Okay, I’m cheating a little bit because I’m renovating an old poetry writing exercise. But, down below I suggest a way to use the exercise for character development. It’s not recycling . . . it’s renovation!
On a professional note: about THREE months until the new book is released, so lots of tour stuff and events going on. I’ll post those on Brigitta’s FaceBook page as soon as I can. Whee!
CALLING
“Calling” is a form of wishing. We call for help. We call for something larger than ourselves, to connect with something larger for ourselves. Sometimes our calls are simply pleas to something truthful, something simple and pure, because we know we are flawed.
I think this exercise is best done outside. A quiet spot is better, but I did this one on my back porch with the traffic outside and all the telephone wires hanging like laundry lines.
In this exercise, you just get quiet for a few minutes, and then look around you and find something in nature to be “in awe” with.
After having a few moments of “awe,” call out to this thing. When you call, speak on behalf of yourself as a human existing on the planet. Think about your time on the earth compared to its. Think that you can learn something from it. Listen to what it teaches you.
You literally start this poem with “I call to…” and then ride the call and see where it takes you. This is a very “stream of consciousness” kind of poem (or prose).
Lost Flock
I call to the snowcapped blue
mountains Tuesday morning the
river of cars buoys ex-pedestrians
to the city
my muse
of politics
each vying for some heart
as if there weren’t enough
to go around
Black crows on the wire
identify each other by instinct
while we do by hairstyles and
familiar arguments
I call to my people
follow through on your dreams
head forth
look the squeegee kids
in the eyes say
hello and thank you
like the magic you do
without fear
of losing your flock
WEEKEND WRITING WORKOUT
For those writing novels, I took the idea of this cosmic “call” to create a fun character-developing exercise. It’s a bit more philosophical than the usual weekend workouts. I use the protag for this one, but you can use it with any character, really.
Set your timer for 5 minutes. Start at the top of the page with the following startline: My protagonist is disappointed in herself/himself because . . .
Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.
When the timer stops, Set your timer for 7 more minutes. Start with the following line: My protagonist is disappointed in humanity because . . .
Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.
When the timer stops, Set your timer for 10 more minutes. Start with the following line: When my protagonist “calls” out to the universe, it sounds like . . .
Write, don’t stop, don’t edit, don’t cross out.
Read your exercises, make notes, highlight what makes sense.
Have a Great Weekend!
