“Stop worshipping answers,” the wise ones declare, In the quiet of wisdom, breathe the open air. For truth is a river, winding, untamed, In the dance of questions, knowledge is named.
In the hush of the cosmos, where mysteries reside, The seeker finds solace, on truth’s gentle tide. Not in rigid doctrines or dogmas confined, But in the ebb and flow of the curious mind.
Let queries unfurl like petals at dawn, In the garden of wonder, where wisdom is drawn. Each puzzle, a thread in the fabric of thought, A tapestry woven, in questions, we’re taught.
The stars in their silence, the oceans profound, Whisper the secrets that answers can’t sound. For the essence of knowing is not in the end, But the journey through questions, a lifelong friend.
So cease the relentless pursuit of the final, Embrace the uncertainty, the enigma, the primal. In the chapel of wonder, let questions be sung, The hymn of the curious, forever young.
Creating a bucket list as a writer can be a wonderful way to set goals, and really challenge yourself as a writer. It can also push you to try different things that you wouldn’t otherwise which, overall, can help you hone your craft of word weaving! So, all that being said, I’ve come up with a few suggested writer’s bucket list items for inspiration. This list is good if you don’t know where to start when making your lofty writing goals.
1. Write a Novel
Challenge yourself to complete a full-length novel, exploring a genre or theme you’re passionate about.
2. Attend a Writing Workshop or Retreat
Immerse yourself in a writing workshop or retreat to learn from other experienced writers. You can also receive feedback, and connect with fellow creatives. This can also add to your sense of writing community and (as someone who has participated in a few workshops) motivate you to move forward with your creative endeavors knowing you have people cheering you on.
3. Visit a Literary Landmark
Travel to a location with literary significance, whether it’s a famous author’s home, a library, or a setting from a beloved book.
4. Publish a Book
Work towards getting your writing published, whether it’s through traditional publishing or self-publishing. Whatever floats your boat and fits with where you want to go with your work.
5. Participate in National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)
Join the annual challenge to write a 50,000-word novel in the month of November. Admittedly, I have not participated in this event as time hardly allows me to these days (especially in college) but I have high hopes of being able to one day!
6. Write a Short Story Collection
Compile a collection of short stories, perhaps exploring different themes or genres or sticking with something specific so that all the stories relate in some regard.
7. Complete any Writing Challenge really
Take on a writing challenge, like writing a 100-word story every day for a month, to enhance your creativity and discipline. These can be both fun and extremely rewarding as you get in a lot of writing practice.
8. Learn a New Writing Style or Genre
Step out of your comfort zone and explore a writing style or genre you haven’t tried before.
9. Create a Writing Space
Design a dedicated and inspiring writing space that encourages creativity and focus. My personal writing space that I hope to create one day is a small study or library of sorts. I would just love to have a whole room dedicated to reading and writing. Due to today’s economy however and the unfortunate tax bracket I occupy, this has not yet been doable for me but it’s still on the bucket list.
10. Collaborate on a Project
Work with another writer, illustrator, or creator on a collaborative project, such as a graphic novel or multimedia storytelling.
11. Attend a Book Launch or Literary Event
Experience the excitement of a book launch or attend a literary event to meet authors and fellow book enthusiasts. I recently went to the Southern Festival of books in Nashville and it was magical. The environment was nothing like any other festival I have attended. Truly, I was amongst my kin.
12. Become a Beta Reader
Offer your feedback and insights by becoming a beta reader for other writers. It’s a great way to engage with different writing styles and stories.
13. Start a Writing Blog or Podcast
Share your writing journey, tips, and experiences through a blog or podcast to connect with a broader audience. I personally find blogging to be my chosen medium of communication in this regard but definitely don’t limit yourself to that if you want to experiment with different mediums of communication.
14. Write a Letter to Your Favorite Author
Express your appreciation by writing a heartfelt letter to an author who has inspired you (if they’re alive of course. Unfortunately, many of my favorite writers are not among us any more).
15. Complete a Creative Writing Course
Enroll in a creative writing course to enhance your skills and gain new perspectives on storytelling.
16. Write and Perform a Spoken Word Piece
Craft a powerful spoken word piece and share it at an open mic night or poetry slam. This can be prose or poetry- it’s up to you. I have done this thanks to one of my writing professors at my college and while the experience was a little terrifying (public speaking is NOT my forte), it was overall a wonderful experience and I did, in fact, live to tell the tale. Use me as proof that anyone can do this.
17. Create a Writing Portfolio
Develop a professional writing portfolio showcasing your best work and accomplishments. This is not only good practice but could be useful for you in the future if you ever start submitting to literary journals or other publications.
18. Read the Classics
Explore classic literature across genres and time periods to broaden your literary knowledge and horizons.
Remember, a writer’s bucket list is a personal journey, and you can customize it based on your interests, aspirations, and the writing experiences you wish to explore. I hope you’ve found this list inspiring or at least mildly entertaining. Good luck on wherever your writing adventure takes you! I’m sure you’re gonna do great!
This may seem like an oddly specific writing prompt post but I’ve been sitting through a few lectures on marine biology in college and I can’t get enough of these guys. So, enjoy this weird post that indulges my new found fascination with Octopi.
★Magic and Ink
A sea witch makes a grave mistake in a spell and turns herself into an octopus. She must find a way to reverse this spell but must go on some sort of quest or journey of self-discovery to do so. She is delighted to find, however, in this form, each of her tentacle’s host a different kind of magic. You can take it from here.
★Escape from the Aquarium
Two octopuses, plan their daring escape from the aquarium where they’ve been held captive. Describe their elaborate scheme, the challenges they face, and the freedom they long for in the open sea.
★Inky’s Inkcredible Adventure
Inky, a small octopus has a flair for creativity. Instead of using his ink for defense, he finds he can write stories and create pictures. He is generally made fun of by the other octopi but his writing endeavors take him places he and the other octopi could only imagine.
★Eight-Legged Thief
In a coastal town, rumors circulate about a mysterious octopus that steals shiny objects from the docks. Write a story from the perspective of the octopus, revealing its motivations and the unsuspecting friendships it forms with the humans it “steals” from.
★DnD but with Octopuses basically
Picture a team of adventurous octopuses exploring the depths of the ocean in search of hidden treasures. Each octopus has a unique skill. What challenges do they encounter, and what is their ultimate goal?
★Lost City of Eight Arms
Write a story about an explorer who stumbles upon an ancient underwater city that seems to have been built by octopuses. Uncover the mysteries of this octopus civilization and the artifacts left behind.
Any image is worth a thousand words as they say. I’m not sure if this exchange rate is exact or fixed but it’s worth trying, right?
Hope everyone is doing wonderfully this fine December. As for me, I am doing well. However, I made the mistake of blinking and now it is already the 19th and Christmas is right around the corner and pretty soon, before I know it, I’ll be back in school, taking on the second semester of my junior year.
I had a few goals to complete before break is over, one of which being to write a few short stories. Seems simple enough, right?
Hahaha….ahem.
At any rate, I find the most inspiration for my short story piece by taking a scroll through pinterest for any art or pictures that trigger those creative juices to get to work. I figured I might share a few as well as a link the pinterest board I’ve created primarily for picture prompts. The link for this board is here.
But if you’re feeling a bit reluctant, here are a few images to give you a taste for what I look for in my photo prompts.
We’re starting off strong. This cute lil guy is actually a knick-knack/snail terrarium. Pretty cute, right? He actually goes for about $250-$300 dollars so he is definitely on the expensive said. However, that’s not the point. I see this little guy and I can’t help but imagine an ecosystem with organisms that are a fusion between animals and plants. What would that look like?
Elephants with vines hanging from their tusks. Owls with whit mushrooms growing along their body that allow them to absorb nutrients. Deer with antlers made of actual branches that sprout blossoms that change with the season. Whales covered in moss. The possibilities are endless!!!
I look at this image and not only am envious of the fact that I don’t think I have 5 friends who would dress up as mushrooms with me, but I also see potential for a story. A DnD type adventuring party sets out on a journey! Except they’re all cute lil mushroom gals. What quest are they on exactly? And what hijinks will ensue?
(Link to the cosplayer’s twitter where the image was posted can be found here)
I need a short story featuring cute but horrifying monster cats. That is all.
Similar to the plants & animals prompt but with a steampunk-y twist. Imagine we, as humans, craft machine animals. Ones that are better equipped and therefore outcompete the actual wildlife on Earth when they are released into the wild? Just food for thought….(and hopefully your writing).
A vague concept but tattoo weapons and items is simply too cool not to include. How it may look in your story will probably differ from someone else’s. The parameters of this concept are up to you!
This marvelous painting by Jakub Rozalski gives me medieval David and Goliath vibes. But it makes me wonder….what if knighthood was not limited to humans? Could a fairy be knighted? A wizard maybe? Or perhaps… a giant?
And those are just a few picture prompts that I found while scouring my pinterest board. Definitely check it out if you’re interested. Regardless, I hope these few prompts got your rusty gears a-turnin’!
Have a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays (whichever seems more appealing to you)!
As a writer, I can often find myself collecting bad habits like Pokémon. A cruddy sleep schedule (gotta finish that chapter), living on caffeine, imposter syndrome, the infliction of self guilt for not writing enough, and the list goes on and on. If you face similar unfortunate circumstances, then perhaps you can use this post as a checkpoint in your writing journey to take inventory. Have you been taking care of yourself lately?
★Avoid screens for a little while.
Chances are, you’ve been staring at one for awhile is you work using a word processor. Maybe consider having a “screen cleanse” day where you try to not look at a screen at all (unless necessary of course). If a whole day feels too long, try setting a timer from 1-3 hours and just reset your eyes by not using a screen within this time.
★Create a morning routine.
It’s easy to wake up ten minutes late, look at your phone first thing, or skimp on breakfast. But doing these habits on the regular can often make it even harder for you to start your day, especially if you have a lot of writing to get done. If your brain doesn’t feel refreshed and ready to get to work, it can often lead to writer’s block. Take a minute to write out your current morning routine. Make adjustments as needed.
★Fix yourself some coffee, tea, hot chocolate or maybe just a simple glass of water.
We all have that comfort drink. Why not fix yourself one? And if you haven’t drunk any good ol’ H2O in the last couple hours, then for the love of your brain and body, please go get yourself a glass.
★Don’t neglect your physical health- look up a workout online and start moving around.
This is something I probably have brought up before though I think it’s super important. Especially since it’s one that I struggle with personally. Especially if I feel uninspired and blobby. But a quick walk or workout has a way of resetting my brain and I know for a fact that it usually works. It’s often a matter of doing it.
★Journal.
Journaling is a wonderful way to reflect and track your current habits, writing related or otherwise. Sometimes journaling can simply be a way for you to dump out all the thoughts that are preventing or distracting you from whatever project you are currently working on. Either way, I definitely recommend pulling out a journal every now and then and getting to writing.
★Read. For fun.
Try to let yourself slip into the reader’s mindset. Try to not analyze everything you’re reading. Just read and let yourself bask in the words for a while.
★Pretty up your writing space.
My favorite way to do this is by adding some lighting or greenery. Or maybe both! Plants do a lot for brightening and livening up a space and fairy light…well, they just make me happy. They look so magical, what can I say! Don’t judge me, sometimes I just gotta satisfy my inner toddler. All she really wants are sparkles and glitters and I’m not about to tell her she’s wrong.
★Go to bed early.
I haven’t met a writer yet who wasn’t a night owl, so I might be biased. But let’s be honest here- couldn’t we all improve our sleeping habit? Maybe just a little? If not, then you have your life far more together than I do and this tip isn’t for you.
★Congratulate yourself on how far you’ve come already.
Your journey as a writer has probably been wrought with imposter syndrome or fear of not measuring up. Or perhaps you find yourself comparing your drafts to the finished drafts of other writers and fear that you have fooled everyone into thinking you’re a writer but are you really?
We’ve all been there. So maybe take a second to reflect on how far you’ve come as a writer. Even thought you might have written some really cringy stories in high school or middle school, by golly, you still did it. And it’s become a part of your journey to grow as a writer. And that’s something worth being proud of!
use the tag #theprocrastinationtag so the creator can see your cool post!
mention the person that nominated you: Corrie.S.P.
answer the questions below
tag as many people as you like ❤
Many thanks to Corrie for tagging me! And in the spirit of this tag, I procrastinated doing this tag! (It was definitely because I wanted to get in the spirit and not the fact that I…legitimately…procrastinated…it.)
Ahem…as I was saying! On with the tag!
Questions:
1. How many times do you think you have procrastinated in your life?
Oh. Starting out with a banger I see.
It’s impossible to tell at this point. I feel that at one time or another, I am always procrastinating something! I do this thing where I complete a task I had been previously procrastinating because I am simply procrastinating yet another task. It’s a continuous cycle.
2. How do you combat procrastination?
In the spirit of a certain shoe brand, I just do it.
Though there is an inner battle that takes place before hand that usually consists of me telling myself “just work on it for 5 minutes. Just 5 minutes.”
This is, of course, a trick and a lie. Usually if I can suffer through 5 minutes of something, I’m finally in the groove and I continue until I get it done or at least a big portion of the task accomplished. It’s a secret though, so don’t go telling my brain about this!
The more I think about it, the more I realize getting myself to do tasks is like motivating a toddler.
If we do the hard thing, what if we get a treat afterwards? You like treats right? Maybe some coffee…?
This is IMPORTANT. It will not go away. You don’t want to do this tomorrow, do you?
No, you cannot nap.
Just do it for five minutes and then we can go play with toys.
3. What advice would you give to someone procrastinating?
I think I’ve made a few posts on this very thing (as it’s something I clearly struggle with) but most of my advice generally boils down to just sitting down and working on the thing, if only for a short amount of time. Set small goals. Small goals seem more manageable.
It can also help to pinpoint specifically why your procrastinating. Not all procrastination is the same. Figure out which of the follow reasons is why you’re not working on the thing. This can further help you come up with a more fitting solution.
You’re burnt out: Go do something different for a little awhile. Take a walk and then return to the task.
You’re scared of failure: Remember that doing nothing and not trying is often worse than failure. It is basically a failure in of itself. Also remember that you don’t have to do everything perfectly. Take a breath, take a shower, or meditate for a moment. Then go try. It’s okay if you fail. Give yourself permission to suck.
You simply are in one of those lazy moods: If you have the time, take a quick 30 minutes to rest or let your brain switch off. Tell yourself after the allotted 30 minutes, you are going to work on the project for 10 minutes. Do the thing. See how easily your brain switches gears. If you still feel lazy, take another 30 minute break and then work for 10 minutes again afterwards.
You feel like garbage all around and just don’t want to work anymore: Ask yourself if you are feeling one of the these three things: Dehydrated, Hungry, or tired. You may feel all three of these things sometimes! Set about fixing these things before getting to work. You brain is not going to function well on 0 water, 0 sleep, or 0 food.
You are overwhelmed: Again, break things into smaller tasks. Make a to-do list and feel accomplished when you check things off. Prioritize. And then tackle the little tasks. Kick proverbial butt.
Phew, that was a lot! I didn’t mean to ramble like that! Thanks for sticking around till the end of the post! Hopefully you found something useful in there.
Character flaws are a great tool to use in your writing. When used correctly, character flaws can add depth to the characters you write about, and make them seem more realistic and believable. But I bet you already knew that because why else would you be here? Anyways, here is an extensive list of character flaws that you can use at your leisure. Happy writing!
I’m afraid we’re reaching that point in the semester! Winter break is right around the corner and I’m very ready to welcome it with open arms. Until then, however, enjoy a collection of a few choice haikus that I have written over the past couple of weeks. I generally recover from semester burn out after Thanksgiving as I can just see the light at the end of the tunnel. Finals are oh-so-close but regardless, maybe a few tired adults (or even teens) out there can relate as to my mood in recent days.
A battle of wits is held every 3 years in the Kingdom of Foxes. The goal is simple- win each test and beat your competitors. The Fox that reigns supreme is named Slyest of them all and is to rule the next 3 years. However, if all the participants fail, the currently residing Fox King remains for another 3 years.
The current King is a tyrant and you will do everything in your poem to dethrone him.
★Fox Detective
A pompous Detective wrongs the wrong person. A witch, enraged, curses him to turn into a fox every time the sunrises. The only way he can lift this curse from himself is if he helps the witch and solves her case. It’s Swan Lake but with a twist in this fractured fairytale!
★Fairy Foxes
This prompt is a little more vague. I just want you to imagine a world where Fairy Foxes exist- little flying creatures that are always out to cause trouble. What do you think this world would look like?
★Revenge in the Forest
The other forest animals are sick of being terrorized by the local fox. He comes at night causing trouble and sometimes even killing some of the forest residents for food (none of the other animals have been able to catch him red-handed though). Secretly, they hatch a plan and plot their revenge.
★ To Err is to Fox
In some sort of magical mix-up, a fox gets turned into a human and must figure out how to pass as one, all while trying to figure out how to revert to his normal, animal form. Hijinks as I’m sure you expect, ensue.
★Outfox or Befriend?
A fox has no friends. At least, that’s how it’s always been. However, a certain fox is starting to rethink this. A fox is given a task to steal or fool someone else but, in the process, becomes too attached and begins forming bonds with the one they are supposed to fool and begins having second thoughts.
★The White Fox
Legend has it that white foxes are magical creatures that grant wishes upon being caught. You always chalked this up as a myth- after all, you’ve never even seen a white fox! However, you begin to rethink this as you found that you have accidentally snared a white fox in one of your hunting traps. And it’s still alive.
By the Brooke 