A couple of weeks ago a parent who was dropping his teenager at the Arts Academy said to me, “You know, I have absolutely no idea what you do in a creative writing class“. So… this blog is for all those who eagerly support their son’s or daughter’s passion for writing, but really have no idea what it is their children do!

Tonight my Creative Writing group at the Centauri Arts Academy is meeting for the last time in 2013. So, we’re doing something a little special. In the first half of class, we will be attempting FIVE PROMPTS IN FIFTY MINUTES!! Each prompt will encourage a different kind of writing.

FIVE WRITING PROMPTS IN FIFTY MINUTES!!

Creative Writing Prompt ONE:
Listen to a piece of music together. Close your eyes for the first minute. Form an image in your mind as you listen to the music. Where are you? What can you see. Open your eyes and begin to describe what you see, hear, smell and feel as the music plays. Try to make something happen., the environment is not just passive. Write for eight minutes without stopping, and without removing your pen from the paper!

Creative Writing Prompt TWO:
Write down, on three index cards, each of your three favourite words. Hand these in.  Now, picture yourself up a tree. How did you get there? What is the problem you face? Were you being chased? Did you take a dare? Are you stuck?  Are you no longer human? You decide. Write fast. Make things happen. Begin: “I am clinging to the top of a tree”. Once you are all writing furiously, I will read out your favourite words – one every few seconds. Your job is to find a way to move your writing piece in a new direction so you can use that word in a meaningful sentence as soon as possible.

Creative Writing Prompt  THREE:
Describe the ugliest possession or item of clothing you have ever owned, in the most colourful and vivid language you can think of.

Creative Writing Prompt FOUR:
Close your eyes. Think of an animal. Picture the animal eating, sleeping, moving. Does the animal live alone or with others? Is it predator or prey? Now, if that animal was a human being, what characteristics would they have? Write for one minute about the animal-inspired human character you have come up with – for example, a human ‘cat’ might be a person who is sleek, well dressed and meticulous about appearance – but self centred and even cruel. Once you have your character description, share it with the person sitting next to you. Now, you have 5 minutes to write a scene between the two characters – yours and your partner’s – in which the two people are trapped in an elevator together. Write this as a short play scene, or a fiction piece. Begin at the moment the elevator lurches and stops.

Creative Writing Prompt FIVE:
Write a note of thanks to someone fictional you really do not like. Perhaps you don’t really want to thank them, but you feel you should. Perhaps they gave you a gift you loathe, or did something to help you that ended up doing the opposite. Allow your true feelings to peek through, even while your letter is praising and thanking them.

For the second half of tonight’s class, we will be holding readings. Every student has been invited to bring in a favorite piece to share with the group. A willingness to share your work with others is essential for writers… so this aspect of our class will support that. All students are bringing along special treats so we can eat, chat and congratulate each other between the readings.

Julie Hartley
Director
Centauri Summer Arts Camp