Emotional Writing, Prompt #12

October 31st, 2005

Take what you did in the previous exercise (complete it now if you have not done so). Create a poem or scene (does not need to be a complete story) using the imagery and characteristics you noted.


 

Emotional Writing Prompt for Sept 30, 2005

Equipment needed

a mirror
paper
a pen or pencil

Instructions

Place the mirror somewhere where you are comfortable and it will stand bty itself.

Decide on a negative emotion. eg. anger, fear, jealousy, offense, grief, physical pain

Practise making your face reflect that emotion

Once you are satisfied your face reflects the emotion, write down what you see. What things about your face indicate the emotion you chose?

Note characteristics, shapes, lines, lighting (are the eyes dull or sparkling), angles, head position, etc. Use description, including metaphors and similes, to relate the things you see.

eg. each line channeled the grief into the downturned corners of my mouth.

Reporting

Create a static or post directly to the UWW forum the results of this, including the emotion which you were focussing on.

I look forward to what everyone comes up with.

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **
** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

** Images For Use By Upgraded+ Only **

Emotional Writing Prompt 10 - September 15th, 2005

Write a brief essay or article on what emotions you like to feel when reading poetry.

Consider the following:

Are there some emotions you prefer to be conveyed over others?

Do you look for, or desire an emotional reaction when reading poetry?

Do you think emotion is critical, or not, in poetry?

What differences are there between poetry with no emotional stirring and that with it? i.e. do you like it better/worse, not bother you, its meaning is clearer or not. Have a think about it.

Please, keep your focus limited to poetry for the purpose of this workshop.


 

Emotional Writing Prompt 7 - June 30th 2005


Imagine you have been betrayed by a very close friend. This is something about which you feel very strongly, not some silly fight over a candy bar.

Write a letter to that friend, telling them how it makes you feel.

Now there are a few restictions with this prompt:

1. No swearing! Use your words to convey the anguish without resorting to crude language. Use the many beautiful words at your disposal to convey it.

2. Do not write words all in capital letters! Your chosen words should convey your meaning and intensity without 'shouting'.

3. Do not name call! This only lowers your own self-respect and dignity.

4. Do have a point! Don't just rant and rave in the letter, but have a reason for telling them this. Write it into your letter. Are you seeking forgiveness or to forgive, healing, resolution, teaching, reconciliation, warning, explanation...? Remember there is always two sides to everything.

5. Use a proper letter format! You can make up names and addresses, but format it correctly for a letter.


 

May 15, 2005

Emotional Writing, Prompt Four

Take your list of words created in Prompt Three (do Prompt Three now if you haven't done so).

Next to each word, write why that word sprung to your mind, in just short one-word explanations. There are no right or wrong answers here. I just want you to examine why certain thoughts associated themselves to this exercise so that the emotions can be expressed logically. It will help you determine what has personal relevance to you and what is a purely an "accepted association" of words.

         For example:

         Prompt Three results
         Fear: Dentist, butterflies, hurt

         Prompt Four would then result in something like this:

         Dentist - hate, painful, impersonal, too personal
                   (obviously of personal relevance)
         Butterflies - weird feeling, nerves, umcomfortable, normal, anxious, common
                   (could just be an associated word)
         etc.

(You don't need to do the italicised bit as I did, unless you want to)
 

April 30, 2005

Emotional Prompt 3

Something different this time round.

Choose either Anger OR Fear

I want you to free-write all words that the word brings to your mind. That means: no editing, no Thesaurus. Just write everything that comes into your mind associated with your chosen word.

Then submit your list either in the UWW forum, or directly to me via {bitem:} link.
 

15 April:

Emotional Writing Prompt 2:

My last prompt was to take something from your childhood about which you had strong feelings and write a poem or short story (no more than 500 words) on it.

If you completed that prompt, now go through and isolate each "feeling" word -- words that are related to an emotion. Using a thesaurus and your imagination,
substitute these words for ones that create an image or deeper sense of what the emotion is.

If you did not do the last prompt and still want to, that would be great. Just let me see the original version before editing the changed words in.



 

30 March:

Emotional Writing Prompt 1:

Pick an event, object or person that you remember from your childhood with a great deal of love or fondness. Write a poem or short story (no more than 500 words) describing the way you felt about this relationship.

(please email the bitem link to Puditat eg: {bitem:235164})