The beige phone in The Turmeric Bar and Grill, was ringing by mistake – wrong number; the band was playing The Spider Song for an audience of 5; on a silent television, a point was scored in a soccer match when the goalie was out of position and; on another screen, The Sentence flickered on in silence as the rehabilitated man walked in the front door.
Background info:
Davina, at Shades of Crimson recently held a creative writing exercise in which 9 words were to be used in a story, poem, etc., keeping it to a maximum of 100 words. It had to have a title, an image, and a few words on what the process was like.
Even though I don’t often participate in writing contests or “exercises,” this exercise took place while we were on our trip and I was only aware of it peripherally.
On Shades of Crimson, Davina shared several pieces that were submitted. Today she shared her version, Stoic, along with another piece, The Opening Line, both done as practical exercises for a summer writing class.
The Opening Line uses a different set of 9 words – in bold in the piece I wrote, at the top of the page.
Davina says “Please feel free to try your hand at this new set of nine words. Maybe you can use them in one or two sentences. Or, write a poem, or whatever comes to you.”
So I did.
I wanted to use all 9 words in one long sentence. It took me two tries and, after the first, this morning, I decided not to pursue it any further.
Then I sat down at the computer again this evening and tried it once more.
One of the things that strikes me in this is how much help Google can be for creative writing:
- On searching “turmeric,” I saw a link to a restaurant by that name, which led to the bar and grill.
- I wanted to use some other definition for “sentence” than one having to do with grammar and found the name an episode in a 90s TV series.
- I had already included a song called “Spider,” but then went back to Google , after success with the first two items, to see if I could find a song with the word “spider” in it.
The image is from the series episode and is linked a video from the episode. The closure of my text is tied to the plot of the video.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
*grinning ear-to-ear* Mike, this is great! I’m tickled pink that you’ve taken part in this challenge and how persistent you were in making those nine words work.
Seriously… I’m grinning the biggest smile right now. I’m just so pleased. You did a fantastic job.
The guy in the picture looks like a pretty cool character. Do you think you could find his number on Google? LOL.
Davina – Thanks. Sometimes, I DO enjoy writing just for the sake of writing.
Hi Mike,
I came from Davina’s blog after reading your comment there. Your sentence is fabulous! Thank you for sharing your process of creating! I love that you took a break so that when you did create it was fun for you, not frustrating..Too often we push ourselves to obtain the goal rather than enjoy the process..
Thanks, Joy. Crafting words can be pleasurable. I would never want to try to make a living at it, though, as it can also turn into w o r k.
I loved it and now want to go away and try it.
The next John Grisham? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/06/opinion/06Grisham.html?th&emc=th
Grannymar – Cool! Have fun!
Ramana – Interesting article. Thanks.
I’ve read other authors saying much the same thing about writing being very hard work. I’m sure it’s fulfilling to those who are successful. Unfortunately, success as an author is very difficult to achieve, even for those who are gifted.
One facet of my work before I retired was writing and editing training manuals. I enjoyed it to a degree and “my” training manuals were easier to read and understand than those produced by most of the other instructors, yet it was hard work and was one of those areas where procrastination came easy.
Interestingly, the last book I finished reading before starting on this “little” writing exercise was “Ford County,” a book of short stories by John Grisham.
LOL well done, Mike! And you left me with a total cliff hanger … the rehabilitated man. What the heck? Rehabilitated from what, I ask? … so many things he could be rehabilitated from.
How the heck you been, anyway? We’ve lost touch when I switched from the Urban Panther to Silver & Grace.
Mike,
I came from Davina’s site to read your nine-word sentence. It was great. I loved how you incorporated the links in with the words and made it all one sentence. It was a fun read.
The process you used to write the sentence was also interesting to read. It’s fascinating how we find and use our words:~) I enjoyed this very much:~)
Eliza – Hi! and thanks!
The secret to the rehabilitation is the link in The Sentence. It’s a video for the beginning 9 minutes of a 1996 episode of “Outer Limits” titled “The Sentence.”
From wikipedia: “In a near future plagued by prison overcrowding, Dr. Henson presents his new invention — a virtual prison where a subject’s feelings of guilt literally convicts them by subjecting them to a lifetime of imprisonment in a matter of minutes. Demonstrating the device before a group of policymakers, Dr. Henson successfully demonstrates the process by rehabilitating a career criminal….
Thus, the rehabilitated man, which also ties the image to my little story.
I’m doing fine. We’re just home from a 50 day trip out to Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana and then back home by way of Idaho. There’s a good chance that I’ll get a third 6 month stint back at work as a contractor
playingteaching in the simulator. Six months work, then 10 months off, and still haven’t spent all that I made from last time.Hope you are doing well.
Sara – Hi, and thanks! I guess I need to do more things a little out of my ordinary. This one is certainly eliciting more comments than normal.
Wow Mike this was great…I was away over the weekend and came back to no power…and a squirrel dilemma which would have made a great creative writing piece…Your process sounds great –
Hey folks I think we have another writer on our hands!
Good job
Patricia – Thanks.
So far as being another writer, writing is something I’ve enjoyed for a long time – just haven’t been all that interested in fiction.
My college English teacher told me that I should be an English major. I didn’t tell her that I wouldn’t be able to afford the pay cut.
Mike,
You made me laugh! Thank you….All my college professors told me my major was all wrong for me…and that I would never make any money….the money part has totally come true…regretfully right now…and no one will hire me in my profession, so I just do it and do it well for free…I am actually enjoying staying at home right now and just doing my own thing, because when I ask for money they will not pay me…so I have no money to update my credentials and retain my lic. I have receive a huge number of phone calls asking me how I accomplished so much with so many children in need…..I reply prayer and love..which is the absolute truth..
I attempt to keep in mind the Bible passage about how even the bird are cared for by the creator….and my husband says – yep now we are eating like the birds!
I still smiling