Join the Writing Pad community!

Monday, January 28, 2013

Writing Prompt: Live Your Dream in 2013


My preferred workout: lounging.
By Marilyn Friedman

It's January and gyms are packed to the gills. My favorite cafe is crowded with writers tapping on their iPads. The reason? It's New Year's resolution time, and I refuse to be left behind. My alarm is set to ring an hour earlier than usual so I'm forced to write a little bit before I leave the house for an early morning exercise class. To be honest, I'd rather just sleep in till 10 a.m. or spend the day lounging around, snacking on tasty food like I did when on vacation in Vietnam last month (see picture on the left--hey, I have my sneakers on!), but I've got some serious writing goals I'm itching to reach this year, like finish my memoir and get a travel piece published.

Luckily I have Writing Pad to help me reach my goals (which is why I started the school almost nine years ago--for my own writing development). I've signed up for our Memoir Bootcamp and Travel Writing classes to help me get my writing projects done with mentoring from uber successful writers. I invite you to join me in one of these two classes or one of our other wonderful Creative Writing, Children's Writing, Fiction, Journalism, Writing for Performance, Publishing or Screenwriting classes to help you fulfill your 2013 New Year's resolutions.

Has "write a travel piece on my trip to Thailand that focuses on diet and longevity" been on your wish list for the past 4 years? Want to hold your head high at your high school reunion this year, bragging about the coveted TV writing job you landed or script option you sold? Or maybe all of your friends have been bugging you launch a riveting blog about your snarky musings on "Dance Moms" but you'd like to find out how to turn that blog into a book deal or freelance writing career? Come to Writing Pad, and we'll help you reach all of your goals this year by giving you the tiny push you need. We want to help, really.

Get started on your 2013 writing practice by looking through the fabulous class options below and then scrolling to the bottom of this blog post for your free writing prompt! See you soon.

Note: classes with an asterix (*) will be held at our new, posh Westside location in Westwood!
You in 1200 Words: Writing and Publishing The Personal Essay (5 WK)*
Hook Ups, Break Ups, And Missed Connections: Writing The Relationship Essay

Playwriting and Writing for Actors
Story Time: A Performed Essay Workshop
Get Into Character: A Character Monologue Workshop   

Screenwriting
Dream It, Write It, Pitch It: Screenwriting Bootcamp*
Structure, Structure, Structure: Building The Foundation For A Killer Book or Movie*
Punch It Up: Polishing Your TV Pilot (or Spec Script)
Dr. Ed's Development Bootcamp: Crafting Your Webisode Calling Card (1 DAY)*
Dr. Ed's Development Bootcamp: The Ten Page Workout*


Out with the old routine of eating chips on the couch, in with the new!

Pictured above: Writing Padder and Pilates Instructor Extraodinaire Kit Rich whose essay (written in Taffy Brodesser Akner's class) was just published in Self Magazine! Congrats, Kit!


Writing Prompt:
Make a list of 3 personal, professional, or emotional changes you vowed to make in the past (or a fictional character vowed to make). In what areas did you (or your character) improve? Where did you (or your character) make empty promises? What happened? Look at the list you wrote and choose your favorite change you did or didn't make. Brainstorm two specific ways that affected your day-to-day – maybe you were able to better taste the smoky chile spice of your favorite Enchilada sauce once you quit smoking cigarettes or a new jogging routine made your morning commute all the more vivid with bright yellows and reds and sweet honeysuckle aromas from the plants on your route.

For ten minutes, write a scene where a character based on you makes a big shift. Explore the consequences that shift has on his or her life.

I am going to write about how my 2012 commitment to go to three to five trampoline classes per week allowed me to slim down, fit back into my jeans, and helped me stop walking around the world with a cloud of stress and resentment over my head. To be honest, I totally fell off the wagon over the last two weeks and haven't exercised at all, but I'm about to resume my trampoline regime tonight. What are you going to write about?

For ten minutes: write about how a character fulfilled or didn't fulfill a a New Year's resolution. Share the results of your ten minute write in the comments of this blog to be entered in the contest for a free class!

No comments: