Short Assignments

A Pencil is a Window to the Soul

The book I've chosen to use as a guideline
for successful writing.

"'Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird'" (Lamott 19).

For many, writing is a hobby. Any scenarios played in the head can be brought to life through words on a piece of paper.

For some, writing is an escape. A way of life. Thoughts, vents, real-life events, or feelings can be portrayed in any way you'd like. Writing is a tool used to display your inner self -- a window to the soul.

The book I'm using as a guide on how to be a successful writer is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott. Through humor and her experiences as an author, she explains to the reader how, step-by-step, bird-by-bird, a story worth publishing can be produced.

I've been a day-dreamer my whole life. Conjuring up stories in my head was something I did frequently as a kid, and when I grew older I realized that these events could be written down to create something remarkable. Something that could take a reader elsewhere, or have them fall in love with a character or setting. That's when I discovered my passion for writing fiction.

I've had this journal for too many years
to count now, but the pages are empty due
 to me tearing out anything I write in it.

"good writing is telling the truth. We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are... We have so much we want to say and figure out" (Lamott 3).

On my first attempt to brainstorm, I followed Anne's advice and decided to write on the truth. Things that have happened to me before. She promises that once you write down on big idea, the little details will start flowing. All you need to do is write.

For this short assignment I completed, I hardly paused to think and didn't dare go back and erase or re-write anything. I just wrote and put down anything that came to mind during my encounter. I was surprised at how much detail I could pack into a scene that lasted three seconds in real life. 

This small piece of writing definitely has the potential to be transformed into something much larger.

My first short assignment, covering an encounter
I had with a Romanian gypsy near the Louvre in Paris, France.

Something to Think On: What's a short experience in your life that you believe could be transformed into a story worth reading?