Jan Marquart's Blog - Posts Tagged "wild-writing"
Wild Writing
Wild writing is the most fun practice of imaginative writing that I know. I'm going to share with you my own example of that.
I chose three random words: balloon, buffoon, and ballroom. Then I began to write whatever came to my without censoring and kept writing until I was able to fit all three words in the same piece. Here is what I wound up writing.
It was our first date and instead of roses he brought me a yellow balloon. It was fun and a little quirky so I rolled with it. Flowers would have been sweeter and I guessed right off the bat that romance wasn't his up-front mood. But since he planned to take me dancing to a ballroom, I figured we'd have a nice romantic dinner, dancing, and maybe a stroll by Lady Bird Lake or Mt. Bonnell since being by water was calming and lent itself to closeness.
We got to the ballroom and I expected to be seated at a quiet table but he only wanted to go there to dance the cha cha to show me what an ex girlfriend taught him because he thought he finally mastered it. I love the cha cha too and surrendered into the evening trying to brush away my deep disappointment. I asked if he were planning dinner because now it was 8 PM and I was hungry. He said he had a big lunch, wasn't hungry, but if I wanted he'd stop so I could buy take out chicken at KFC. I asked him to take me to Whole Foods where I could buy chicken and veggies at their deli section. Begrudgingly, he did, then he was eager to take me to a club because a friend of his wanted him to stop by, regardless of our date, to hear him sing.
After I paid for my meal at Whole Foods, we drove straight to the club. He expected me to eat while he drove so by the time we reached the club we could go right in and he wouldn't have to wait for me. I took my time eating, not wanting to rush for him, my frustration growing. I wasn't quite finished eating and wanted to stay in the car to finish so he left to go into the club explaining where I could meet him when done with my meal. I gave him a look of exasperation and he told me not to worry the best part of the night was yet to come. I finished my meal, still in no hurry to rush eating. I noticed a cab company across the street, walked over and asked if I could get a ride home. Of course, they said and I got in and drove off having left the remains of my meal on the seat of my date's care with a note explaining he didn't have to call me again. I no longer date buffoons.
Try this wild writing idea. I do three most days and I have wound up writing stories I never would have come up with by sitting and trying to force myself into something creative. Just do it. Have fun.
Keep the pen moving,
Jan
I chose three random words: balloon, buffoon, and ballroom. Then I began to write whatever came to my without censoring and kept writing until I was able to fit all three words in the same piece. Here is what I wound up writing.
It was our first date and instead of roses he brought me a yellow balloon. It was fun and a little quirky so I rolled with it. Flowers would have been sweeter and I guessed right off the bat that romance wasn't his up-front mood. But since he planned to take me dancing to a ballroom, I figured we'd have a nice romantic dinner, dancing, and maybe a stroll by Lady Bird Lake or Mt. Bonnell since being by water was calming and lent itself to closeness.
We got to the ballroom and I expected to be seated at a quiet table but he only wanted to go there to dance the cha cha to show me what an ex girlfriend taught him because he thought he finally mastered it. I love the cha cha too and surrendered into the evening trying to brush away my deep disappointment. I asked if he were planning dinner because now it was 8 PM and I was hungry. He said he had a big lunch, wasn't hungry, but if I wanted he'd stop so I could buy take out chicken at KFC. I asked him to take me to Whole Foods where I could buy chicken and veggies at their deli section. Begrudgingly, he did, then he was eager to take me to a club because a friend of his wanted him to stop by, regardless of our date, to hear him sing.
After I paid for my meal at Whole Foods, we drove straight to the club. He expected me to eat while he drove so by the time we reached the club we could go right in and he wouldn't have to wait for me. I took my time eating, not wanting to rush for him, my frustration growing. I wasn't quite finished eating and wanted to stay in the car to finish so he left to go into the club explaining where I could meet him when done with my meal. I gave him a look of exasperation and he told me not to worry the best part of the night was yet to come. I finished my meal, still in no hurry to rush eating. I noticed a cab company across the street, walked over and asked if I could get a ride home. Of course, they said and I got in and drove off having left the remains of my meal on the seat of my date's care with a note explaining he didn't have to call me again. I no longer date buffoons.
Try this wild writing idea. I do three most days and I have wound up writing stories I never would have come up with by sitting and trying to force myself into something creative. Just do it. Have fun.
Keep the pen moving,
Jan
