Write Anyway

Hello once again everyone!

Welcome to another mid-week random word bank. I rather like random word banks. There is a challenge in them that not only gets your mind working, but you can also end up with a scene that you didn’t know you had it in you to write.

I hope you find these word banks useful. If there is a type of prompt you would prefer to see, please let me know.

Remember, with all the words, you can use any form, any tense of the word. Eg. Laugh can be laugh, laughter, laughs, laughed.

For the first word bank, I don’t want you to write a short story or anything actually. What I want you to do is word association. For every word there, I want you to write the word and then write the first word that comes to your mind after.

For the second word bank, I do want you to write a short story (or something longer if you like) that incorporates this week’s theme. This round goes as usual; just include all of the words in the bank.

For the third word bank, it is something different yet again. I would like you to try your hand at writing a poem incorporating the words provided.

Enjoy!

First Word Bank
Caress
Dance
Withstand
Word
Hell
Give
Us
Bathroom
Cherish
Struggle

Second Word Bank
Go
Arm
Faith
Beautiful
Sight
Liquid
Bed
Dirt
Step
Crunch

Third Word Bank
Mail
Knowledge
Like
Wonder
Daughter
Small
Reach
World
Rain
Begin

What is beauty?

Like love, many people over the centuries and all over the world have contemplated the true nature of beauty. What is beauty? Who decides what is beautiful? What makes something beautiful to one person and ugly to another? Is the true opposite of beauty ugliness?

Depending how deep in thought and philosophy you want to go, the answers to these questions can be somewhat easy or endlessly complicated. Questions can lead to more questions, and answers always lead to more opinions.

My opinion is that beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder. I consider things beautiful or not based on my experiences. I might not think dogs are beautiful if I got attacked by one in the past. On the other hand, I might think roses are more beautiful than other flowers because I received them in my first bouquet from my husband.

By ‘eye’, though, I do not mean literal ‘eye’. Were I a blind person, I might find the smooth feel of porcelain beautiful while I found the rough texture of bricks ugly.

In the end, beauty is a bit subjective. Even so, I’d like you to write about it this week. What is beautiful to you? Nature? People? What makes you classify something as beautiful?

Before you start writing, remember to take a few deep breaths and let your mind clear. You could even, if you have the time and the inclination, try meditating for five or so minutes using the word ‘night’ as a mantra to help get you to focus. Try to shut up all the voices that will interrupt your writing process with to-do lists and doubts about your writing abilities.

Hello and welcome to another wonderful Musical Monday here on Write Anyway. I hope you are having a lovely Monday so far and aren’t suffering under a case of the Monday blahs.

This week I am putting up a theme I think we can all relate to in one way or another. (Even guys, despite the fact that the word ‘beauty’ definitely has female connotations in our society.)

Beauty.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or so they say. Beauty can be found everywhere and nowhere. Beauty is a mysterious and wonderful thing original to and derived from each person’s reality…

Beauty and the Beast – Beauty and the Beast

Okay, this might not completely appropriate, but when I thought of beauty, I immediately thought of Beauty and the Beast.

Beautiful – Christina Aguilera

This isn’t one of my favourite songs musically, but I do like the message in the song – that you are beautiful if you truly believe you are beautiful.

Reflection – Mulan

I believe a lot of what makes someone beautiful is self-confidence and believing in yourself enough to truly be who you are and not what everyone else wants you to be. That’s why I picked this song to go along with this week’s theme.

Dove True Beauty Project

This isn’t a song, but it is a stunning video of where the ‘beauty’ from our magazine models comes from. I think as many girls and women (and men) as possible should watch this video and realize that going for the magazine looks and style just plain isn’t healthy.

Better late than never, right?

On to the feast!

Appetizer - Name something you would categorize as weird.

My husband. Hehe. I guess I would go for human behavior. You don’t get much weirder than that.

Soup - What color was the last piece of food you ate?

Brown, to be honest. Hah. I haven’t had breakfast yet so the last thing I ate was a little square of dark chocolate last night.

Salad - On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone?

This is a hard one. I guess I would put myself at a seven. I love my alone time, but I don’t like to be alone all the time by any means. That’s the change from getting moving to Australia and getting married, though. Before that, I would have probably put myself at about a nine.

Main Course - Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______.

I will NOT vote for PRESIDENT in the UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION. Sorry, but I don’t know how to do it from overseas and I’m not interested enough to find out. I’m more concerned with Australian politics these days.

Dessert - Describe your sleeping habits.

I tend to toss and turn a bit before going to sleep. I sleep on my stomach most times, or sort of on my stomach/sort of on my side. I like to have a lot of pillows around me to be comfortable. I love sleep and can sleep to up to ten hours (sometimes more if I’ve been working very hard). I usually only sleep around eight.

Brought to you by Friday’s Feast

Hello and happy Thursday Thirteen everyone!

This week’s Thursday Thirteen prompts are going to continue on with prompts, questions, first lines, and other inspiration to help you get writing.

If there is another prompt you think would be helpful, be sure to let me know in the comments or by using the ‘contact me’ button under the site description.

1. Write a story using only diagloue.

2. “It’s time to say goodbye.”

3. Write a haiku about a plant that doesn’t exist.

4. Create an unearthly setting and then let your character wander through it.

5. “I can’t stop. I need to keep going. I just can’t stop.”

6. You wake up in a car which has crashed at night far in the country. You can’t remember anything about what happened before you woke up.

7. Write a story where all the characters have to rhyme with each other.

8. Pretend you have lost one of your senses and write about what it would be like.

9. “And they say pictures only say 1,000 words.”

10. Write a story without question marks or exclamation points.

11. You have a magic bag that can fit anything in the world inside it…

12.“He’s been so far away for so long. I don’t know what to say.”

13. A murder has happened in your city and you have a strange feeling that you can figure out who did it…

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens on The Book Stacks and Fiction Scribe

Hello once again everyone!

Welcome to another mid-week random word bank. I rather like random word banks. There is a challenge in them that not only gets your mind working, but you can also end up with a scene that you didn’t know you had it in you to write.

I hope you find these word banks useful. If there is a type of prompt you would prefer to see, please let me know.

Remember, with all the words, you can use any form, any tense of the word. Eg. Laugh can be laugh, laughter, laughs, laughed.

For the first word bank, I don’t want you to write a short story or anything actually. What I want you to do is word association. For every word there, I want you to write the word and then write the first word that comes to your mind after.

For the second word bank, I do want you to write a short story (or something longer if you like) that incorporates this week’s theme. This round goes as usual; just include all of the words in the bank.

For the third word bank, it is something different yet again. I would like you to try your hand at writing a poem incorporating the words provided.

Enjoy!

First Word Bank
Purple
Many
Breath
Smile
Wander
Mistake
Blue
Chance
Love
Stop

Second Word Bank
Kitchen
Life
Miss
Escalate
Flute
Call
Lounge
Sky
Smoke
Dream

Third Word Bank
Crush
Be
Defense
Heart
Distance
White
Flight
Knees
Chase
Pain

The beauty, music, allure, and mystery of the night.

There is something truly unique and beautiful about it.

When I was growing up, night was when I felt most at peace. People were sleeping and then I would find my groove. Night was when I did the most of my writing because I knew I would be distracted by no one and nothing. One nights when I didn’t write, I enjoyed late night television or internet surfing.

And I can tell you for sure, there is nothing quite like enjoying a late night movie with a container of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. (That is one thing I have definitely missed since coming to Australia. Australians definitely need to get to know Ben and Jerry.)

Before you start writing, remember to take a few deep breaths and let your mind clear. You could even, if you have the time and the inclination, try meditating for five or so minutes using the word ‘night’ as a mantra to help get you to focus. Try to shut up all the voices that will interrupt your writing process with to-do lists and doubts about your writing abilities.

I think what would be a good way to start getting you mind going is to think about night and everything associated with it for a while and then let your mind drift. Do a word association or a free write to really tap in to your creative side and let it fly free.

I hope you have a wonderful, creative day full of a lot of writing among other good things.

Hello and welcome to the last full week of April Musical Monday!

This week has certainly not gone as planned in my life and I am eager for a theme for the week that will make me feel good and remind me of things I like and find comfort in.

This week, the theme is: Night

Now before you ask me about this choice, I am a night owl. I used to be much more so, but even after my college days, I like the night. The moon, the stars… I have always been able to work well at night and have always found peace at night.

Night and everything related to it has been inspirational to many writers, poets, and even painters. While it does not always have the colour and light of day, it has mystery and music all its own.

This week I have chosen some favourites and some random songs for your listening pleasure. I hope they help you with your writing and you find music as inspirational as I do.

Have a happy and productive Monday.

We Belong to the Night – Pat Benetar

This is an old but good favourite of mine.

Music of the Night – David Cook

I can’t often resist putting in a song from Phantom of the Opera.

Into the Night – Santana Featuring Chad Kroeger

This is one of my must have songs. I have loved it since I first heard it, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Because the Night – Patti Smith

Interested in reviewing books on your blog? Would you like to interview authors?

We are seeking qualified bloggers who would like to become tour hosts for our clients. If you are a blogger who would be interested in either interviewing our authors, letting them guest post on your blog or would be willing to review their book and posting their review on your blog (or any other type of promotion) on a certain day that both you and we set up together, we would be interested in talking to you.

We are only looking for blogs who receive substantial traffic and are updated frequently.

All our tour hosts receive a link on our sponsors’ page (if you prefer hosting your banner, that’s fine, too), links on our in house blogs, and will receive copies of books where applicable for their time and effort in hosting our authors. You will also receive substantial traffic on your blog while the author is touring as we highly publicize each and every one of our tour stops.

We also spotlight our tour hosts at random in our monthly newsletter. All tour host spotlights will include blog information and an interview with the blog host as part of their feature in the newsletter. More added exposure! And…not only that…we will include your link on this page so that others can see what an outstanding blog you have.

If you are interested, you can visit Virtual Book Tours for Authors, look in the right hand sidebar for the list of authors touring, and let us know which author you would prefer to host.

Once you have decided which author you would like to host, copy and paste the below information into an email and send it to us at thewriterslife(at)yahoo.com. Please put “I Want to Be a Tour Host” in the subject line of your email.

Hello everyone and happy Friday.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

On to the feast!

Appetizer - Name a color you find soothing.

Blue. I love blue. Blue waters, navy blue (I used to have navy blue sheets), sky blue. It’s mostly the darker blues that I find the most soothing, but most blues are relaxing to me.

Soup - Using 20 or less words, describe your first driving experience.

I hated it! It was with my mean, old driving instructor and I was terrified.

Salad - What material is your favorite item of clothing made out of?

That would be cotton. I have this light grey sweater that I have owned for years that I absolutely love. These days it’s all stretched out, the pocket isn’t sown on completely, and it’s stained in a few places, but I couldn’t love it more.

Main Course - Who is a great singer or musician who, if they were to come to your town for a concert, you would spend the night outside waiting for tickets to see?

This is going to be so bad and boring, but no one. There are plenty of groups and musicians I like a lot and would wait in line for, but no one I’m such a fan of that I would spend the night outside for tickets to see.

Maybe I’m just lazy.

Dessert - What is the most frequent letter of the alphabet in your whole name (first, middle, maiden, last, etc.)?

L. I thought for certain that it would be one of the vowels, but I guess not!

Brought to you by Friday’s Feast

Hello and happy Thursday Thirteen everyone!

This week’s Thursday Thirteen prompts are going to continue on with prompts, questions, first lines, and other inspiration to help you get writing.

If there is another prompt you think would be helpful, be sure to let me know in the comments or by using the ‘contact me’ button under the site description.

1. “All is not how it should be here.”
2. You’ve been given something very important to protect.
3. On a day like any other, your pet starts talking to you.
4. Create a completely original flower. Then give it a world to live in.
5. You’re walking through a large field when you suddenly realize you’re dreaming. But you can’t wake up…
6. A letter written in handwriting you don’t recognize has arrived. Who is it from? Why did they send you a handwritten letter?
7. You walk in to your favourite pizza shop - the shop you’ve walked into hundreds of times before - but today you walk in on something completely different…
8. “I can and will shoot you.”
9. You pick up a strange book off the ground. It has a message written in the front cover…
10. Make up a name and then a meaning for that name. Then create a character who has that name.
11. “And what, exactly, is that supposed to mean?”
12. What is the worst piece of advice you have ever been given?
13. If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?

Check out my other Thursday Thirteens on The Book Stacks and Fiction Scribe

Hello once again everyone!

Welcome to another mid-week random word bank. I rather like random word banks. There is a challenge in them that not only gets your mind working, but you can also end up with a scene that you didn’t know you had it in you to write.

I hope you find these word banks useful. If there is a type of prompt you would prefer to see, please let me know.

Remember, with all the words, you can use any form, any tense of the word. Eg. Laugh can be laugh, laughter, laughs, laughed.

For the first word bank, I don’t want you to write a short story or anything actually. What I want you to do is word association. For every word there, I want you to write the word and then write the first word that comes to your mind after.

For the second word bank, I do want you to write a short story (or something longer if you like) that incorporates this week’s theme. This round goes as usual; just include all of the words in the bank.

For the third word bank, it is something different yet again. I would like you to try your hand at writing a poem incorporating the words provided.

Enjoy!

Word Bank One
Remember
Grind
Cheap
Cube
New York
Sombrero
Technology
Drop
Meaning
Ask

Word Bank Two
Spring
Wash
Create
Envelop
Check
Lazy
Delicate
Observe
Wait
Reach

Word Bank Three
Cleaning
Engage
Clear
Posture
Electric
Push
Rock
Stress
Rush
Silence

Daughters.

An online acquaintance of mine recently had her second child and first daughter, Geneva. They are calling her Evie. It is already so easy to see how much the mom loves her new daughter just in the words she posts up on her blog. It is a truly beautiful thing to read about.

The love between mothers and daughters is a very special bond. The same goes for fathers and their little girls. The love there is abundant and meaningful. When that relationship doesn’t turn out the way it should, the bond is greatly missed – especially in the life of the daughter.

Today I would like you to write about the parent-daughter bond (or lack thereof) in the form of a poem, short story, or telling of stories in your life. Anything goes for today.

If you aren’t a daughter and/or don’t have a daughter, try writing a letter to your imaginary daughter. Talk about all the things you would want in a relationship with your daughter and would want for her future.

Before you start writing, remember to take a few deep breaths and let your mind clear. You could even, if you have the time and the inclination, try meditating for five or so minutes using the word ‘daughters’ as a mantra to help get you to focus. Try to shut up all the voices that will interrupt your writing process with to-do lists and doubts about your writing abilities. Your time now is just to let the writing flow…

It is Musical Monday once again because I have had enough of random prompts for a little bit. That, and I have a prompt I like a lot for this week with a song to share with you that I absolutely love. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

This week’s theme is none other than the title of my favourite song this week: daughters.

Aw, our little girls. Our tomboys, princesses, businesswomen, mothers, lovers, sisters and so much more. Women everywhere, no matter what their background, beliefs, career, marital status, location or whatever else all have one thing in common – they are all daughters.

This week we will be talking about (and hopefully writing about) the wonderful daughters of the world.

And now, for your listening pleasure…

Daughters of Bluegrass – Daughters

Honestly? I chose this video because it is something I would not usually listen to. I thought I would mix it up and throw in something a bit strange.

In My Daughter’s Eyes – Martina McBride

Does it get any better than a heartfelt song from a mother to her daughter?

Daughters – John Mayer (The Grammys performance)

This is my ‘must have’ video for this week. I have loved this song since I first heard it. It is sweet, slow but moving, and has a sentimental message I can appreciate even though I am not a mother. (I am a daughter, so that helps things along.)

I hope you enjoy the musical selection for this week and find it inspirational for your writing.

Interested in reviewing books on your blog? Would you like to interview authors?

We are seeking qualified bloggers who would like to become tour hosts for our clients. If you are a blogger who would be interested in either interviewing our authors, letting them guest post on your blog or would be willing to review their book and posting their review on your blog (or any other type of promotion) on a certain day that both you and we set up together, we would be interested in talking to you.

We are only looking for blogs who receive substantial traffic and are updated frequently.

All our tour hosts receive a link on our sponsors’ page (if you prefer hosting your banner, that’s fine, too), links on our in house blogs, and will receive copies of books where applicable for their time and effort in hosting our authors. You will also receive substantial traffic on your blog while the author is touring as we highly publicize each and every one of our tour stops.

We also spotlight our tour hosts at random in our monthly newsletter. All tour host spotlights will include blog information and an interview with the blog host as part of their feature in the newsletter. More added exposure! And…not only that…we will include your link on this page so that others can see what an outstanding blog you have.

If you are interested, you can visit Virtual Book Tours for Authors, look in the right hand sidebar for the list of authors touring, and let us know which author you would prefer to host.

Once you have decided which author you would like to host, copy and paste the below information into an email and send it to us at thewriterslife(at)yahoo.com. Please put “I Want to Be a Tour Host” in the subject line of your email.