I’m starting a series called A to Z because it’s a great creative exercise, loosening things up in a writers-blocked brain. I think it could be one hell of a lifesaver during the month of NaBloPoMo.
In short, you write a story using 26 sentences, each sentence starting with the next consecutive letter of the alphabet. You don’t have to start with A. In fact, it’s probably better if you don’t. Choose your first letter by blindly picking a Scrabble tile, or close your eyes and point to something, using the first letter of the thing nearest your fingertip. Or just choose your favorite letter.
These things are fun as poop to write! And in my case, juvenile? Please join in. If this becomes a “thing” in my blog, I’ll begin offering up topics each week or two to start things off. While I think this out more thoroughly, I’ll offer up an example of the first one I wrote. I chose W:
When the morning comes, I sleep. Xanax could have been helpful the night before. Yet night after night I struggle with bedtime. Zonked out is not what I am at midnight, nor one, nor two. As I wallow in sleepless misery I realize the dark is undarking. Birds have begun their morning chatter and song. Can I just snap their little heads off? Damn that noisy trash truck! Every noisy thing known to mankind is happening. Fart One is my only salvation, my amusement this morning. Grimacing on purpose entertains me further. How on earth am I a girl? I could win a fart contest any morning! Just lift a cheek and let rip. Kind of juvenile, but I don’t care. Letting one go is pretty funny when alone, but not as funny as a dutch oven. My husband might disagree. Nostrils pinched, he begs for his life. “Open the window!”, he agonizes. Poot! Quietly I pop off another. Risking my own life, I slip under the blanket. Sniffing I realize mine’s not alone. There’s one of his in there, too! Ugh! Vincent just ended my sleeplessness… knocked me right out.
If you decide to try this yourself, please share it with me in the comments, or by linking to the page in your own blog. Happy Writing!
