold

SummertimeSummertime

In "Once More to the Lake," E.B. White's classic In "Once More to the Lake," E.B. White's classic coming-of-age essay about the August when he coming-of-age essay about the August when he was twelve, the author writes: "Summertime, oh was twelve, the author writes: "Summertime, oh summertime, pattern of life indelible, the fade summertime, pattern of life indelible, the fade proof lake, the woods unshatterable, the pasture proof lake, the woods unshatterable, the pasture with the sweet fern and the juniper forever and with the sweet fern and the juniper forever and ever, summer without end." Write about being a ever, summer without end." Write about being a child in the summertime. It may be about one child in the summertime. It may be about one particular moment or one particular summer, or particular moment or one particular summer, or about the season as a whole. about the season as a whole.

Write about a time when you were Write about a time when you were naked--literal or metaphorical. naked--literal or metaphorical.

In TransitIn Transit

Some of the most interesting reflection takes place in Some of the most interesting reflection takes place in transit. Write about a time when you were in transit of transit. Write about a time when you were in transit of some kind--on a train, plane, bus, or bike, in a car or some kind--on a train, plane, bus, or bike, in a car or even on foot. Write about where you were going and even on foot. Write about where you were going and

why, and focus on what you were thinking, seeing, and why, and focus on what you were thinking, seeing, and feeling as you moved.feeling as you moved.

Describe a place you know.Describe a place you know.

"Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a "Cannery Row in Monterey in California is a poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, poem, a stink, a grating noise, a quality of light, a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. Cannery Row is a habit, a nostalgia, a dream. Cannery Row is the gathered and scattered, tin and iron and rust the gathered and scattered, tin and iron and rust and splintered wood, chipped pavement and and splintered wood, chipped pavement and weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of weedy lots and junk heaps, sardine canneries of corrugated iron, honky tonks, restaurants and corrugated iron, honky tonks, restaurants and whore houses, and little crowded groceries, and whore houses, and little crowded groceries, and laboratories and flophouses." laboratories and flophouses."

Write about …Write about …Sculpture by Andy GoldsworthySculpture by Andy Goldsworthy

TemptationTemptation

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to "The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful. It has made monstrous and unlawful. It has been said that the great events of the world take been said that the great events of the world take place in the brain. It is in the brain, and the brain place in the brain. It is in the brain, and the brain only, that the great sins of the world take place only, that the great sins of the world take place also."also."

-- Oscar Wilde, -- Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian GrayThe Picture of Dorian Gray

EXTREMEEXTREME

Write an essay about a time when you Write an essay about a time when you faced a near-death experience, or faced a near-death experience, or believed you were in danger. Consider the believed you were in danger. Consider the following questions: How did you react following questions: How did you react immediately? How did you respond later? immediately? How did you respond later? Do you wish you'd reacted differently? Do you wish you'd reacted differently? What from the experience do you still What from the experience do you still carry with you? carry with you?