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Imagination is the beginning of creation. -- George Bernard Shaw "One can't believe impossible things," said Alice. "I daresay you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." ---- Alice in Wonderland "A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit." -- Richard Bach Clear and cool, clear and cool, By laughing shallow, and dreaming pool. --- from Water-Babies Put your ear down close to your soul and listen hard.--Anne Sexton Here today, up and off somewhere else tomorrow! Travel, change, interest, excitement! -- Mr. Toad in The Wind in the Willows "I write when I'm inspired, and see to it that I'm inspired at nine o'clock every morning. -- Peter DeVries
Teach us delight in simple things, |
Riverwriting the start of a nonfiction piece: Set a timer for 10 minutes and write down every single question and comment that comes to mind about your topic, regardless of whether or not it seems to fit. Jump in the river! No judgments, no criticism, no EDITOR. Who cares at this point? You're bouncing among the rocks in the bracing water of discovery. When the timer goes off, set your list aside and go do something else. Then come back and see what you dislodged. Move into After Flood Stage and see what connections will lead you to the real story. Write a brief outline based on this and head back to the river, using your outline as the dock to jump in the river again.
Riverwriting the start of a novel or a scene: Take two of your characters. Put them in a room, with or without other people around. Have one of them turn to the other and say, "I'll never forgive you!" Continue writing the scene wildly, quickly, tumbling, and twisting with what rushes out.